If you want your kitchen to remain "pristine" and "new looking" then I'd agree with the contractors who warn you off of butcherblock and soapstone.

But if "lived in" sounds good to you, then butcherblock and soapstone are fabulous. Both products will show age -- but gracefully.

Have you ever seen a piece of butcherblock or soapstone that scares the #$%^ out of you? If it's only happened once or twice, I'd say you're good to go. But if it happens regularly -- then play it safe with granite or engineered quartz.

elme
First, be aware that both products can cause severe head injuries ; )

But seriously, this is a loaded subject, well discussed over the past 48 hours, as well as the lifespan of this forum, I beleive (I'm relatively new to the forum). Go to the bottom of the general kitchen forum page, type in soapstone, and you will find numerous threads regarding soapstone. This link will lead you to the latest, and will tell you the concerns of kitchen head injuries. I will soon be marketing kitchen helmets that have an ergonomic spice rack mounted on the sides.

Here is a link to the latest discussion. Caution: it will take a while to load, as it is a loaded discussion!

Here is a link that might be useful: that home site!

Both take some maintenance, I would say butcherblock takes more, but I think you can be much harder on either than laminate oe corian products for sure, which were the state of the art until people went natural stone crazy a decade or so ago.

I tend to take any non-contracting related advice from contractors with a grain of salt. I have worked with a number of contractors who do good work but our personal tastes were like night and day.

As for the bacterial population of various countertop materials, I usually eat and serve food from a plate, I generally don't eat right off the countertop.

I did both, and I love them.

{{!gwi}}

Seriously, I'd only be concerned about the sink area if it was in butcherblock. I love the lowered butcherblock counter that I have. And I treat it with the same mineral oil that I use on my soapstone.

The soapstone is a dream, we love the character. If you want glossy and pristine, it's not for you, but if you want an earthy, warm, tactile finish that you love to touch, it's beautiful.

OMG - I am not going to be able to lick my new counters? Oh well, perhaps I will just have to work on that little proclivity of mine.

I am looking at soapstone as well. I have gone around and around (just ask my DH) regarding what to put on my counters.

I was going to used engineered quartz until I saw it in person - it was a bit to consistent for me.

Then I saw granite and realized I was not a "traditional" granite person. I didn't want my counters to be shiny and I also liked more movement in the stone and my DH wanted less movement. I considered a leathered antique finish to the granite, but after feeling it, was worried that I would not be able to roll dough on the counters as I am planning to do - the antique/leather finish to the granite created too much texture (which I loved) and I am worried that I would end up with flour and dough stuck in the counter.

I looked briefly at slate but my DH didn't care for them and I was having a hard time finding one that was more black.

I love marble, but know that the etching and staining would be a problem for my family (DH and the kids are not the neatest cooks on the planet).

Then I saw soapstone on this forum. I like that it is non-porus and inert, and you can put a hot pot on it without worrying about thermal shock (I wouldn't do this, but my DH isn't always a trivet man). If it gets a scratch, you can use mineral oil or fine grit sandpaper to remove it. It has a matte finish and look. I thought I wanted a very black soapstone without a lot of veining. Then I took my DH to see some slabs (with quite a bit of veining) and he fell in love with it. Now I loved it too, but he went from "no way" to "we have to get this for the counters" in a NY minute.

So with any luck I will have soapstone on my counters in a few weeks.....

I love the idea of the spice rack helmet - if the spice rack is metal, I'd be able to hang my new kitchen gadgets (mini salt and pepper grinders ) off it too!

I love the look of butcher block and decided to throw caution to the wind, and installed it around my sink. Bec I've treated it with a non-drying oil (mineral oil as well as a mineral oil/beeswax combo - smells awesome), care and maintenance is required. I tend to stand guard, swooping in with a tea towel when I see standing water on it. When I've scrubbed it, used very hot water or used tape (long story), it has looked immediately dry. I re-oil and voila!

My kitchen is basically done, and try as I might, I can't find a spot to try out soapstone. So now I'm eyeing soapstone for an outdoor counter.

