No regrets at ALL on the soapstone we chose for most of our counter tops. My only regret is that I should have put soapstone on the very-much-used kitchen island RATHER THAN QUARTZITE. Soapstone is fabulous. The quartzite, which was sold to us as extremely tough and low maintenance, scratches easily (and not in a pretty "patina" way that soapstone does, but in an ugly, glaring way) and also etches very easily if you drip anything acidic on it. We are seriously considering replacing it due to it's very delicate finish. Buyer beware with quartzite - seems that some dealers use the term "quartzite" when it's not really pure quartzite and can even be MARBLE rather than quartzite. It was expensive too. Luckily it's still under warranty and if we can't get it sealed and finished in a durable manner, our contractor has agreed to replace it. I never would have bought it if I'd known this was going to happen, in spite of it's beauty.

hi neighbor girl, the sight for the 'supercloth' is superclothshop.com

they were originally sold on QVC but they stopped selling them..

expensive, but they last a long time. great for mirrors, windows, front of ovens etc. i love them b/c all u need is water, no chemicals. & no streaking

thanks cat-mom for giving her your recipe!!!

No regrets on my granite. I have no trouble keeping it clean etc. I like that I don't have to worry about much of anything damaging it. I didn't want a speckly or very swirly pattern either, and found a stone that was very quiet.
After 20 years of laminate, though, I did have to get used to the hardness and had to develop a more delicate touch when setting things down on the counter!

Oh, I DO regret that I didn't put in writing to the fabricator that I didn't want color enhancing sealer. He asked, and I assumed that he would remember my answer. Get it in writing!

We have two: SS around the cooktop and soapstone on the opposite run with sink (it's a galley kitchen). No regrets, wound do the same in the next kitchen (if I ever have one).

We have soapstone and Love it! I wish I had used it in my 3 previous kitchens.

My DH regrets getting quartz for the countertop in his bathroom. He has Pompeii Milky Way and, although everyone who sees it loves it, he thinks it looks artificial. He really wants to change it to Carrara marble.

No regrets on my granite. For me, it was my favorite part of designing my kitchen. Two years later, I still get such joy from just wiping it down and admiring its natural beauty. Mine is White Ice, so it's a white granite, with lots of variation. Depending on time of day and sunlight, I still find new details in it that reminds me that it's natures work of art.

Mine has been extremely low maintance - doesn't etch or stain.

I just got white ice installed and it's my favorite part of my kitchen. We're still finishing up but I'm really excited to start using it!

I have a swirly, not speckly, light grey quartz (Alpine white) and I love it. It's super quiet and doesn't try to look like real stone. Totally works for us. We make blueberry smoothies on it every morning and so far it's holding up very well!

I actually really love terrazzo so I'd have been very happy with a super-speckled quartz.

Between two sets of parents and our cottage and an urban apt... We have 4 kitchens and remodels to oversee. 1) LOve the soapstone in one... But we did not use it everywhere because we did not go with the oiled black look. We used it in combo with stainless steel which I absolutely love...no heat or maintenance issues. Gets nicely patina-ed, and is tip top clean. 2) love all soapstone too, if oiled black. Do have to be cautious with acid. 3). Granite has been the worse. Looks great. But cleaning and keeping a non streaky clean look and sheen is a lot of work and this is gorgeous highly veined red and tan and gold granite, 4) am retaining laminate in one kitchen just for the ease and simplicity of care and the vintage of a smart but well buffed 1950's kitchen. However am introducing a small island and that will be topped with blackened oiled soapstone. 5) the all white cesarstone or quartzite is so stunning and wonderful. Have used it in non kitchen. Am concerned about acid (wine) and hot items... Hence avoiding for the island application

We've had Titanium granite for over a year and still love it. So far it is maintenance free. We were told it was factory sealed and no need to seal it periodically or anything. Being black with rich swirls of caramel and cream colours, it doesn't show every speck on it, but I love wiping it and keeping it spotless. I don't find streaking to be a big problem either. Maybe its our lighting. We don't have a window in our kitchen but we do have UCL and good lighting overall and the counter looks perfect after I wipe it clean. I was worried about etching from acidic foods but nothing has hurt it or stained it.

