No, it never ends! I have soapstone perimeter and marble on my island - I'd roll on the marble - just b/c it's classic. But I never thought about the oil on the soapstone. I really don't think it would be a problem either way. You don't oil very often and the type of oil you use doesn't go rancid.

I wouldn't hesitate rolling out dough on my soapstone. Because I don't feel the need to oil often, it never appears or feels like there's any residue on the surface. But even if some was left that I couldn't see or feel after oiling, the products I use on it are food safe, so I'd have no concerns there.

I haven't used mine yet for rolling dough, but it's so cool and smooth I think it would be a great surface.

If it's someone's choice to never oil their soapstone because they want to keep it the original light grey color, I'd guess that the area where you rolled might darken slightly after having the buttery dough mixture pressed on it. That would be the only time I can think where I wouldn't advise it.

Dangit. trailrunner posted a thread a while ago with pictures and comments on her bread making activities. It seems to have fallen off the board, though.

This is from her photobucket album, though.

Here is a link that might be useful:

You can certainly roll dough successfully on soapstone, oiled or unoiled, and that was my original intent with my countertop. However, the first time I planned to make something that needed to be rolled out, I stopped dead in my tracks--anything I rolled out would have to be cut, trimmed, or scraped. I did not want to risk damaging my countertops, especially so soon, so I got out my trusty old marble, wood and nylon slabs, and went back to my old ways.

Does anyone have any experience? With me, pie dough needs to be trimmed with a knife, cookies and biscuits are cut with cookie and biscuit shapes, and bread is divided with a knife or board scraper. After your done, the work surface is scraped with a board scraper before the wipe down. Soapstone is repairable by sanding, but why damage it intentionally?

Well, I definitely cut cookies out on it all the time. I rolled pie dough out too. I can't remember if I cut dough on it with a knife or if I used a plastic tool for that.

Whoa...great question. I haven't yet signed my contract for my ss (I'm also doing a marble island) and this question stopped me in my tracks. Maybe a dark granite perimeter is what I want now???

Can others comment on rolling and cutting dough on their soapstone? I'm so used to rolling and cutting directly on granite (which I've had in previous houses). I don't want to buy cutting boards to do something that I've always done on the counter. I don't mind some superficial scratches that add to the "Food is prepared in this space" feel, but I don't want to mar the counters either. Yikes! Hope to hear more???

I've done dough on the soapstone and used a plastic lettuce knife for the trimming and scraping. It worked well for trimming- scraping, not so well.