Wow, can't imagine not having runnels. It's one of the best features of the soapstone countertop. My fabricator never expressed any negatives or reasons not to add them. I get the impression after reading a number of soapstone related threads that there's a fair share of misinformation out there.

I hadn't heard of any problems with them either. I plan on having them when I install my countertops, which will be Sea Pearl quartzite. I would think people would be mentioning if they were having problems.

That Anasazi is gorgeous! I have runnels on my soapstone counter from M. Teixeira. No problems with chipping, no concerns expressed by the fabricator. The top edges are very slightly eased, and the bottoms are rounded. There's a 2" space between each one. I don't see how they would be any more prone to chipping than the edges of the countertop.

The only issue I have, and it's more about my housekeeping and local water than any flaw in the counter, is that they can collect a lime deposit if I don't wipe them down after I put away the dishes.

You can do a drainboard which is a rectangular section sloped towards your sink instead of runnels. This is what I have. I think there would be less opportunity for chipping and I think it's easier to clean. See the "british" or "european" drainboard pictures near the bottom of the M. Teixeira website page I've linked.

Here is a link that might be useful: drainboards

I would check how much experience your fabricator has with soapstone.

Thank you all for your answers! I was looking for validation that they wouldn't be a problem. The Anasazi is on the harder end of the slabs available locally, so I was surprised at the fabricators response. My gut is saying that perhaps this company is less experienced with soapstone and I should check around for other companies.

The sloped drain is interesting too - we have very hard water, so it might be a better option to keep those dang spots at bay.

Quadesl - your counters and sink are gorgeous! I love the soapstone sinks, but I'm stretching the budget already with the counters :-)

Thank you all again - this site is *so* full of information and inspiration - I lurk here all the time and really appreciate all the time and effort y'all put into answering questions!

Patty

I have Anasazi soapstone and got them in Austin from that distributor (they've changed their name - was Dorado Soapstone). My reveal is below. I agree that is Anasazi is VERY hard. We've had them for almost a year now and don't baby them at all. However, our fabricator was not familiar with soapstone (but they said they were) and I don't think they are finished right. We get glass rings and water spots all the time. It doesn't bother us, we just wipe things up, but I know it bothers some people. I don't want to deal with them getting resanded.

I think in general soapstone is just not common in Austin. If you want runnels, I think they would work on this stone even with all the white veining. But, you'll have to find a fabricator that is completely comfortable doing them and is confident about it. Soapstone is a lot of money...find someone that knows what they're doing. Ashley and Bo at Latera could probably point you to a fabricator they work with the most.

If you want to see my Anasazi, send me a message. We're in NW Austin. Also, Antonelli's Cheese Shop and Henri's Cheese Shop have soapstone - I think Minas. We went and checked out how scratched/chipped the soapstone got in a working business and wow...it was really chipped all over the place, especially on the edges - but it made it look so interesting.

Here is a link that might be useful: our reveal

TexasPenny - hello (almost) neighbor - I'm actually near Wimberley.

Your kitchen is gorgeous, and it's fantastic to see the Anasazi installed - it reinforces my decision to get it :-)

I made up my mind to call Latera tomorrow and talk to them - the fabricator I referred to above is one of their recommendations, but I want to ask if they have first hand knowledge of their work.

I don't plan to baby my counters either, I like when things develop a patina and character. I would like to check out those shops and see the Minas in action ...

Good morning! Have you talked with a guy named Jason Yates at Eco Fabrication in Austin? I'm not in the Austin area (but am in Texas), and would have used him if we had ended up doing soapstone. I had several discussions with him that left me feeling feeling confident in his abilities and experience with soapstone. Good luck!

Ott2 - thank you for the recommendation, I will definitely give him a call.

Just wanted to chime in and say I agree with others. I have runnels in my (relatively hard variety) soapstone, and have not had any chipping problems. I will say, though, that I don't think my fabricator did a fabulous job on sloping the runnels, so sometimes the water sits in them a bit rather than draining neatly. It isn't a big deal for me to wipe them down, but I think it points in the same direction as others have suggested--see if you can find someone more experienced with soapstone to do it for you. Knowing what I know now (about how my job turned out--not just the runnels but other finish issues), I would have looked for someone who had multiple references of completed soapstone jobs I could see.