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annachosaknj6b

Calling all happy soapstone owners!

annachosaknj6b
12 years ago

I am considering soapstone for my perimeter counters. There are some varieties on sale at M. Tex right now. If you're happy with your soapstone, please tell me which variety you have. If you experimented with others before choosing and found them too soft or whatever, please let me know that as well. TIA!

Comments (71)

  • Lake_Girl
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    a little ot - can someone comment on whether it's better to do undermount or dropin sink with soapstone. i've heard undermount takes a beating (but i really wanted an undermount).

  • fivefootzero
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I did find some pics on my cell phone, not the best quality, but you get the idea.

    Last one, this is unoiled...

  • annachosaknj6b
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    So is that the Belvedere or the SRV? (I recognize the Evil Dishwasher, heh. Are you happy with your replacment?)

    Good question, Lake Girl, as I refuse to consider anything but undermount.

  • fivefootzero
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The pics here are the Belvedere. You can search my name, look for a post entitled (It's here, its here)...that's the SRV. Lovely stone, just too soft and prone to problems. The problem I had was that it had many, many spots (literally black spots) of resin that the quarry used to fill pock marks. Normally, they color match it so it can't be seen...but these were quite visible and all over the stone. So Roger came to my house and agreed that it wasn't right...and in the end, I wound up replacing them with the Belvedere. I must say, it is VERY hard. I slide my 25 year-old Kitchenaid mixer around on it, drag my fiestaware across it, soda cans, etc...all of which would have left streaks all over the SRV. So in the end I'm happy with my choice to replace, but miss that wonderful sea glass veining.

    And those bowls on the countertop are for pendant placement...needed to see how big I could actually go...LOL.

    As far as the dishwasher, I replaced the Kitchenaid with a Bosch (SHX58E15UC) and I am quite happy with it.

  • muskokascp
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I don't have soapstone but want to put it on my island. One of the stone dealers in my area has one he is calling "Fantasy". I haven't seen it yet and can only find 1 reference to this stone with a google search. Anyone familiar with this name? Is soapstone like granite and can have several aliases?

  • annachosaknj6b
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oooh, I can see why you loved it. But the minimal nature of the Belvedere is actually better for me, as we have a lot going on visually already. Definitely intrigued by your description of how hard you use your kitchen, because we use ours VERY hard. Belvedere's looking like my front-runner based on that. Thanks!!!

  • fivefootzero
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I do love the Belvedere too. It also has a different texture (finish) than the Santa Rita Venata, it's much closer to honed, where the SRV was more rustic and rough. Either way, we're happy with it and I do like the quietness of it. It is most definitely silky and smooth too.

    I would highly recommend M. Tex as well. The service we received from the top (Roger) right down to our installer (Jose; multiple installs and templates) is something that made the entire experience more pleasurable, especially since it could have gone a totally dofferent direction based on our issues with the SRV. Also, our soapstone came in along the same price point as any of the granites we liked.

  • bellajourney
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Is a hopeful future soapstone owner allowed to reply? Jay was kind enough to send us a few samples. While the Barroca was lovely, my DH was fairly shocked at how easy it was to scratch (a fingernail did the trick), so that was quickly eliminated as a contender for us. We loved the PA Original and will be saving our pennies for it! It is hard (we couldn't scratch it) and has beautiful greenish veining. But - definitely see samples for yourself. Everyone has different tolerances and preferences.

    Best of luck!

  • annachosaknj6b
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks, bellajourney! Jay is from Garden State Soapstone?

  • sombreuil_mongrel
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm a happy SS DIY-er; I bought my material from Alberene in VA. I'm also happy to never go through the process again; a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The stone is very hard, very plain, has become very dark without oiling, and is not plagued by scratches or chips.
    Casey

  • 64reno64
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    And PA Original can differ...my sample has no green in it. White/cream veining but not as pronounced as barocca.

  • Rudebekia
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I've had my Julia for nearly three years. It is very hard and looks as pristine as it did the day it was installed. It has beautiful green undertones.

  • NatalieChantal
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Not to hijack this thread, but does anyone have Ice Flower? I am wanting to put in soapstone counters and sink in my mudroom and found a local place that carries Ice Flower. However it has a LOT of little black spots all over it! After reading fivefootzero's comment, I have to wonder if those are resin fillers? How can I tell? I have been in touch with Green Mountain Soapstone who used to carry Ice Flower (and can find me a sink made from it) and they say that the pictures the local supplier sent me are definitely Ice Flower.

    I must say we have a sample of Barroca and it looks FABULOUS. DH had a hard time with the softness though, and Bucks County pricing is too much for us. But if I could find it locally we'd go for it for sure!