I am def. leaning towards soapstone, especially for the sink area. How much does it take to scratch the service? Will a jar of tomatoes slid to the side leave a scratch? Will it chip with an accidental drop of a jar? Sorry for all the questions, I just want to be prepared with the pros and cons before I buy.

evilbunnie, I love your soapstone and butcher block

It took the stove being pushed back into position while slightly misaligned to scratch mine. And that could be sanded out.

If you drop a jar on it, its likely the jar would break, but that would happen on any stone.

Trailrunner has butcherblock countertop at the sink (soapstone) and soapstone counters she uses for food prep and baking. Take a look, they are beautiful and have aged and held up nicely.

Go to her member page, copy and paste the photobucket link. See Final Kitchen Pictures.

Here is a link that might be useful: Trailrunner's Member page

If I move things on my soapstone counters, and they're abrasive, or there's grit on the counter, it will make white scratches, but those are temporary. The cat leaves nailmarks when he launches. But again, temporary -- until oiling. I don't cut directly on the counters, and I try to be thoughtful of what I'm slapping down, but I don't overly baby them. I don't mind the marks, either. I learned here that a Sharpie works miracles on any deeper scratches (though I don't have those). And because it's a honed-not-glossy finish, scratches don't show up.

elme

1st there is a plethora of opinions on both and all countertop material for that matter. Not making it easy for one to decide

GC's for the most part are typically not the one's who cook and utilize the form in kitchens, nor are they designers - having said that they are the ones who rip out kitchens that homeowners don't embrace so their opinions are based predominately on that I suppose.

We tend to be "bacteria phobe" nation of people, a modern day phenomena - geesh what did people do "back in the day"? - I'm more of the theory that "you will eat a pack of dirt before you die" - and I'm a healthcare provider. I know how superinfections came to be - If you are a somewhat decent cleaner, personally, there are few products that I would fear from a bacteria standpt.

Then comes the aesthetic viewpt - as stated above by Sweeby (a great source here!) - the pristine vs the gently aged - that is how your decision will likely be driven. Yes, both soapstone & butcher block will require maintenance and will develop a patina. I would advise looking for these in real life applications to see if that is something you continue to be drawn to

Another option, not yet mentioned is a honed granite - I went through the process you are now going through - I visited many stone yards, taking samples of everything - We set out with little scientists ( our children) to offer all use and abuse to each sample - ketchup, lemon, knives, hard instruments, oil, vinegar, wine, mustard - leaving them on overnite at least - I found my counter choice that way. I have a honed granite, I put hot pots on it, use the pizza cutter directly on it (don't tell dh, and I don't let the kiddies see me) - My dear friend who is also an architect gave the best description "it's very forgiving"

I still lust after other counter choices, and love their looks - This one was right for us

Good luck!

We are mid-way through our kitchen journey and are putting in butcher block. So far, we have it around the sink. I do want to cut on mine, especially on the island by our stove (which isn't in yet) so I am planning on using vegetable oil to cover it. I originally wanted to do waterlox or tung oil, but when I went to the store, the gentlemen there suggested just using vegetable oil. They say the only real drawback to vegetable oil is you need to re-apply every 6 months. I know for some this would be a huge draw-back, but for me it's not at all. I've oiled an extra section of butcher block that I put up as an extra counter during construction, and it's been surprisingly wonderful to work with and on. I think this choice and solution wouldn't be for people who really like a shiny granite counter, it clearly won't often be perfect- but for us, it will really work for our laid-back family centered kitchen. Good luck- I think both are great choices.

Hey there - autumngal mentioned waterlox - that's what we put on our butcherblock. It's a beautiful, tactile finish and repels water, stains, wine, coffee - do a search online and you'll see some of the feedback. I was worried, too - i don't mind a little upkeep, I just didn't want big splotches (there's a lot of coffee and red wine drinking at our house!)

We have a big butcherblock island (oiled maple), 3 kids, busy kitchen, entertain a lot, etc. It's been a year now, and I really love it still. We keep it oiled (maybe not as often as we should, but it still seems to be okay), and there are no stains. Red wine and cranberry juice have been spilled on it, and markers have marked it. I sanded out the marker with fine sandpaper and that mark is gone. The wine and juice wiped right off because the top is oiled.

We don't cut anything directly on the island, and we wipe it off with spray cleaner to make sure it's clean.