Yes and no. We selected Volga Blue granite and it is absolutely gorgeous. I love to look at it and my husband loves it so much that I guess I don't regret it. However, if I had my choice again I would have gone with a light counter, probably a quartz.

The thing I dislike most about my granite is that I can't tell if the counters are dirty unless the light hits them right or unless I touch them. This annoys me because I like things to be clean. I don't like that if something is dirty that I can't easily tell. On the other hand, if I don't polish them after wiping up something, then they look streaky - so I can't see dirt, but I can sure see streaks. I also don't like that they are not completely smooth. They are mostly smooth, but because it is a natural stone, there are a few places where you can feel small irregularities and that kind of bugs me.

Also, when you touch the surface, the oils on your hands show up. You can actually rub your finger around and make a picture that is easily seen, depending on the light

Another thing I didn't expect was how cold they feel. We have a bartop, and so sometimes we sit there and might put our arms/elbows on the bartop and the stone always feels cold and makes you feel chilly (in the winter anyway - summer I guess it might feel refreshing). I think quartz would be the same, however.

No regrets. We have Alaska White granite and I love to look at the many variations, the specks of mica, the slight blue tones. I wanted white quartz as it is the only colour of quartz I like but my husband thought it would be too clinical and modern with our dark brown/grey cabinets.

Went with Zeus White Silestone... no regrets. One thing that hadn't occurred to me beforehand though is that a white countertop shows every little spec of anything. I have to wipe up microscopic splashes after I pour a cup of coffee. It's dirt I never knew was there. ;-)

I did everything wrong with my countertop. I was in a huge hurry, admired a friend's soapstone countertop, so I allowed the yard to email me a photo of a beautiful slab of soapstone, and they did the templating. I didn't have time to pay any attention to it.

Bottom line: I HATE my soapstone!! Hate it completely, utterly, totally. I'm going to rip it out next week and replace it with Absolute Black honed granite.

Why: Well, for one thing, my soapstone is speckled. I didn't expect that at all. And it's chipped like crazy, all the way around my sink, and in a few places on the edge of the counter. I have kids who do the dishes, and they bang the pots on the sinks, so chunks of the soapstone chip off all the time. It looks gawdawful!

I'm sure there's good soapstone, harder, prettier, non-freckled soapstone. And no, I didn't do any research. I chose a well-regarded stone company and trusted them. Big, big mistake.

So now all that $$ I spent on soapstone is going to waste, but I have lived with this junk for two yeas, and I can stand it no longer!! Out it goes.

AB honed granite, which I had in my old kitchen, shows rings and finger marks, but it doesn't chip, no freckles, and it's easy to clean. I polished mine every once in a while with mineral oil, and it looked great. I am going to be so happy to have AB honed granite again!

Wow, I haven't had the same experience at all with my soapstone. No chips whatsoever. However, it does show some dings and scratches - which is great, because I WANT it to. It is SUPPOSED to show some wear and tear and develop a patina of age, which mine is doing and I love it. Soapstone is definitely NOT a good choice for anyone who is looking for a pristine, polished, gleaming surface (nothing wrong with that look by the way - just not what I was after). It does show wear and tear, though it's nearly impossible to stain and is super heat resistant. I love mine but that's because I was going for a vintage, farmhouse kitchen look - casual rather than elegant. Soapstone looks best in vintage or industrial settings.

@leavemeout Feel your pain they sold you lesser qual. As Melanie P says, it should show country kitchen like use but NOT chips. Soapstone is, after all, VERY compressed talc like mineral and fairly hard. Mine has been in place 7 yrs around the bar sink and dining room side counters, also on a side cabinet in the kitchen. Truth is, i dont have Soapstone main counters. But am inclined to put in a soapstone topped island. But it will be the oiled black type without varigation. What i have in RI is beautiful blue green with veining. We just are careful not to let oil sit on it too long. It has held up fine to alcohol.

