Soapstone is typically gray, bluish, green, or brown in color, often variegated. Its name is derived from its "soapy" feel and softness. The name "soapstone" is often used in other ways. Miners and drillers use the name for any soft rock that is soapy or slippery to the touch.
Scratch the surface of the stone with your fingernail. Soapstone is very soft; it is assigned a rating of 2 on the Mohs Hardness Scale. This means that simply by drawing your fingernail across the surface of the stone you should be able to mark 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. However, quartz countertops are available in a variety of colours.
Soapstone costs roughly $70 to $120 per square foot installed, making it pricier than many other natural stone countertop materials. Also a high-quality natural stone, granite will not cost you as much soapstone. The material typically costs in the range of $40 to $100 per square foot installed.
Soapstone is used for sculpture, tile, and kitchen countertops, sinks, wall tile and even for woodstoves and fireplaces.
Soapstone is found in the Appalachian range from Maine to Georgia with significant deposits in Vermont and Virginia. Finland and Brazil are the largest international producers of soapstone.
Soapstone when first mined is typically bluish/gray.
Believe it or not, bleach will not harm it either. However, Bleach is not needed, since the soapstone's natural high density will not harbor bacteria of any kind. Simple soapstone and water or vinegar and water. Will work wonderfully well and clean any surface bacteria just as well as bleach or harsh cleaners.
Maintenance: Soapstone doesn't stain, although it will naturally darken with use. Since soapstone is inert and non-porous, it doesn't need to be sealed, although it's sometimes treated with mineral oil to achieve a dark, even appearance.
Soapstone, being softer than granite and marble, is also more prone to scratches. The great advantage is that any scratches can be easily removed with a light sanding and/or mineral oil. Light scratches can be hidden by lightly applying some mineral oil.
Unlike other mineral stones, soapstone comes in limited color options. Its typical color options are green, black, white, bluish gray, and gray.
Natural soapstone colors come in a selection of hues. Typically, the color options range from a palette gray, green, black, or blue-ish gray. Additionally, there some options may have swirls of quartz and white.
Origin: Soapstone is a natural stone, like granite, that is quarried. It's composed mostly of mineral talc, which makes it quite soft, but soapstone used for countertops typically has higher percentages of quartz in it, which makes it harder and more suitable as a kitchen surface.
Visible seams: Since slate slabs are smaller than other natural stone materials, you're more likely to see seams on your countertops. Brittle: Compared to other stones, slate is much more vulnerable to chipping and cracking.
If they are soapstone they will be made up of slabs so the inside corners will be square. If they look like they are all one piece with rounded inside corners they are most likely concrete. Some concrete scratches fairly easily.
Because it requires no sealing, soapstone is relatively low-maintenance. With minimum care, your new countertop can retain its good looks for many years. Enhance your counter's natural darkening progression by applying mineral oil to the surface every week or two and rubbing it in thoroughly.
The most common size of a soapstone slab is approx 70” x 118” and 3cm (1-1/4” thick).
We have soapstone and here's the scoop: First, soapstone is non-porous and thus, cannot stain. Oil will temporarily darken the stone, but it will not permanently stain it. If you get a bit of oil on it, just wipe it up with a soapy sponge.
Stains are easily cleaned by scrubbing or even sanding the stains away. However soapstone is a very soft stone and is prone to scratches. Minor scratches are easily repaired with an FDA approved food grade mineral oil or enhancer.
Most stone dealers are aware of this problem, and only carry stone that is known to be asbestos-free. Some soapstone contains silica, which can cause silicosis when inhaled. This should likewise be avoided, but is not as serious a hazard as asbestos.
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 (Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Subject, Tone) is an acronym for a series of questions that students must first ask themselves, and then answer, as they begin to plan their compositions.
The name soapstone is derived from its “soapy” feel that is soft to the touch caused by the talc in the stone which exudes a sensation similar to that of a dry bar of soap. The talc content in architectural soapstone generally ranges from 50 to 75 percent, making it soft and smooth.