We don't have soapstone - we have honed absolute black granite. I love that also.

My butcher block countertop was installed on my island yesterday. We'll be getting Minas black soapstone on the perimeter. I liked soapstone's feel and look and all the other characteristics I learned about when I researched it. Part of my search led me to this forum.

I will not be cutting on my butcherblock. I got it with a food-safe varnish finish. My mom has had her varnished butcherblock counter in for a few years now and it still looks great. We will be using the island to eat at occasionally and I felt the wood would be more forgiving on my dishes and young children.

I was just talking to a coworker this morning about countertop materials and she told me she really regrets putting in butcher block. She said it's a lot of upkeep and has gotten damaged on several occasions.

yesdear, I love your kitchen! I want that same warm feel in mine. Our house is newer construction, about 10 years old. We have a nice pond and forest as our backyard so I really want an earthy feel. I love soapstone because of the matte finish. I would go with a black granite if it was not so shiny. Others have mentioned the term honed... I thought I read some threads on that awhile back. Some mentioned it was a fingerprint nightmare. If thats the case are there anyother dark granites that could be honed to a matte finish?

Well, we have 8 kids and put in a wood counter on our island in one of the softest woods, fir, so were ok with expected tiny dings/dents. Like with the fine scratches on our section of stainless counter, they seem to be pretty much consistent all over, so I imagine that eventually, it will just have a slightly different/softened look than when it was new about 9 months ago. We aren't cutting on it and have a sink, so finished it in Waterlox, which is a fantastic and tough (and waterproof) product. I would've loved to have soapstone and always thought it would be the perfect countertop to have with a family...But I had a DIY laminate budget! ;-)

This is not to be interpreted as a slam against people who have damaged their countertops but, I've got to wonder if people think that a durable countertop is a license to not be at all careful or even abusive.

The vast majority of us grew up with formica, a thin layer of plastic that scratches very easily. So we didn't abuse it.

I read the background on some of these stories of people who hate their ____ countertop because it broke when they hit it with a hammer, stood on the overhang, took a broiler pan and immediately set it on a cold counter.

I countertop that is durable to some types of damage is Not license to be heedless.

I would say contractors main interest is predictability. They want clients to be happy, and there to be no surprises, for their client or for them. And with soapstone and wood, the surfaces change over time more quickly. So people who might not have done their research might blame the contractor.

Honestly, you have to accept these surfaces for what they are. Soapstone DOES CHIP AND SCRATCH (though, as some have pointed out, some of the scratches oil or sand out). Butcher block DOES SCRATCH AND STAIN and look raggedy after awhile. We call it patina. (I have waterlox on my floors and, personally, I loathe it. But I'm weird. It looks and feels like poly to me. And it stinks. It's a long story ...)

I love my soapstone, and recommend it, but if you're talking yourself into "maybe it really won't ..." is like saying "maybe I'll have a baby and it won't cry or wake me up in the middle of the night or need its diaper changed". You have to accept the reality of the whole package, with all its drawbacks, and still think it comes out on the plus side.

I just don't want anyone to get talked into, or out of, anything.

There are some natural and engineered stones that are less work that might be the answer. Go look at all your choices, get some samples and get what makes YOU happy!

Yes elme there are other dk granites that can be honed

I have not found finger prints to be an issue at all

early in process

getting installed

Mine is called "victoria classico" perhaps named by the fabricator - close to a verde butterfly or peacock

hope that helps

I second what Growlery posted. I have both Minas and butcherblock. I have a softer Minas soapstone and it does chip and scratch and even ding. This has been disappointing to me at times as I have read of so many posters who have not had that experience with their soapstone (some even w/Minas). But soapstone comes in a variety of colors and hardnesses. Some are very hard and will need a diamond saw to cut through them just like granite and others are softer and can be fabricated with equipment you purchase at Home Depot and even repaired without the need to call a fabricator.

If you are looking for your countertop to look like it does when it was installed for the next 20 years, than soapstone and butcher block are not for you. They will change and show wear. Some will show more wear than others (mine does). So you need to ask yourself how you want your countertop to look and will you mind if it patinas.

