skip to main content

How can I tell if the sink in my basement is soapstone?

9 years ago

Our house was built in 1937. There is a HUGE utility sink in the basement that is almost certainly original to the house. It is probably 3' wide, at least, maybe 18" tall, 12-18" front-back, two "bowls." It's very grungy, but not rusty, and has been painted in spots (including the entire outside). No name/brand/logo anywhere, as far as I can tell. It's standing on some spindly metal legs

We are in rural upstate NY if that makes any difference.

Honestly, I never would have given it a second thought, except I was watching some show on HGTV a few weeks ago where the host/star restored a soapstone utility sink from her basement, and I thought, "hey, I wonder if ours is soapstone too."

If it is soapstone - what (if anything) would you do with it? We don't have space (or a need) for a sink that huge anywhere except the basement, and even there, we have the space but not the need.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

darbuka
9 years ago
Though the sink may be soapstone, it's quite possibly slate.
Slate is native to upstate NY, and the most durable slate comes from NY and NE quarries. It is not unusual for homes in the area have slate floors, counters and sinks.

If you are anywhere near Middle Granville, NY, I would recommend a visit to the Sheldon Slate Co. We drove three hours to get there, and it was well worth it. We were given a most informative tour of the facility, and got see kitchen and bathroom displays using slate.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sheldon Slate Company
plllog
9 years ago
I'd guess that your sink is probably cast iron, which could also restore nicely.

Soapstone will attract oil and repel water. If you put a drop of water on it and it just kind of mounds where it is, instead of soaking in, it's probably soapstone. If the opposite happens with oil, you put a drop on and it makes a blotch, clinging to the stone, it's probably soapstone. If both things happen at once, it's almost definitely soapstone.

If there's a worn, abraded place that has dust that feels powdery, like talc, which is a component of soapstone, and it passes the oil and water tests, no matter what it is, you'd be 100% right to call it soapstone.

Some of the hardest varieties of soapstone have more besides steatite and talc, and the occasion vein of quartz in them, and aren't as oliophilic, so don't really show much during the oil test. Conversely, if your stone has built up a layer of polymerized oil (which is what people are trying to achieve when they oil their counters), the water test also might not show big results. If you scrub an area with Dawn liquid dish detergent or another mild grease fighter and a soft brush or scrubbie, you could remove the polymerized layer to know for sure. Before you bother, you could look at the underside, which probably has portions that haven't built up an oil layer over time.

Of course, those are general instructions for how to tell if it's soapstone and that implies that there are unpainted portions that are accessible. I don't know how you know what's under the paint.
Related Discussions
How can I heat my basement in the winter?
Q
Comments (10)
I don't think he literally meant it was freezing! Call me nuts but I run our dehumidifier in the basement almost all year long. I find the extra heat put out by it is enough to temper the air to a comfortable level. In the summer the basement will stay in the mid 60's with no AC down there but of course we need to run the dehumidifer in the summer. With it running the temp will hover in the upper 60's and its very comfortable. If I were to try to dehumidify the basement using our AC it would be way too cold to be comfortable. In the winter we heat the basement with duct work from our furnace. Again, with heat from the furnace I can keep the basement in the mid 60's which is not too bad, but we also have a whole house humidifier which we really need for the portion of the house above the basement. The extra moisture from the humidifier will condense on our basement glass block windows (and I can imagine it would do the same behind the studwalls too on the concrete walls) to counter this I run the dehumidifer in the basement during the winter. Besides keeping the humidity to a reasonable level it also adds a little heat and will keep it in the upper 60's. You may be able to tap into existing ductwork for added heat and add returns as well. Adding insulation will help too if it isn't already there.
...See More
How can I tell if my Miele is running at correct water temp
Q
Comments (4)
If you really want to check the wash temperature, you can drain the drum DURING wash by opening the lint filter. (Obviously, this is draining scalding hot water, so be VERY careful..) I wouldn't be surprised to see the temperatures a little low when checking this way, since you're introducing a longer path for the water - but it might give you a general idea. Do you have a reason to think that it's not getting hot enough? There is "suds cooling" which mixes additional cool water into the suds before they're pumped out to prevent scalding, so the outlet temperature doesn't mean anything. On my 4840 you can feel the door glass get hot - not too hot to touch, but very noticable - during a long Sanitize cycle.
...See More
How I solved the 'bathroom odors' in my basement.
Q
Comments (3)
It's not impossible that these issues are related: I don't *think* the sewer gas is directly causing the respritory issues because if it was strong enough to irritate it would have been too strong to tolerate. But that pipe would have increased the humidity level, and encouraged mold.
...See More
Can I share my latest paint version of my sink wall?
Q
Comments (10)
I pretty much like the larger window size. If you don't mind the 12" cab, which could be useful in many ways, I'd keep it. Candice (or Sarah?) did a Marmoleum checkerboard floor the other day using 3 colors. I didn't like the way it looked, although the material itself looked very interesting. One concern I have about the fridge size: 32" isn't a common size. They exist, of course, but in the larger scheme of things it might be tricky to replace it someday with another that width, and your opening in the cabinetry is very specific. Just be sure you think about that and are comfortable that you'll have reasonable options some day down the road. What's the thing on top of the fridge? It kind of looks like a mini wood-fired stove, but that seems unlikely.
...See More
chesters_house_gw
9 years ago
When I lived in western Mass I had a slate sink in the basement. They seemed pretty common in the houses we looked at.
Assuming the paint would clean up and you have no need for it in either the kitchen or the basement, you can let it sit for the next owner of the house to discover. Or if you had a use for it outside (gardening, potting), you might get some hefty people to move it out there. Otherwise, Craigslist.
jill314
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks so much! You all are so knowledgeable.