  • dretutz
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Love my amazon soapstone which has been in since october. One little ding where a careless worker letdown a skil saw. We are not easy, but it does not scratch (yet?). Dark dark charcoal with lots oddest ass green veins, splotches and mica dots.

  • annachosaknj6b
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    "Oddest ass green veins"...that's quite the description. :-)

  • dretutz
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Sorry. Getting used to iPad and new corrective lens.

  • bellajourney
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Yes, we worked with Jay from Garden State Soapstone. He was very kind and helpful. :)

  • annachosaknj6b
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    thanks, bella!

    No worries, dretutz; it made me laugh, which is sorely needed during a kitchen reno! :-)

  • laxsupermom
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm late to this discussion, but I love our soapstone. We have Black Venata which is one of the softer varieties. We have 2 very active boys, and I love our counters. There are a couple of dings from DS1's titanium alloy stick, and a few scratches that oil out. Love my counters and I'd pick them again in a heartbeat.

  • cplover
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Mine has not yet been installed yet---still in the demo phase. I really wanted more white veining... but this is the most that they had. I got my Mariana Reserve Blue (not blue at all) from Rock Tops in Crete, IL. Here is a photo of the slab. This is a photo of it wet---not oiled. When oiled it turns much darker.

  • farmgirlinky
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi Anna,
    ours is Jucca, from Dorado Soapstone. We fell in love with the cream veining and the iron deposits that gave the stone a sort of "painterly" quality and looked nice with fir. You betcha this stone dings and scratches, but I hit a few places last night with dry wax and today I don't see the scratches unless I look for them. Willy nilly we are "patina" people, it seems! I like materials that look as though they have been in an old house for a long time. But I didn't want the headache of worrying about red wine stains or lemon juice etching: hence soapstone. (If we had installed a different sort of kitchen, I would have used Carrera anyway, because I think it is so beautiful and to me that overrides any stains or etching.) The Dorado people originally billed Jucca as an especially hard soapstone, but that is not our experience. I've heard that hardness can vary from slab to slab, though, so take along your test kit when you are picking your slabs. We are happy with Jucca, but I am sure that some people would fret over scratches and dings that have appeared since the installation six months ago.

    I'm more annoyed by the etching in the master bathroom vanity, when window washing guys splashed ammonia on the counter. Now this would not have been a problem for soapstone, but our bathroom limestone counter will eventually need to be rehoned if my annoyance level rises above a certain critical threshhold, known only to me.

    Hope you are thrilled with whatever choice you make in the long run! Can't wait to see it.
    Lynn

  • farmgirlinky
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    PS I agree that remodelfla's soapstone counters are spectacular, and if I were installing a contemporary sort of kitchen I would leap on slabs of that stone with both feet!
    lynn

  • annachosaknj6b
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Laxsupermom, thanks! I'm pretty sure M.Tex has BV. Not that I'm set on using M.Tex, just that they're closest to me and thus the one I'll try first.

    Newbieremodeler, those slabs are beautiful! I know it's not like a real-world test, but how did your samples hold up to abuse?

    Lynn, I had to go back to your pics and sigh again over how wonderful your kitchen is. NOT THAT I'M JEALOUS OR ANYTHING. Your soapstone is as gorgeous as everything else in your kitchen! Is Dorado in CT near where you live? I get out there often enough to take a look if I can't find anything I'm happy with more locally.

    Thanks so much, everyone; it really helps to have this sort of roundup/survey. I hope the thread is useful to more soapstone purchasers in the future!

  • melissastar
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Mine is Brazilian Duros and though I'm happy with it, I am finding it to be quite soft. In six months there are already MANY dings in it and the front lip of the undermount sink is quite beaten up. I'm very tough on counters though...toss anything on them without thinking and then wonder where that ding came from. And I'm writing a script in my head that says...it's an old house. The counters should look old!

  • annachosaknj6b
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Melissastar, in your kitchen, no one will notice any dings in your soapstone. They'll be too busy admiring the rest of it!

  • sabjimata
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    cobra and belvedere. LOVE the quality and price of the belvedere. have it as a sink and it stands up to abuse!

  • annachosaknj6b
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks, sabjimata. Belvedere is so far ahead in the race. Although if I get it, I will have to listen to DH say "Belvedere! Come here boy" about a gazillion times.

  • sabjimata
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I didn't like it at first because of the name! We paid through the nose for Cobra when we did our PA house--even spending an extra grand on transportation cost bc we were so out in the middle of nowhere. The cost for our small kitchen was huge!

