There are many threads on here regarding this issue. Soapstone is an inert substance, so does NOT stain, and does not need sealing. Some (maybe most?) folks do oil it regularly to get a darker look. We have had ours in for almost a year (full use of kitchen since August 2010) and have not oiled it. Nothing has happened to it except minor little dings (mostly around the sink) and some scratches. It sounds to me like maybe your KD doesn't really have a lot of experience with ss? We LOVE our ss.
HTH

I feel your pain, Natalie. I'm in KY and nobody here is at all familiar as well. I found the misinformation unbelievable - even at a wholesale stone yard when I went to look at samples.

I haven't installed my stone yet, but I have done hours and hours of research and understand that it will NOT stain. There are lots of far more informed people than me on the board that can give you their personal experiences about keeping their stone looking great, but I just wanted to let you know that you're not crazy. It's just not something popular in our neck of the woods. I don't know about you - but that makes me want to have it all the more!

We just had soapstone installed about 3 weeks ago. So far the only complaint I have is that I am constantly battling water marks and anything that has a rubber bottom also leaves a mark. I have researched it and tried all the suggested remedies but still have them. My is oiled with a dorado soapstone wax, maybe that's the problem. It hasn't etched or scratched or stained otherwise. And unless you look for them you don't see the water marks, but I have them no matter how quickly the water is wiped up. And the areas that are not near the sink obviously don't have that problem at all.

Your 2 choices are very different... I also looked at a granite called via lactea that was similar in look to soapstone when it is oiled.

ditto pillog
lynn

plllg the water marks I have are created just by sprinkling water on it. So drips around the faucet coming off hands or dishes or anything make marks. I don't think it has anything to do with jet dry although I have read that else where.

As others have already said, soapstone doesn't stain. It will however, darken where ever you use oils (spatter from cooking, kneading or rolling out dough etc). If you oil your counters, these marks will be invisible but oiling is maintenance. I love my counters oiled but I'm too idle to do it more than every 4-6 months. As a result, the color of my soapstone is uneven. It bothers me a little because the rest of the kitchen is a little dressy and opens onto a formal dining room. If I had a farm kitchen or as in your case, a log home, I don't think the unevenness would bother me a bit. It's very rustic and organic looking.

With regards to water marks There are two types. The most common are darker rings or spots that usually wipe away. The others are where the water lifts the oil from the counters resulting in what appears to be a white ring, but is really just unoiled soapstone. It's very unsightly and almost caused me to change my counters. It was remedied in part by Joshua refinishing the counters and by infrequent oiling. It was my experience that all types of water made white marks, not just dishes that may have had Jet Dry on them. I even tried distilled water and it did the same thing. Rubber feet also lift the oil from an oiled ss surface. Painters tape on appliance feet took care of that for us.

Solvents used by your husband to clean guns, or as RC motor fuel may affect any oiled finish on the SS creating the impression of "marks or stains". I think that these are effectively transient in that re-oiling or de-greasing with Dawn might remove them, taking the stone back to its original state. Whether this will happen (marking from non-typical, non-kitchen type liquids) can be tested by getting some samples of the stone and trying it. Whether this potential for (reversible) marks appearing in places on the stone (if that's what happens) is a big deal or not depends on whether it will bug you and need more care than another surface to meet your tidyness standards.

As an aside, I'm not sure I would want those chemicals on my cooking and kneading counters anyway. Is your DH planning on using the cooking surfaces for this, or another part of the counter in a discrete area?

I continue to be bemused by the name of your dealer, Saratoga, and all the upstate NY references in the names of their stones. No soapstone is quarried near here at all. Perhaps they are transplanted NYers who are homesick.

Your dealer should be able to provide you with samples and you can subject them to all kinds of torture and set your mind at rest. If the pieces are larger than 6 X 6, you can later repurpose them as trivets by sticking little rubber feet on the bottom. Or use them as bun-warmers in a bread basket.