The slate company linked above is 5.5 hours from me (I'm in western NY). Slate sounds like a reasonable guess, though. Maybe I'll tinker around with it a bit tomorrow and see if I can figure anything out. Thanks for the help!

Related Stories

12 Ways Art and Books Can Tell Your Story

By Laura Gaskill

Your home may be the ultimate blank canvas. Give every room meaning with books and artwork that speak to you

LIFE The Polite House: How Can I Tell a Construction Crew to Pipe Down?

If workers around your home are doing things that bother you, there’s a diplomatic way to approach them

KITCHEN DESIGN Kitchen Sinks: Soapstone for Germ-Free Beauty and Durability

By Rachel Grace

Stains and bacteria? Not on soapstone's watch. But this sink material's benefits don't come cheap.

KITCHEN DESIGN Houzz Call: Tell Us About Your First Kitchen

By Becky Harris

Great or godforsaken? Ragtag or refined? We want to hear about your younger self’s cooking space

FUN HOUZZ Houzz Call: Tell Us About Your Dream House

By Vanessa Brunner

Let your home fantasy loose — the sky's the limit, and we want to hear all about it

LIFE Tell Us: Do You Know How to Live With Your Parents?

By Becky Harris

If you've tried multigenerational living under one roof, we'd love to hear the details

ORGANIZING ‘Tidying Up’ Author Marie Kondo Tells How to ‘Spark Joy’ at Home

A new book from the author of ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up’ delves deeper into her KonMari Method of decluttering and organizing

VALENTINE’S DAY Tell Us: Why Did You Fall in Love With Your House?

By Vanessa Brunner

What was it about your house that made your heart flutter? Share your photo, and it could make the Houzz homepage

KITCHEN DESIGN Soapstone Counters: A Love Story

By Alison Hodgson

Love means accepting — maybe even celebrating — imperfections. See if soapstone’s assets and imperfections will work for you

MORE ROOMS Designs for Living: Every Room Tells a Story

By Erika Ward - Erika Ward Interiors

8 Rooms, 8 Little Stories. What Tale Does Your Interior Tell?

Sponsored

NME Builders LLC

2 Reviews

Industry Leading Kitchen & Bath Remodelers in Franklin County, OH

More Discussions

Before and after

8

I’m already over it. This kitchen trend is everywhere and overdone.

109

kitchen cabinet hardware

2

Pental Quartz countertops

4

Thoughts on making galley kitchen more open?

21