We installed Silestone on Ikea cabs in our previous house in 2007. When we sold that house last year, I still liked the countertop. I think it had two small pits that were pencil lead size after seven years, otherwise it looked brand new and the subtle pattern (not speckly) wasn't yet too dated.

In retrospect, the quartz was nice, but I would have been just as happy with a laminate top as I was with the Silestone--not to mention the thousands of dollars it would have kept in our savings account. So in our new house, we're putting the money in nicer (Barker) cabinets and topping them off with a fun laminate countertop (like crcollins1_gw) that we can change out (guilt-free) when/if I get tired of it.

The kitchen was finished when I bought the house as it was a major selling point. I fell in love with the Blue Volga granite! I love it just as much now, five years later, as I did when I first saw it!!

jennlee2 said:

The thing I dislike most about my granite is that I can't tell if the counters are dirty unless the light hits them right or unless I touch them.

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Isn't the point of dark granite that you don't have to worry if it IS dirty since it won't show? To quote my 24 yo son.

ETA: loved my old granite for every day of the 15 years we lived in our old house. Hope I feel the same about what we're about to put in - I love it now.

Have had granite that we picked out 14 years ago, it has been great. Very very low maintenance (through that mind numbing sleep deprived period of babies through toddler while we were both trying to be professionals, so I really mean low maintenance, like did not have to think about it) , , no chips, no evident wear, beautiful material. That said, I look at too many design mags to remain content with the material I picked out 14 years ago. Sigh.I am being fickle and not all practical, but there it is. I wouldn't replace counters if we stayed here, but we will move and I won't be picking same in next build. Probably should, but I won't....I expect to love my new choice at first (quartz maybe), but we'll see if it holds as well as granite has....

I got the first major etch on my Imperial Danby marble last night. Pickle juice (DH & DSIL) underneath the Silverwave counter-mats, discovered by me late last night. About 4" x 2" in the same dot pattern as the bottom of the countertop mat. I've wondered what my reaction would be to the first significant etch. I'm just fine - no marble regrets. I have to bend down & look at just the right angle to find it. Not as big of a deal as I thought it would be. No chips on my Danby (knock on wood).

Almost a year later, thanks everyone! What great insights! We will be doing the granite counters and tile back splash the first part of the year. I have resisted the process/impending mess long enough! :~)

Totally regret Samsung Staron Bright White in our guest bathroom. Discolors very easy and is soft, easy to scratch. Bad quality product. However, it looks wonderful.

I LOVE my Corian White Rain in my kitchen. Easy to clean and love the "warmer" feel of the surface. I will use Corian in master bathroom was well. Love the product. Visitors think its marble when they see it.

I have a modern kitchen and didnt want anything busy. I put in white quartz. I love it. It is so easy to clean. The only regret I have is I banged a heavy bowl against the edge and chipped it. I think this is not the counter's fault, but because I put sharp edges on it.

No regrets with our Super White counters. We've been in our new home for 1 1/2 years and I'm still waiting for the first etch. When we moved in, we had it sealed with a product that was suppose to last 10 years. Not sure if that did the trick, but I'm counting my blessings. Happy New Year!

Installed LG Viaterra Rococo quartz. Made right up the road in Georgia. I have a satisfied smile on my face every time I drop red wine or spaghetti sauce on it. As much as I love marble, I knew myself. I would have died a little each time I etched the marble. I dealt with that issue. What I do regret is not being able to place hot pans on it. I have to use a trivet or towel. I might as well have laminate. If I had used a granite, I wouldn't have to do that.

My other choice was to use AB granite. I've had it before. It wears like iron. I don't mind wiping it down. I know when it's clean and when it's dirty. But, I had an existing cabinet run in black that wouldn't have worked out from a decorating standpoint. I do have a hard time seeing blobs and grime on the Rococo due to the busy pattern. That's both good and bad.