The advantages of soapstone are many. You can put the hottest of pans directly from the oven on top of the stone with no ill effect. Because it is imporous, there is no chemical that can etch or ruin the surface including acids or bleach. Any discolorations from oils, etc. can be sanded out and the countertop can be made to look new again. You do not need to use chemicals to seal it as the stone is so dense there are no crevices for bacteria to grow in. It has a nice smooth feel to it when you touch it. It is easily repairable by the homeowner.

We used walnut with waterlox for our hutch. We do not cut on it. But the waterlox has been a marvelous finish (agree it stinks when applying) and holds up to anything we leave on it. It has been 4 mos since it was installed and it looks the exact same.

I meant to post a photo of my butcherblock earlier. I have been cutting on it, and am not sure that I will continue bec I have oak (softer than maple) and I'm not sure that I want it to look too beat up. Then again, disappearing cut marks are just a sanding pad away:

I have both soapstone(Black Venata) and butcherblock(cherry.)

Cherry is a relatively soft wood and I do baby them. I use the same mineral oil/beeswax on them, but I do treat them more often. I also am ready with a tea towel to swoop in and mop up anything on the cherry.

If I was going to rethink either surface it would be the butcherblock. I'd go with lyptus instead of cherry. Same beautiful color. Hardier wood.

GC's don't want you blaming them for any possible scratch, but if you go in eyes wide open and let them know that you understand that the counters will develop a patina they should get on board.

My mom has a 35 yr old piece of butcherblock near her stove - yes, it has scratches from cutting, but those can be sanded out (when she lets me). PLEASE don't use vegetable oil on butcherblock - it eventually goes rancid (haven't you ever had a bottle in the pantry that went bad?)! Use mineral oil - sold in drugstores with laxatives. It's food-safe and it doesn't got rancid or grow bacteria (though you should scrub down the wood with bleach and water occasionally).

we are agonizing over this...I LOVE the look of butcher block. I am not scared of wear and tear. we have wood throughout our house. We put in wood over laminate because we felt that the dings and dents wood add character over time and we could always refinish down the line. We fear more water damage around the sink where most of the water will be...and maybe causing it to blacken or buckle

This is the second kitchen I've installed butcher block. The first one was european birch which I used mineral oil on. This does need maintenance, if you're not prepared to oil it every 2 weeks for the first few months, then mineral oil is probably not for you. Please don't use vegetable oil, as another poster said it will go rancid on you.

European birch counters

{{gwi:1559975}}
This kitchen I installed oak butcher block which I applied 7 coats of tung oil (which is food safe) this is a very easy finish to live with, I sealed the sink opening very very well, it should stand up. You need to do the finishing before it is installed so you can do the inside of the sink cut out every time you put another coat top & bottom, it must be sealed on all edges & sides.

White oak counters

{{!gwi}}

Butcher block is not for everyone, just like granite is not for everyone, good luck with your decision! mfrog

I love your butcher block counters especially the oak. Where did you get them? Ikea sells oak

I HATE our butcher block- it's not the cuts, it's not the stains, it's that I have to clear everything off my main work counters to oil them or they will crack. It's just a pain.

The first ones were from a small company in BC, the oak ones in the new kitchen are from Ikea.

I love our soapstone. We have a John Boos butcher block island we keep or microwave on and I HATE it. My daughter put a water color on there to dry and it completely destroyed it after just a few minutes. I'm sure we can sand it, but for now there are blue and red splotches all over it.

They also crack, absorb oil in foods, scratch, dry out, etc. Maybe with some type of sealant the butcher block would hold up better-- ours is not part of the kitchen, so we just left it as-is. Maybe that was our problem.

Hi
I have both soapstone and butcher block - love them both! My butcherblock is from IKEA - I treated it with about 6 coats of pure tung oil (Aug. 2005) - and the soapstone with 3 coats. Since then I have probably rubbed them down with mineral oil 2 or 3 times.
Here is a picture of the butcherblock after 3 1/2 years of usage. I love this spot - it is lower than the rest of my countertop and it is great for chopping and prepping. I 'usually' use a cutting board too - unless it is just bread or something not too messy.

Here is an overview. As other posters mentioned - if you want 'pristine' then I wouldn't do either one of them. Good luck!