    This time around, I have a much larger kitchen but used marble. We did get the a ginormous sink made by M.T. and shipped to Florida. Used Belvedere because it was so hard and so CHEAP! But I was loving the look of Barocca. I ordered Barocca tiles for using as pizza stones. They are gorgeous but do scratch. The Belvedere is amazingly resilient. And it looks way sexier than its name!

  • fivefootzero
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    LOL we love that line!!!

  • cplover
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    @Anna- Really well. I did not try cutting on them because A) I would never do that and 2) it would be bad for my knives. I also set hot pots on it-- that was fine too. However, I did put ketchup, mustard and hot sauce on them overnight. All came out really well, with the exception of the hot sauce. I freaked out! But the next day I washed it again with Dawn dishsoap and it all came out. Whew! Also when I put the sauces on the stone the stone was not oiled. I also put vegetable oil on the stone since I did not have mineral oil and wanted to show a friend the color change. After a few days the oil was gone. Hope that helps!

  • farmgirlinky
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi, Anna, Dorado is in Shrewsbury MA, about a 2-hour drive from New Haven. Don't know what soapstone, if any, they are showing at CT Stone. You have been putting so much thought into your renovation, it is bound to be beautiful.
    lynn

  • tv_momma
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We are in Toronto Canada and have Barocca from Greensville Soapstone. We love it! My suggestion is, if you are really concerned about scratches, best to get the harder variety. You will still get a beautiful non porous soapstone. The reason we chose Barocca was for its softness. For me, this is what soapstone is all about. Scratches are so easily removed, it has never been an issue. I could look at my countertops all day!

  • prill
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I also got my soapstone (Medium Minus) from Dorado on Shrewsbury.
    It's is a medium softness - it does scratch and ding, but that doesn't
    bother me. It has a lot of turquoise veins in it.

  • remodelfla
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ahhhhh.... my favorite turquoise vein. It's your turquoise vein that led me to my soapstone prill.

  • annachosaknj6b
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ohmigosh, that's beautiful. TVmomma, nice to hear that you are happy with your Barrocca since everyone loves how it looks!

    I haven't been to look at any yet but am hoping to get there this week. I'll keep you all posted! Thanks again to everyone who responded.

  • remodelfla
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    anna... post a pic of your soapstone sample and the ice mint tile so we can see what it looks like together!

  • jcla
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    We have Julia from M. Texiera in San Francisco. Love it! I was just remarking to DH today(as I was plopping a hot iron skillet down on the counter)how glad I am that we "settled" for soapstone when I really wanted some marble--at least on the island. Ours is pretty hard, with green inclusions. It's fairly dark and quiet when waxed and oiled, which I do every few months. We've had it about a year now, and LOVE it!

  • holligator
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Here's another happy Black Venata lover and another very happy customer of Florida Joshua. Yes, it scratches, but not with a fingernail. I have tons of little nicks and scratches, but they truly aren't noticeable unless you're looking for them, and they oil away easily. Unfortunately, the best soapstone pic I have is from installation day...

    Here's another view that shows the dramatic difference between the oiled and unoiled looks...

  • annachosaknj6b
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have my samples! I went to M.Tex today and came away with samples of Barroca, Belvedere, Santa Rita Venata, and a new one called Anastacia. There was a slab of SRV on sale that would fit my whole project and was 20% off; the slab and the price were so attractive that I had them put it on hold for me.

    Then I came home and abused the crap out of them.

    I lined them all up and did some test scratches with fingernails. All scratched except the Belvedere, which pretty much laughed at me. I re-oiled and the scratches disappeared, though I could still feel them, of course.

    Then I took a fork and scratched the tines along each piece, followed by giving the edge of each a good whack with the end of the fork. Then I whacked each one with a skillet along the edges.

    Anastacia, Barroca and SRV all reacted pretty much the same, dinging and scratching. (Didn't re-oil so I could show the results to DH.) The Belvedere pretty much shrugged everything off. The sample I have has a lovely green veining to it, and Isobel, the guy who helped me, said that some have more veining than others.

    So while I think the Barroca is the most beautiful and would look the loveliest next to my Lacanche, I am going with the Belvedere.

    Next question: I had them give me a quote with the cove dupont edge they had in the showroom, which was gorgeous. Given how prone to chipping and dinging soapstone is (even the Belvedere if hit hard enough), should I forego that and just get a plain eased edge? It seems to me that while the cove dupont is more tailored and far more to my liking, I'll be more heartbroken if it gets a chunk taken out of it.

    I also went to All Marble and Granite in Ridgefield Park to pick a stone for the island. As much as I love the Calacatta Gold, it's just too ridiculously expensive. So I brought home samples of Classic White quartzite, which I love because it reminds me of Thassos, and Statuario, which I love because, hello, MARBLE.