We are going with granite (or possible a stone that's really quartzite - natural not quartz - but called granite) we briefly considered Caeserstone because we are doing an Ikea kitchen and they sell these countertops, but I didn't really love the look. We also get a lot of sun and it's said quartz can yellow due to the resins in it, so the lighter colors may yellow in the sun and that really concerned me as we want lighter color countertops with our dark cabinets.

homechef59 - I call myself a member of the "hot pot club" so am doing granite rather than quartz in our remodel. We had granite for 15 years in our old house and loved it. However...they do say that even with granite, we should not put hot pots on it.

We have a Corian countertop now which, when we bought the house, had a large crack. It was about to be replaced but we negotiated a price reduction we could make the color choice.

Anyway, the point about the Corian is: one day I took a pan off the stove that had already been off the burner cooling. Put it on the counter and heard a loud crack. Wow...I didn't see that coming. So, I will at least put down towels before putting anything hot on my new granite.

I am building a new house (moving in this weekend) and bought quartz. I had originally planned to get granite and for some reason changed my mind at the last minute. It was installed yesterday and I am sick because I really do not like it. I should have stuck with the granite. I'm not sure what I will do now.

I have granite in the kitchen and quartz in the master bathroom - I love them both. You just need to find a slab that fits your vision/design. I feel like there are people out there that believe quartz is superior to granite - I find that to be just a matter of opinions - it comes down to what you're looking for. Sure, there are some advantages for quartz - for example, I wanted white counters in my bathroom and I don't trust marble or super light granite (from staining, etching, etc.) so I went with white quartz and I'm super happy with my choice. There are some granite slabs that are truly beautiful and unique that no manmade quartz can mimic - so sometimes granite has the edge in my opinion if you're wanting something very unique. Granite ranges from cheap china crap to super expensive (more than quartz) exotic slabs. I love both choices. It just comes down to your design, vision, and expectations.

We just did a kitchen remodel and I bought quartz. I regret it totally, but that is just me. The main reason I regret it is that I absolutely HATE the sound when I sit glasses or casserole dishes or ceramic down on it. It's that glass against glass sound (although I know quartz isn't glass). It's an uncomfortable and worrisome sound...like, uh oh, somethings gonna break. I don't like the shininess of it either. I've only ever had traditional countertops...never quartz or granite. I can't speak about granite. I also hate that it is cold to the touch and as much as I hate cold and hate a cold home, I feel like in the winter my kitchen will feel colder as the stone will act like a cold conductor, almost like having a nice big ice pack right in the kitchen. I wish I would have chosen a material with a matte finish and look, not reflective and shiny, gentler on the ears when sitting down glasses and dishes and without the worry of breaking something on it...and something warmer. I really regret my choice. Just had no idea these would be the things that mattered to me in a countertop.

Noisy, cold to the touch, shiny. A solid surface customer picks the wrong material. The salesperson should have seen this coming.

Edit.

Mary Grider - I have quartz and 4? years into the remodel, I have yet to break anything by just setting it down on the countertop. (And there's been some forceful setting down at times!) I suggest you start a separate thread (so you will get a lot of input) and solicit help. Perhaps you can add placemats so that you are setting things onto something other than the countertop. Similarly, can you find adhesive backing whatnot for the dishes you use, so again, you don't hear the sounds you dislike when you serve food/prepare a meal. I'm so sorry you are in this position but am sure you'll find some good solutions through the forum. Good luck!

P.S. Treb -

Your edited post
Makes me pause, read and creep back
Wond'ring what I missed...

I've had white Corian for over 31 yrs and gave had no oxydization or color change St all. And this is in a kitchen with a full west exposure and a huge bay widow (Corian on the big windowsill as well). I like it so much that I'm reusing it would n my kitchen remodel. Do I love the look of honed marble? Oh yes I do, but it's too pricey and I cannot have materials in my kitchen that are special care. The rest of the house is filled with such, but not my bathrooms or my kitchen. BTW, seams are still invisible.

We went on a vacation and stayed in a fabulous house with granite countertops and I hated the sound of a glass on those countertops. So, I went with Corian, chiefly for the noise issue, next for the coldness issue and finally because in my kitchen the way the light comes in the windows for six months of the year would show every single mark and imperfection in a piece of granite. The Corian just looks smooth and unblemished. What I ended up really liking about it is how easy it is to clean and maintain and also that if you accidentally leave something wet on it you don't destroy it.

