Soapstone and Silestone are not the same: Silestone is an engineered stone, while soapstone is a quarried stone. Because Soapstone is a natural stone, it displays pleasing variations in veining and color, while Silestone offers consistent coloring and patterning thanks to the manufacturing techniques used to create it.
The variety- Soapstone is a natural occuring stone. As such, it is only available in shades of light grey, soft white and deep charcoal. Most soapstone countertops exhibit gentle veining, with some having hues of green, blue or Perl.
The term “engineered stone” refers to a composite slab of stone that is generally made from around 90% crushed quartz and which is bound together using a polymer resin. The extra 10% is generally made up of extra materials like metals, mirrors, shells, or coloured glass which are added in for aesthetic reasons.
Soapstone counters can scratch easily, and they require routine oiling to maintain their appearance. They also come in limited color options and are more expensive than other countertop materials.
Fabricating Soapstone
Soapstone is a less complex material to work with for fabricators. Because the rock is softer than other natural stone surfacing materials, fabrication is faster, takes less labor and does not require the same high-powered cutting tools used for harder materials such as granite or quartz.
Soapstone is both chemical resistant and heat resistant, so you can set hot pots and pans directly on soapstone without risk of cracking or scorching. Soapstone is much softer and more prone to scratching than granite or quartz however, so preparing food directly on your soapstone counters could easily scratch it.
Soapstone countertops generally cost between $55 to $100 per square foot, depending on what you pick. The installation cost of soapstone can run between $50 and $65 per square foot, which could nearly double the cost of the project.
Talc and soapstone may contain asbestos. In a longitudinal study in Germany samples of materials used have been taken over a periode of 10 years. Only very small quantities of asbestos have been detected.
Soapstone is a rare stone. This makes it relatively more expensive compared to man-made countertop materials. The average cost of soapstone countertops ranges between $70 to $120 per square foot, excluding installation.
Answer and Explanation: Soapstone does not emit radon. This make it desirable as a building material for homes because it does not release a toxic gas into the living environment of human beings. It is advantageous in that regard to granite which does emit radon.
Some of the most popular engineered stone products include silestone, caesarstone, smartstone and essastone. Now that you know what engineered stone is, let's look at a few advantages of using the material for your countertops.
Corian is classified as a reconstituted solid surface material, composed mainly of bauxite minerals, while Caesarstone is classified in the re-engineered stone category, composed mainly of quartz.
Engineered stone is a manufactured material commonly used for kitchen benchtops that contains high levels of silica crystals. It is significantly cheaper than materials like marble. When the stone is cut, it can produce dust with those crystals which can cause the deadly lung disease silicosis.
Effects of overexposure Exposure to soapstone may cause scarring of the lungs. Shortness of breath, cough, enlargement of the ends of the fingers and heart failure may occur with this condition. Workers exposed to soapstone have been found to have an increased amount of cancer of the lungs and pleura.
Once mineral oil is applied, the stone will turn into a very dark charcoal gray, sometimes black. Some stone varieties contain a hint of green and when oil is applied turn a rich deep green color. The oil is not sealing or protecting the stone, it is only “speeding up” the natural darkening process.
Quartz Countertops are your most durable option for New Stone Countertops. Scratch-Resistant, Chip Resistant, and Stain Resistant without ever having to Seal your Countertops.
Soapstone in general has a ranking between 1 and 5. Most soapstone counters rank between 2.5-3.5 depending on talc content, with a similar hardness to marble countertops. Quartz counters, comparatively, have a Mohs ranking of 7.
Soapstone is on the high end of countertop materials and is significantly more expensive than granite and on par with quartz for the most part (the high end of the range for soapstone is more expensive than quartz).
Large intricately carved pieces of Chinese soapstone (depictions of mountains, villages and the like) can bring serious money, but smaller pieces such as this one are much more common and less expensive.
Despite their name you can use soapstone whiskey stones in scotch, wine, beer, martinis, water, coke, or any other drink you want to keep cold without watering it down. Soapstone Werks has many things to offer. There is so much you can do with soapstone because of soapstone's unique properties.
It has been reported that roughly 40 to 50 percent of the soapstone contains some asbestos. The only way to know for sure is to have the stone tested by a laboratory.
Soapstone is dense, without pores, does not stain, and repels water.
Hardness: Granite is hard and able to stand up to a great deal of wear and tear. This makes it an excellent choice for high-traffic kitchen countertops, bathrooms and other frequently used areas. Soapstone, on the other hand, is much softer and will show scratches, chips and gouges more easily.
Soapstone is a little more expensive than granite, although not by much. The prices can be comparable, depending on the stone. A high-end soapstone may be very expensive but also improves property values significantly.
Low maintenance: Soapstone is relatively low maintenance and does not require regular sealing or special cleaners. Heat resistance: Soapstone is highly heat resistant, making it ideal for placing hot pots and pans directly on the surface.