ot - Soapstone countertops

[Mike Johnson - Chicago]

Anyone here worked with "architectual" grade Soapstone?

It is quite expensive to have someone in the Kitchen industry install it for you (~$75-$90/sf), but I hear the DIY is a good option because it works well with woodworking tools...and is much more affordable (~$30-$40/sf).

Curious to hear any actual experiences...

Thanks,
M.J.

[Dave Wright #2]

Mike, where do you get soapstone countertops? I have been interested but not found a source. Thanks, Dave

[Pete Lamberty]

Dave, I looked this place up on the internet. I have never had any dealings with them.
http://www.vermontsoapstone.com/shipping.htm

[Dave Wright #2]

Here's another one:

http://www.getf.org/customers/alberene/

I was in their neighborhood recently, but didn't have the time to visit and talk details. Some literature I have indicates that slabs of standard size and finish can be fairly inexpensive - $30/SF or so. Slabs specially prepared for an application run more than twice that. You can perform your own slab modification, at some effort, because the material is fairly soft.

I have been thinking about this material for some countertops in my house. Maybe someone will post with personal experiences.

[Jim Becker]

We put soapstone in our kitchen during the renovation in 2003. I toyed with doing it myself and found a supplier in NJ (http://www.soapstones.com/index.php?page=home)that would just provide the material pre-cut to width. At the end, however, we chose to use a local firm that specializes in Soapstone (http://www.buckscountysoapstone.com/)...a mistake would have been costly and the stuff is still very heavy. Honestly, the quote from the place in NJ was not low enough in comparision to the installed price to justify the time and effort to DIY it...for me...only about $600. For that, they were done in about three hours.

Interestingly enough, they used four PC 7518 routers, one PC 7539 router and a PC worm-drive saw to fabricate the sink opening and mill the drain board. A Fein 6" ROS connected to a vac was used to dress the one seam that was glued with a colored epoxy material after it cured. I did take lots of pictures intending to do a full pictorial on my side, but have never found the time to deal with it. One of these days...

The end results....

http://sawsndust.com/images/kitchen-remodel/demo/kr-tile-2-640.jpg

http://sawsndust.com/images/kitchen-remodel/demo/kr-tile-1-640.jpg

[Mike Johnson - Chicago]

Thanks for the replys...

I'm still looking for the "best" supplier for my needs!

Vermontsoapstone told me that they are only custom fabricators, not material supplier.

Dave, I fuond the folks you provided the link for @ http://www.alberenesoapstone.com
Must be the new URL :)

I've actually sent them an inquiry already toady! Now just waiting for a quote from them as I type..

[Mike Johnson - Chicago]

WOW! That's nice looking Jim....I hope ours turns out half as nice :)

[Jamie Buxton]

Jim ---

I've always wondered about soapstone for counters. I've played with little pieces of the stuff, and it was soft enough to scratch with my thumbnail. It seems to me that if it were used in my kitchen, it would fairly rapidly show scrapes and dings from pots being dragged across it, or knives run into it, or all the other usual kitchen abuses.

What's your experience with your counters over the years?

Jamie

[Jim Becker]

Yes, soapstone will ding from time to time...it's called "patina". ;) You either love it or hate it. We love it as it gives a warmer feeling to our kitchen and is right in line with the "modern historic country" atmosphere of our home. But you know what...it doesn't stain like granite and doesn't need to be sealed. A little mineral oil once in awhile dresses it up and a little 220 sandpaper on the edges of a bad ding first is all you need to do to maintain it. We NEVER cut on it, however, and even the harder materials specifically come with the recommendation not to cut on them, too. Yes, you can scratch granite really easy, too, if you "do it just right"!

[David Fried]

Here's another one: www.soapstone-co.com