L

Our soapstone isn't installed yet, but we have two sink cutouts that we have been evaluating. I have left vinegar, tomato juice, red wine, etc. on the samples overnight and have no stains after using a standard household cleaner. My husband used one of theme for sottering. I have succeeded in putting scratches and dents in thme but dropping heavy items (like a hammer) and scratching with a sharp screwdriver. It takes a lot of effort to scratch and dent the Beleza; the Minos is much softer.

Leela4, jean1967, it's good to hear that your SS is holding up well so far! That's so encouraging! I don't think water marks or dings would bother us too much, but I will bring home a sample of the exact slab I would use, if I can, to try out first and make sure. So far the samples I have have held up fine though.
Ayerg73, where are you in KY? If you are anywhere near Ft. Campbell, that is not too far from me and maybe we can swap references for our kitchen!
Plllog, thank you so much for that comprehensive explanation. It makes sense to think that the oil, or any sealant some people may try to use on ss, is what is staining since soapstone should not stain at all. The whole this-is-indestructible aspect is what totally appeals to me, and would fit so well with our home. Farmgirlinky, your kitchen counters are one of my inspirations, and I love how they turned out with the re-honing!
Cheri127, I'm not sure if I would oil SS regularly or not, but I don't really count that as maintenance anyway as it's cosmetic, and nothing bad will happen to the soapstone if I leave it unoiled too long. DH wants a rustic look for our mudroom so it would be purely a matter of preference as to the upkeep. So trouble-free!
Liriodendron, our mudroom will be separated from our kitchen by a peninsula counter which will also be my baking counter. The mudroom itself will have two shorter countertops on either side of the utility sink, those are theones DH would work on, not my baking surface (at least not while I'm watching, lol). I am not worried a bit by temporary discolorations that I could scrub out - we use Dawn anyway - I just don't want to have to re-finish the surface because of permanent stains. The Saratoga name threw me off too, I think it's a name for the "line" of soapstone that particular company sells.
If anyone else knows of actual permanent stains on soapstone, please let me know, because otherwise I am going to find a slab tomorrow!

For what it's worth, I've been on this forum for years and have never once heard anyone complain of soapstone staining. And I've heard LOTS of complaints about all kinds of counters. I think your KD must be thinking of another kind of counter material (slate perhaps?).

Go for it! Soapstone's gorgeous, and also perfect for your DH's projects in his dedicated area.

Isn't forum member Trailrunner from Tennessee? Or is that Alabama? She has beautiful soapstone and is a prolific baker, maybe you could send her a quick query about her source, fabricators, etc.

I would not sign the waiver that your KD wants. This would exculpate him from responsibility for negligent installation issues that he should be responsible for, such as cracking the slab or making a bad seam or whatever. Buy it directly from someone who will stand behind it.

Really, I've heard a lot about SS around here, and the "staining" issue sounds like it could be your KD's alcohol-fueled fantasy to me.

Natalie - I'm actually near Ft. Knox. I am at the very end of the fabricator's delivery cut off. I think we are 148 miles away and they stop at 150. If you want to check them out, their website is thestonestudio dot biz. They are a wealth of information and very nice. Maybe they would know someone closer to you that you could use?

prospect711, that is great to hear. I really feel ss would be a great choice for us. Are you doing soapstone sinks as well, or ????
circuspeanut, how awesome that you've never come across complaints about stains! KD was very insistent about it and I had a hard time arguing too much, without having heard much feedback from others. I don't know Trailrunner but love her kitchen pics!

Yes, I really think soapstone is the way to go for us. I'll be checking out slabs with DH tomorrow!

Mine does not. I've had it since January, and I do a lot of home preserving. Most recently it's been berry jam and sauce, and they also have lemon juice added, and I've dripped just about everything on the countertop during the process. I also roll dough out on it, and I put things like my crockpot on and have it bubble over and that may sit for 6-7 hours before getting cleaned up. Never have any marks from rubber feet either, and I have a lot of electric appliances with rubber feet.

