Soapstone Countertops - A Dream or a Mistake?
Laurel Luebke
3 years ago
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3 years agoMuriel Thompson
3 years agoRelated Discussions
Soapstone experts: Gap between soapstone and wall?
Comments (5)What rubbish! Soapstone is very dense, and very stable. Fluctuations in temperature are unlikely to affect it in the least. Soapstone is often used in masonry stoves because of it's ability to store heat and its very stable nature. If anything were likely to expand and contract around a countertop, it might be the wall or the cabinetry, but even then, changing humidity would more likely be the reason. That being said, a very small gap between the back edge of the countertop and the wall isn't anything to worry about, unless you plan countertops with no backsplash. If you're installing backsplash above the countertop, the small gap will be covered up....See MoreCherry Cabs and Soapstone - Just a Dream??
Comments (13)Thanks so much. I think it will work. I am suffering from "kitchen overload (the evil twin of TKO) and I am beginning to forget what I've seen where and over-thinking/doubting some of my decisions. mom2reese and lululemom -- Thank you for your enthusiasm! The last thing I want to happen is to get the countertop installed and think - yikes - I don't like how this looks! nomorebluekitchen- I had thought I had seen a kitchen with darker cabinets and soapstone countertops, I just couldn't remember which kitchen it was -- I really liked the combination. I am so glad to hear that you love your kitchen - it is beautiful! I am looking forward to having all these decisions behind me. Now I just have to worry about a back splash and cabinet hardware - how hard can that be ;)....See MoreSoapstone Countertop Install Disaster and Fireclay Sink Dilemma
Comments (23)Latest Update: Jay came back and worked on the fix. Although he was not finished with it today, I must say the gouges look a whole lot better and the scratches are now barely visible. Meanwhile, he called me tonight to tell me that he has arranged for an old-school porcelain repair expert to come over and take care of my sink and to make me whole. Lascatx, as usual, I'm finding good reason to follow your advice. Jeannie_Kitchen, you are right: We all make mistakes. And, Raynag, I can clearly tell that Jay is as pained about all this as much as I am. Honestly, I feel for the guy. While it's bad enough being in my shoes, I would not want to be in his! His clear determination to rectify this mistake, gives me confidence that all will work out. Thanks so much your sisterhood hugs, Charlikin, and your kind words of encouragement, Vicnsb! To Jerseydeb,Momof3kids_Pa and, again to Jeannie_Kitchen and Raynag: I appreciate your reminders that its truly possible to peaceably coexist with the fact of blemishes in my brand new kitchen! Of course, when all is said and done, I want to be able to show off my kitchen. Yet, at the same time, it's important to keep in mind that a true showroom kitchen is unlikely to also be a true working kitchen . In the end, there are likely to be many many more accidents, dings, gouges and scratches, etc. to demonstrate that my kitchen is a working kitchen after all. Perhaps, when this chapter closes and I can sincerely laugh about it, I will regard my Rohl farmhouse sink as the first item in the new kitchen to have "patina." :) More to come....See Moreslate vs. soapstone countertop?
Comments (25)Vermont slate is not the be all and end all. Upstate NY is big slate country. Back when we were planning our kitchen, we thoroughly investigated slate countertops. Discovering online, the Sheldon Slate Company, we took a 5 or 6 hour drive to visit the fabrication showroom. The people were patient, friendly and ever so helpful. We had a tour of the site. Very impressive. The slate was gorgeous. We went home with a spiral book, with actual samples attached. Yes, the book was a bit heavy. Lol. Upon returning home, I tested the samples for several days. Ketchup, oil, mustard, vinegar, butter, hot sauce...you name it. The only sample that showed some porosity, was the black. The other colors, grey, green (just gorgeous), red, purple and mottled purple (both surprisingly very pretty), showed absolutely no staining or etching. Slate is incredibly dense and strong. The owner’s son, a very large guy, hopped onto a slate overhang on one of the counters, to no ill effect. Here’s the link to Sheldon Slate. They ship everywhere! https://www.sheldonslate.com/specifications/index.php In the end, we chose to go with soapstone from M.Teixeira, their NJ/NY location. We got a very hard variety, Belvedere, which has held up beautifully. We didn’t have to oil, but chose to do so for the first 6 weeks. At first, everyday, then once a week. Haven’t oiled them for several years now. To answer your question, grease splatters no longer change the appearance of the stone. Many people on this site, have chosen not to oil. They just let the stone do it’s thing. Soapstone is non porous. It neither stains or etches. Rather it naturally darkens by oxidation. As another poster said, if you want to keep the natural light grey color, a little soap and scrubby will achieve that....See MoreLaurel Luebke
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