    I'd be happy with either but am leaning towards the marble because I'm considering either:
    1. putting a stainless steel backsplash behind the range and Calacatta subway tile to either side (If I do, the more minimal Belvedere would also be the better choice to play nicely with the Calacatta.), or
    2. using this utterly gorgeous mosaic from New Ravenna behind the range and leaving the sides painted:

    http://newravenna.photoshelter.com/gallery-image/Fields/G0000P0BSLGCTLoc/I0000twoGBHMk7nE/P0000eERatY8B6NY

    The range is in the center of a 13' run and the island will be centered to the range. The entrance to the DR is also centered there on the opposite wall, so I want the island top to harmonize with the backsplash. The island itself will look sort of like this one:

    http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/1121213018053044611IcKbxw

    (Thanks to zolablue who also copied it!) Mine will go all the way to the floor, though, and will have a wooden border around it like this one, with the stone inset:

    Would love to hear thoughts from anyone, and if not, thanks for letting me babble. :-)

  • remodelfla
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have total island envy

  • annachosaknj6b
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hah! Don't. Mine won't be nearly that fawhn-say.

  • annachosaknj6b
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    One more question: Does anyone have the routed runnels and do you like them? Will they interfere with the area being used as prep space (we use cutting boards, I am not talking about cutting directly on the stone...just wondering if it would make a cutting board feel wobbly)?

  • plllog
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I don't have runnels, but have used them. Shouldn't be a problem with your cutting board, though could be a bother with little bits that fall off and between the runnels. Not that they're hard to get out. Just that you have to actually push them out.

    If you're going to drip dry a lot of soppy dishes on the runnels they're convenient, but soapstone repels water so you can just kind of squeegee riparian water into the sink. Also, you still have to brush or dry off the sticking up parts. I think that the angle to the sink style sinkboard is more useful than runnels, but it has to be angled steeply enough for the water to roll down, so everything rolls down (hence, runnels). My own preference is for flat.

  • bigjim24
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I just spoke with Dale from Dorado in Shrewsbury. They just got a shipment of minas in last weekend. After reading lots of helpful comments on gw - I decided to wait for the harder Anasazi to come in. Thanks for the runnel info plllog. prill your ss is fabulous! Good luck with your choice anna

  • annachosaknj6b
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks, celtinNE! Same to you.

    Thanks, plllog; based on that I will skip the runnels and save some money. Any thoughts on the covve dupont edge as opposed to a plainer edge?

    I also did some stain/etch tests on the samples of marble and quartzite last night. Keep in mind that both were merely honed and not sealed. I tested with ketchup, olive oil, blueberry, sour salt, a slice of lime, and my go-to stain offender, Thai red curry paste. I left them for several hours.

    Results: EVERYTHING etched the marble and the oil sank in permanently. The blueberry left a faint stain on the honed side of the quartzite sample and nothing at all on the polished side. Red curry paste stained all three samples, but was less noticeable on the polished side. Nothing etched the quartzite at all and the oil did not penetrate. So while I love the marble, I think I am going with the quartzite because it will be under the very unforgiving halogen lights over the island. Besides, it's sparkly and pretty!

  • newenglandladybug
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It sounds like you've already made your decisions, but just wanted to give a shout out to the Maine Soapstone guys who did our countertops last month. They only had 2 selections to choose from, natural and amazon, and we went with natural. No probs with dings yet, we have an undermount sink and I can't say enough about how great Gary was to work with. Very responsive (which I can't say about all of our reno team). They will ship stone to just about anywhere, and they came down about 5 hours from where they are to do my install, and I know they service Boston too. Maybe they go as far as CT. Can't hurt to ask. I can't figure out how to post a picture...can anyone help?

  • bigjim24
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    newenglandladybug, do you have the contact info for the Maine SS guys? There is a person in NB that is looking for some one.

    For posting pix, read that section in the "New To Kitchens? Posting Pics? Read Me!" post. It gives easy to follow to directions.

    Anna, how did you make out?

  • newenglandladybug
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    BTW, we have runnels and like them. We have a SS dish drying rack permanently on the counter next to the sink and used to have a cloth towel underneath to catch drips (and eventually become mildewy). Now the runnels do the job and no yucky towel to look at.

  • Circus Peanut
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    newenglandladybug, I'm glad to hear that Maine Soapstone does a great job. I'm in Maine and chatted with Gary in my info-gathering phase a few years back - I've heard nothing but positives about them -- when I can afford it I'm definitely using them for soapstone counters.

  • newenglandladybug
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I finally figured out how to post a picture. Here is the sink. And Circuspeanut, Maine Soapstone was 1700 less than the other semi-local estimate we got and he is a soapstone guy -- not a granite guy who does soapstone on occasion.