However, I do not oil my stone, and it has no special applied finish on it. I did oil a few times at the start, but I've been way to busy for some time.

I love my soapstone - it works great for a rather heavy use kitchen.

Though as far as I know, DH has not got any of his gun cleaning solvents on the countertop - and he better not if he knows what is good for him! It's bad enough when he's cleaning automotive parts in the laundry tub. He did ask once if he could run some parts through the dishwasher - once . . .

Oh my, we are all posting at once!

marcolo, I would choose my own fabricator for sure. I thought I could email Joshua at Creative Soapstone, that everyone raves about, for references, as well as ayerg73's fabricator. That should give me some good leads! I think the KD's waiver applies regardless of fabricator, maybe to state that it is not his design recommendation? but I will definitely read through it carefully should he bring it up again.
ayerg73, thanks for the recommendation! I will check out that website tonight!
macybaby, the home preserving point was a great one. I�m definitely going to learn how to do that in my new kitchen, so knowing the ss can stand up to it is a big plus. As far as the gun-cleaning stuff, we use a towel underneath the guns when cleaning them so springs and screws don�t roll away, but I wouldn�t want an occasional spill to ruin my counters but with ss, I wouldn�t have to worry. Another plus!

I was told almost the exact same thing by the KD I was working with at the time. He went hard at trying to convince me not to use such a horrible thing as soapstone--it's terribly porous and everything stains it, you know? He went on and on trying to scare me, even bringing one of his company's stone guys to meet me and repeat all the same garbage. It was rather enjoyable explaining that I had done my research and that, not only did soapstone not stain or etch like the granites he was pushing, it was on of the most non-porous stones available. That episode was one of the last things that made me say goodbye to him. It was so obvious that he didn't want me to use soapstone because he wouldn't get a cut like he would if I picked granite or quartz.

It's one thing to have a strong opinion about something, but to try to pass that opinion off as fact is quite another. Judging by what he has told you, your KD is either clueless or unethical--and neither trait inspires much confidence.

We have had our soapstone for three and a half years, and we love it. It was the perfect choice for our home, and it sounds like the perfect choice for yours.

NC, I think that soapstone would look and function wonderfully in your log cabin. Don't listen to your KD; he either doesn't know what he's talking about or, like holligator implied, he won't get a kickback from it.

I once had a guy in an Expo store tell me that soapstone would melt if you put something hot on it, and that he had, in fact, seen it liquify and bubble up when a hot pot was placed on it. I was tempted to ask what color the sky was in his world, but I just walked away instead. It really is outrageous the stuff that these supposed professionals make up.

Is this also the KD that specified the hood that won't fit? What are you doing about that, anyway? (MY MA hood should be coming in this week; so excited about it!!!)

Holligator, glds to hear that your soapstone is holding up well and you're still so happy with it! It reassures me that when people put in the research, they CAN and DO find the options that work best for them, even if it's not the "done" thing in their area.

In my KD's case, I don't know his issue with it... He just says he had customers who insisted on it and hated it, that it was awful. Maybe they didn't really have soapstone after all, or the fabricators did a terrible job? This KD is getting a flat fee for layout and drawings exclusively, and then hourly for design services as I ask for them. He has recommendations for different pros, and custom cabinet makers, but I will be taking the drawings to shop around and he knows that is why I went with an independent designer like him.

Anna I am so excited about your MA hood! Can't wait to see pics! The height issue with mine was totally my eureka moment as I was measuring my ceilings. DH and I have been trying to make it to a store, and hopefully will today, to see how low we can go with the hood comfortably. Then I can see how tall the hood should be and email MA for an adjusted quote.

Hope to make it to the stone yard to see more soapstone today... Hopefully they'll have some in, and we"ll have time to go see it!

soap-stone: analyzing it from a linguist's point of view, the undeniable fact must be faced, that this term consists of two visible other smaller terms that both have meaning in everyday usage.

