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If I wax soapstone countertop can I assume no oiling is necessary?

2 years ago

Anyone who has waxed their soapstone please share your views. Once waxed does oiling soapstone become unnecessary?

Thank you!

Featured Answer

darbuka

2 years ago

Yes, if you decide to go the waxing route, you wouldnt also oil. There are products that combine the two, which makes the wax easier to spread. But, you wouldn’t put one on top of the other.

Be aware that wax is not permanent. You will have to periodically, repeat the waxing. However, wax does last longer than oil.

On the otherhand…there is no requirement to do anything to your soapstone. Many people leave them alone, to oxidize naturally.

We oiled the first year or so, but decided not to bother anymore. So, we removed all oxidized oil from our counters (Comet, water, and a blue scrubby sponge), to bring them back nearly to their original state, and haven’t oiled since.

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Comments (8)

remodeling1840
2 years ago
I have never done anything to my soapstone. Why take a no-maintenance counter and spend time doing something? Since it doesn’t absorb anything, you are just putting oil or wax on the top-it doesn’t sink into the soapstone.
jilljimmom thanked remodeling1840
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I promised a follow-up and here it is. Thanks to all for the comments. Dave Brushett of CNE was able to stop by after healing up from an accident that left him with broken ribs. It seems that much of what I was seeing has to do with the nature of the Beleza which has veins of differing hardness which accept oil differently. He suggested going over to Dorado Dry Wax which I have done with great satisfaction. The differing texture is a combination of the variations in the stone itself and the sanding process used by CNE. If I understand Dave correctly you must break up the gloss finish that comes from the quarry or you end up with scratching and water ring problems. He uses a process that ends with a dry sanding. It leaves a no problem finish but feels a little rough in spots to me, so I did some minor sanding of the small areas that bothered me before applying the wax. Bottom line: The counters look great. They have the wonderful darkened color we wanted while showing the green and gray colors that we loved when we picked out the slabs. Don't waste your time with mineral oil on Beleza soapstone - either leave it natural or use the wax and save yourself a lot of heartburn.
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Thank you so much Pluckymama. That is a great help (and you are right, they do look great). I am off tomorrow to see a few more slabs of SS (Minas and Beleza) and will take another look at the Nordic Black. The Mumbai Grey SS that I took a sample of is doing the same watermark thing you are experiencing (and wow, the mineral oil only holds for a day at most). Soapstone International has told me it has to do with the finish (which they 400 grit, but that sounded kind of crazy considering). As I was thinking about the watermark issue, I just wondered if anyone has tried carnuba wax? I say this because it is used on cars (stay with me), and on the glossy coating of candy (like M&Ms). My thinking? Food grade, OK. And if it buffs to the point that it protects car exteriors, it is obviously durable.
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We recommend treating our soapstone after installation. We always apply our soapstone wax after installation and leave the homeowner with our soapstone oil to apply regularly. Some our customers are treating their soapstone less frequently, though. They like the lighter look of soapstone. However, since the soapstone is not treated/aged completely, it may and/or will age inconsistently especially around the sink or stove area. Not to worry, either way. If you're not liking what this looks like, just apply your soapstone wax oil or wax.
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Much has changed in the market with soapstone. There are more "varieties", which have more or less talc in them, and not to mention some "soapstones" are not even really considered soapstone. This all adds to how oil and wax products interact with the stone you choose. Typically I recommend products that breath and do not form a film that is terrible to get off. . . These products limit how you will interact with soapstone over a longer period. Bee's wax and mineral oil wear off the stone allowing you to form a patina over time. Sealers and other products tend to build up a film over a period of time, and trust me I've had to refinish tons of countertops because of this. In my humble opinion, soapstone is soapstone, enjoy the process of the patina, stick with mineral oil and bee's wax products. . . Do this and you will have a much easier time fixing any problem areas.
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julieste
2 years ago
I too have never oiled or waxed my soapstone. And, I just made a new interesting discovery. Glass cleaner (I used Sparkle) removes grease spots and splatters with virtually no work at all.
jilljimmom thanked julieste
Tia M
2 years ago
I tried both oiling and waxing because I wanted to speed up the process of darkening my counters (bathrooms). I was not happy with oiling as it seemed spotty and uneven. I did find a waxing product on Amazon that I have been very happy with but to be honest it's not necessary at all. My decision to wax was only to darken the look of the stone. The soapstone has been bullet proof. I have teen daughters going through a hair dye phase, nail polish, flat irons, hair gel, mouse, lotions, oils, perfumes, etc. The countertop has been zero maintenance even with the heavy use in their bathroom and to my surprise the guest bath with minimal use looks the same. I can't comment on kitchen durability but I don't think you need to do anything to the surface.
jilljimmom thanked Tia M
julieste
2 years ago
Just yesterday my fabricator told me that waxing will produce a more shiny finish while oiling will give more of a honed or matte finish. True or not true?
brdrl
2 years ago
Diana - That link is an ad for Caesarstone… I‘ve had soapstone for 6 years. There is ZERO required maintenance. I oiled or waxed occassionally the first 2 years becasue i liked the look. Either will provide the same finish but the bees wax blend lasts longer. I haven’t done it in years though. They have darkened over time ”naked”. Aside from not wanting or needing to oil, I roll out dough directly on counters and want a completley clean surface - becasue the oil or wax sits on top (non porous stone) the dough can pick it up in trace anounts. i love soapstone!
chispa
2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago
Yeah, I was going to say that the last place I would go for feedback on Soapstone would be the website of a quartz manufacturer! Don't you think they might be a bit biased?
micheleliveshere
2 years ago
We've had our soapstone for 6 months and I'm still swoony in love. I've waxed it twice and it looks great, doubt it'll need waxing for a long while.

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