Still in love with soapstone. Ease of maintenance, look, no worry about hot pots and no etching. Only chip I ever had was when an idiot worker tossed his circular saw on the counter. About a 4 inch scratch. I sanded it and oiled the spot. Not a problem.

Just had granite installed last month in the kitchen and I couldn't be happier. Was not really a fan of the Corian that the previous owner had chosen. The finish seemed a bit dull to me and I really didn't like the fact that the sink and counter were all one piece. But that's just me.

We've had marble kitchen counters for about 2 years. Bianco carrera, polished, sealed. Tomato juice, turmeric, lemon juice etc - no stains. Because the kitchen doesn't get direct sunlight, the gazillion etches don't show and the marble glows gloriously, transforming an otherwise dingy kitchen. I love it!!! However, I realize that if the sun was shining directly on it, perhaps I would be bothered. But in dim/indirect light, frankly, no one will ever see the damn etches. Now wondering if I can handle a marble bathroom countertop...

Hsupit. I have marble in the bath. It is a non issue-that's where I have indirect light. The kitchen has direct light and I selected corian because light in the kitchen made a scrap of granite look really dirty and etched.

You can buy Corian counter polish. It will hide/diminish small scratches and help protect the counter.

I have marble in our bathroom. Not sure which type but it's white with faint streaks of brownish/gold. Yes it etches, DH is a nightmare with all of his products, toothpaste, cleaners, etc. but honestly, I like the way it is "aging". I can see the etchmarks but only when I really look for them. I plan to use marble in the masterbath - soon to be built. I am currently going thru the selection nightmare process for the kitchen remodel. Marble-granite-soapstone-quartz-quartzite conundrum. Re-reading my post about the marble in our bathroom... hhmm.. I may have just made up my own mind for the kitchen. :-)

have finished the 4th remodel (wow 2 yrs since earlier post on this thread!). Used all white (no patterns speckles or veining) in MasterBath, Butlers Pantry Wet Bar, and as BACKSPLASH in Kitchen whose counters are Stainless Steel. (the rest of kitchen is all white cabinetry with brushed metal pulls). No qu that the white is stunning, crisp, pleasant.

MasterBath is fine.

Butlers Pantry: the white counter is unforgiving and shows everything. So on a second bathroom we chose white with a little gray veining and that has been excellent / easier.

Kitchen all white backsplash with white cabs above below has been great and VERY easy clean (we cook a lot and use spices that stain too). But the all white in kitchen would have been intolerable as a counter for us. Stainless steel is not for everyone but 3 kitchen renos later, (2 remain actively in use) we love its cleanliness and the patina and very, very low maintenance. It looks surprisingly good with Cesarstone / Quartzite type stone products

I chose Viatera Snowcap (quartz) for my kitchen countertop and I have absolutely no regrets. I love that it is so smooth and shiny. And even though DH spilled mixed berry cobbler on it and left it until I got home, no stain. I love that I can roll out dough on the counter and just use my bench scraper to remove the bits before washing the counter. And I love the neutrality of it. No competition when I want to change colors in accessories or décor.

Regret, dark granite with a small eased edge. Verde Peacock is the granite choice made 17 years ago. It shows small chips and most importantly is a PIA to clean. Before we installed our workstation sink, we were cleaning the counter top at least twice a day. That was a chore. Clean, then clean a second time, then wipe off the film left behind. Never again!

Love my Cambria Newport and would do it again in a second,

We've had several countertops through several remodels of kitchens and bathrooms. When people see a granite top with all the flakes an flecks, they say, "Oooh, that's nice." When they see the more uniform looking quartz counter tops, they say, "WOW! That's REALLY nice!" Happens every time.

we've had our absolute black leathered granite 4 years in three baths and the kitchen perimeter (large island is done in butcher block as we thought the black would be a little much since we did slate floors) we love this granite-yes we do have to wipe down after preparing every meal and kitchen clean up but it's easy and looks great all the time we do have lots of windows and light and our cabinets are white in all rooms......