The same thing happens in other languages and with other terms.

When a term appears as a composite of two other terms, people make connections and draw conclusions. In All Other Languages, it's the same phenomenon.

I think the use of the soap term was originally meant to help show it could (when highly polished) present a slippery surface on your fingers' feeler circuits. I don't know if inanimate objects slide more easily on it.

I'm so glad to hear your KD's response is not about him losing money over your choice of soapstone. I still get irritated thinking about the sliminess of my KD in that situation.

You should tell him that he's misinformed about soapstone though. I'm sure that he doesn't want to appear clueless to those who know something about soapstone. It's not a perfect countertop--it does scratch and ding, as you have noted--but it does NOT stain and it does NOT etch. It also does NOT react badly to heat, and it is NOT porous. The reason it was used in chemistry labs for so many years was because it did not stain or etch and was not porous, and the reason it's used in fireplaces is because of its capacity to handle heat. It's really amazing how readily so-called professionals will repeat misinformation.

MOST people who get soapstone in their kitchens absolutely love it. Those who do not either (a) didn't do their homework and didn't know enough about soapstone, (b) got the wrong variety for their needs, or (c) were the victims of a fabricator who didn't know what they were doing.

It sounds to me that soapstone will be perfect in the areas that you're planning on using them.

As everyone has said before, soapstone will not stain. Period. Scratch or chip? Sure.

marcolo Really, I've heard a lot about SS around here, and the "staining" issue sounds like it could be your KD's alcohol-fueled fantasy to me

I'm thinking that a lot of KD's have that fantasy. There was a remodeling article written a few months back in our local glossy mag that listed "Stones To Steer Clear of for Kitchens". Soapstone was listed as #1 because of the "high rate of staining and etching". It made me so livid that I (and many others,actually) wrote the magazine to tell them to check their facts before printing incorrect information that reaches the uninformed (Un-GW) masses that take the magazine's words as gospel.

Not that long ago we had a thread on the most outragous things salepeople/contractors have said about things they obviously knew little about.

I took to taking a sample of soapstone with me, as most of the sales people I encountered had never seen it. The most common response was "wow,it's hard like granite"

Totally disagree with these assessments that soapstone does not stain. It stains like crazy! We have big oily looking dark stains that will not clean with anything we have used, plus all water marks stain. So each time we do anything on the counter, we wet sponge the entire surface, then towel dry. Just wiping the watermark itself does nothing.

Soapstone on our fireplace surround is great, but it is so bad for a counter that I'd use Formica before I'd do soapstone again.

Jeff

Soapstone is very dense-it is acid resistant and non porous. Which soapstone do you have?

What's happening on your countertops is a result of the topical that is on the surface.

If you can send in a picture that would be great-do you know what was used on it.

If the issue is what's on the surface you can remove that and replace it with something more durable.

Hmmm. Not all slab yard have properly labeled their stones and this causes a lot of problems…

Yes that's true-there is generally other pro's working with a client. Of course an educated consumer is best

We've had our Beleza soapstone for four years now. No stains, despite plenty of abuse.

Here is a photo from a soapstone countertop we did about a year ago. As everyone is saying, you never need to worry about soapstone staining. However, it will definitely show scratch marks and chips. You can see several small chips on the edge, as well as the circles from where she used to keep her jars. Even though soapstone will show wear, I still love the classic look!

This particular soapstone is Alberene Soapstone quarried in Virginia.

