astrid Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 Love them or hate them? Pros/cons? If you had the chance to do it over again, would you chose soapstone? I've got an old Victorian home and we're finally getting around to doing the kitchen, but I"m paralyzed with indecision! Thanks in advance, astrid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homeschoolally Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 I'm not sure if we're talking about the same thing, but I have Silestone countertops. I'm VERY happy with them. I can take a hot pan out of the oven and place it right on the counter. They still look like new after several years of tough use. The only thing I might caution you-- if you're looking at one that is comparably close to the price of granite, as ours was, you might get a better value for resale with granite. People aren't as familiar w silestone and often don't realize it costs as much in some cases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 I don't have soapstone yet, but that will be my choice in a few years when we rennovate. Mr. Ellie and I have read up on soapstone vs granite or any other hard surface, and we're sold on soapstone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaichiki Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 Isn't soapstone very soft??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
astrid Posted December 17, 2009 Author Share Posted December 17, 2009 Yes, but that's part of the appeal to many. If it scratches, you just sand it out and it's as good as new. At least that's what I've been reading. astrid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellie Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 Isn't soapstone very soft??? Actually, no, it isn't. Soapstone is used in labs because of its durability; I'm pretty sure that my home kitchen won't be any harder on countertops than a lab.:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy loves Bud Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 Check out the Kitchen forums at Garden Web. When we remodeled our kitchen there was a ton of talk about soapstone. We opted for granite, so I don't know a lot about soapstone, but it was very popular with the highend, white cabinet type of kitchens. Also, if I remember correctly, someone there actually got there soapstone from a lab for pennies on the dollar! That was over a year ago, so you might have to poke around to get the scoop on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev in B'ville Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 I insisted on it when we built this house (had granite in the last house - waaay too much trouble). I've been using it for over 3 years now. I absolutely love it! You can use absolutely anything to clean it (bleach, ammonia based products, pure HCL if you wanted). You can put hot items directly from the oven onto it. I also had my sink (a farmer's kitchen style sink with an apron) done out of the same material and I love, love, love it. Wouldn't trade my choice for anything. The only thing I was impatient about was the patina. It darkens over time naurally, but I didn't want to wait so I sped the process up by applying mineral oil to the countertop once a week (apply it with a cloth, let it soak in, then wipe off the excess). Feel free to PM me if you have any questions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle in AL Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 Bev, I'd love to see pictures if you can load them up here. I'll have to remodel my kitchen soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krista in LA Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 I would get soapstone in a heartbeat. We just redid our counters and got granite, but if I could have gotten soapstone for the same price, I would have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev in B'ville Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 I would get soapstone in a heartbeat. We just redid our counters and got granite, but if I could have gotten soapstone for the same price, I would have. I ended up paying less for my soapstone. My builder ended up giving me a refund for the kitchen countertop allotment (he had allotted for granite). Now, I had to wrest control of this from my builder; do my own research/shopping, get my own samples, talk to the company who would accept delivery and make the cuts, etc. The builder tried everything trying to talk me out of it. He even tried the "it'll be more expensive" routine with me. My research proved otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krista in LA Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 I ended up paying less for my soapstone. My builder ended up giving me a refund for the kitchen countertop allotment (he had allotted for granite). Now' date=' I had to wrest control of this from my builder; do my own research/shopping, get my own samples, talk to the company who would accept delivery and make the cuts, etc. The builder tried everything trying to talk me out of it. He even tried the "it'll be more expensive" routine with me. My research proved otherwise.[/quote'] Wow, good for you. I do love the granite that we ended up with - got an exotic that was normally $90 sq ft for $48, but there's something about soapstone that I really like. Couldn't find it in that price range around here though. Perhaps I gave up too easily in my search... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bev in B'ville Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 Wow, good for you. I do love the granite that we ended up with - got an exotic that was normally $90 sq ft for $48, but there's something about soapstone that I really like. Couldn't find it in that price range around here though. Perhaps I gave up too easily in my search... at a granite store, ask to see their "graveyard." That's where they keep the leftover pieces/disgards from other projects. Depending on the size of the slab to begin with, there can be some sizable pieces leftover. (Little known fact here: When you order granite, you're actually paying for the entire slab, whether you use the whole thing or not.) They will not show you the graveyard unless you ask to see it. The store we used had their graveyard in the shop area and we had to don earplugs to get a look. We were able to find slabs the right size/coloration for the remainder of our house when we built it. I'm talking laundry room, kids bathrooms, our bathroom, guest bathroom, and pantry. I ended up paying less for granite that I would have formica for all of those rooms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennifer in MI Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 I've never heard of soapstone! I'm off to google search pictures! We opted for quartz a couple years ago. I love them! I can put hot pans on them, cut on them, etc. They don't scratch! Just another option to consider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitestavern Posted December 18, 2009 Share Posted December 18, 2009 We just redid our kitchen and opted for honed granite. It has the look of soapstone (we weren't crazy about the shininess of granite) but durability of granite. We've been VERY happy with its looks/durability/easy care. Just another option to think about! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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