I too, purchased soapstone from Alberene, and due to lack of time, we hired a third party to install and they did a great job. We chose a wax made by Alberene, because our stone was so light green. We loved the darkening, and thought it a better choice than mineral oil. It was explained that you would only have to wax infrequently, maybe twice yearly? We loved the darkening effect, and wiped it off after leaving on overnight per directions. Some pieces were lighter ,so we again waxed on/waxed off. It now has light gray effects more prevalent than Imagine surfaces pic above. Water rings are now appearing, I'm sure its the wax, but Dawn didn't remove the wax, moments later the water ring re-appeared. I'm baffled. Bottom pic is before first wax and after applying on left...after waxing off, however, not as nicely dark. Top is after two waxings. painters tape due to be removed after sanding wall and repainting.

we chose soapstone. apparently there are different types that behave differently. we chose PA soapstone for its hardness. I believe i was told that the lighter the soapstone is without oiling, the softer it is.

We did not choose soapstone. It came with the house. We have had it before, but only on fireplace surrounds, unoiled or sealed, and it was fine. I cannot believe how many SS believers stand up to tell me why we should love soapstone and how great it is. Our kitchen countertops are nothing but stains - from simple water stains that need a moist towel then dry towel to fix, to cooking stains that will not go away short of sanding. Are they kidding? Sanding? Then oiling it completely changes the color from soft gray to black!!! And they like this surface? We have always had granite without issue #1. For us, it is no comparison.

Mine turned completely dark within 9 months of my installing it. I never oil. I never wax, (srsly, wtf?) It's no-maintenance; I clean it with Simple Green degreaser, rinse, wipe dry. It always looks pretty good. If i wanted to address any deficiencies, yes, I could re-hone it with the same technique as when I honed it when it was new. Then it would be back to square one, can't do that with granite unless you have special tools & equipment.

The biggest plus for me anyway is that it has the right look for an old house (no glitz!) and is somewhat locally-sourced, being dug out of the earth 150 miles away. It's also a green product since it will last basically forever, is not mined on the other side of the globe, and contains no petroleum chemicals or resins.

Casey

I just replenished the Jet Dry in my dishwasher and am getting some dish rings with the damp dishes for the first time on my waxed soapstone which rub off with a little elbow grease. Didn't seem to happen if the are fully dried and placed on the counter. Never staining though.

I was wondering, Sombreuil, if your soapstone was greenish wish a white powdery cast when installed. Since we waxed ours, which was greenish gray, the quarry nearby that sells it recommended to wax at least three times waiting weeks in between, and it would darken. As I showed in pics above it is very mottled gray at present, even moreso than in the pics. It's only been in a few weeks. Wondering if i should keep trying with the wax, or just try and remove the wax. I still love it, for all the reasons Sombreuil mentions.

And a few months later\/

I don't know if this will help, but I thought I'd link to it - an old thread from our own Florida_Joshua (whom we have not heard from recently - too bad!) The pictures are missing, unfortunately, but the text is still there.

What keeps soapstone darker longer. . .The answer! ! !

• http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2695199/what-keeps-soapstone-darker-longer-the-answer

Here's a quote from Florida_Joshua from yet another old thread:

"OK, so here goes. I caught up on this thread [the thread linked to below] a little late but I think I have an explanation.

How your soapstone patinas in your home depends on a couple of variables. One important variable is how much talc is in your stone. The second and I think this is extremely important to mention, is how the countertops are finished. Over the last couple of years I think Ive learned a delicate balance between polished up too much vs. not enough. Thirdly, what environment the soapstone is going to be placed into plays a role to. For example, does your ac duct point directly onto your countertops, or do you have a window that directs a lot of sunlight in your kitchen - both will evaporate the oil off quicker. Hard water would be lumped into this category along with how your soapstone is finished. How much you use your kitchen (introducing oils) will also play a part in this.

For me soapstone is a balance between how each of us act in our own kitchen and what type of soapstone you choose how its finished plays a big role too, (hopefully I get this point across. . lol). Soapstone is like a chameleon changing with each owner. It just fits right in . . .

Hope this makes a bit of sense."

.

Taken from...

Life with soapstone--patina pictures galore

• http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/2683491/life-with-soapstone-patina-pictures-galore

.

There's also discussion about water spots, etc.