Soapstone is one of the go-to choice when you want an affordable alternative to a natural stone countertop. Nevertheless, it has been used for ages as a good material for countertops because of its milky beauty and charm.
If you are looking for the best Soapstone countertops in the market, precision stone designs can be your best choice. We provide tons of various designs and quality of affordable soapstone countertops.
For you to get to know more about this natural stone, keep reading until the last section of our article. You need to weigh these details first before making a decision of installing soapstone countertops in your kitchen and bathroom.
What is Soapstone Countertops
Similar to granite, it is a stone naturally quarried in mines and it also called steatite. Before, this material was commonly used by sculptors because of its naturally soft composition. This softness is due to the presence of talc.
However, today, manufactured soapstone countertops have similar hardness with marble and can be harder due to the incorporation of quartz. With this, it can effectively withstand the harsh conditions of a kitchen countertop.
The best feature about this mineral is its natural milky warmth which adds beauty to all types of kitchen remodeling.
Soapstone Countertops pros and cons
Moving forward, let us uncover the pros and cons of this mineral, for you to have a better grip about it before installing soapstone countertops.
Pros of Soapstone Countertops
- Natural Warm Beauty – This natural stone usually comes in dark gray to black color. Most home remodelers are captivated with its warm and milky design that is versatile to complement classic to modern kitchens. Moreover, there are natural veinings to enjoy that is not present in synthetic stones.
- Heat Resistance – Like granite, this mineral has excellent heat resistance, thus, used in fireplaces. When installing soapstone countertops in your kitchen, there will be no frets on hot pans burning your countertop.
- Antibacterial traits – Despite its natural softness, it has an impeccable non-porous trait which greatly contributes to its antibacterial and anti stain abilities.
- Natural Patina – One of the unique traits of soapstone is its ability to naturally build-up patina over its surface. This is due to the natural oxidation of its mineral, resulting in a gradual darkening of the surfaces. You just have to regularly oil its surface to further enhance its patina.
- Low Cleaning Requirements – Aside from its natural warmth and patina, it is hassle-free to clean soapstone countertops. You can easily clean it with a mild dish soap solution, water, and soft cloth.
Cons Soapstone Countertops
- Low resistance against chips, dents, and cuts
- Most soapstone countertops comes in shorter length, so you would expect seams to be visible when you need a longer length.
- It is slightly pricey
- You need to periodically oil its surface to hasten its patina growth
Soapstone Countertops Colors
This natural stone usually comes in white, gray, dark gray, and black color. Some of its slabs have specks of other colors and meanings which adds natural beauty. Likewise, there are other soapstone countertops which comes in blue and green color.
The choice of color for installing soapstone countertops ultimately depends on the existing design of your kitchen. You can always call us and ask our professional designers to give you tons of options for this matter.
Black Soapstone Countertops
Black soapstone countertops is a great choice when you want a dramatic and great depth feeling in your kitchen countertops. The subtle elegance of this color makes it versatile for classic and contemporary kitchen.
You can install black soapstone on your backsplash, waterfall, island countertop, walls, and floors. If this is your choice, it will create a strong contrast with the bright-colored appliances and fixtures inside your kitchen.
White Soapstone Countertops
White soapstone countertops is one of the common color tones available for this natural stone. Grabbing this color is a good idea considering soapstone will gradually develop that natural patina over time.
A white soapstone countertop is best for modern kitchens. It exemplifies elegance, sleekness, and purity in your kitchen. Moreover, it gives a solid contrast when you have dark-colored furniture and kitchen appliances.
Soapstone Countertops Maintenance
The main maintenance regimen for soapstone countertops is its regular oiling. It greatly helps in the development of its dramatic patina over time. You can do this weekly or twice a week.
The application of oil will help develop a balanced patina over its surface. It takes around seven to nine months until your soapstone countertops develops its full-patina color.
With regards to other maintenance, there will be less because this stone is naturally non-porous. Hence, it has a good antibacterial function as your kitchen countertop.
Soapstone vs Quartz countertops
Now, let us try to compare soapstone from quartz which is one of the best players for countertops. Our comparison will cover durability, heat resistance, color and design, antibacterial and anti-stain abilities, and price.
Durability
Technically, quartz wins over this category considering it has greater quartz component than soapstone. However, soapstone countertops have greatly improved its hardness when quartz contents were added into its material make-up.
The talc component of soapstone contributes greatly to its softness. Nevertheless, this natural stone today has already been re-engineered to become viable as kitchen countertops.
Heat Resistance
Soapstone has higher heat resistance compared to quartz. The latter must not come in contact with hot pans as it can lead to burnt, dark spots on its surface. Then again, as much as possible, do not place hot items on top of soapstone countertops as often without any placemats to protect the countertop.
Color and Design
Quartz has more options when it comes to color and design compared to soapstone. Mainly, because quartz is man made so manufacturers can readily change the design and color at the final part of the production process.
For soapstone, there are limited options, that is, white, gray, dark gray to black soapstone.
AntiBacterial and Anti-Stain
Both minerals have excellent non-porous abilities, which contributes to its antibacterial and anti-stain features. They do not allow water and other debris to get through its mineral pores which allows the growth of bacteria and molds inside.
Price
Unlike quartz and granite, installing soapstone countertops is more affordable. The first two minerals are of greater price because of their better advantage in almost all aspects, particularly for design and increase in resale value.
Soapstone Countertops Cost
The price of most soapstone countertops varies depending on different factors such as supplier, quality, thickness, design, and size. Nevertheless, the average soapstone countertops cost of this mineral is between $70 to $120 per square foot. If you plan to have a 10-square foot soapstone countertop, cost is expected to be $700 to $1200.
If you want an affordable soapstone countertops, you can simply contact us anytime for free quotations and professional installation of your soapstone countertops.
Soapstone Outdoor Countertops
With the excellent thermal capabilities of soapstone, you can definitely have this one for your outdoor countertops. First off, soapstone can effectively tackle cold and warm conditions, thus, weather, summer or winter, it can withstand those conditions.
Second feature, it has impeccable non-porous trait which protects itself from rain and moisture. There will be zero problem regarding molds and bacterial growth because of its non-porous trait.
Moreover, you can use this as your outdoor floor because it has a matte texture, thus, there will be reduced risk of slipping. Overall, these are the features making it ideal for outdoor applications and countertops.
How to Care of Soapstone Countertops
If you are looking for a stone that requires less cleaning and maintenance, soapstone can be a good choice. You can readily clean its surface using mild dish soap, lukewarm water, and non-abrasive cloth.
Likewise, soapstone can fairly resist reactions with acidic and basic liquids. Then again, we recommend you to shy away from these liquids to effectively maintain its optimal condition and beauty.
Precision Stone Designs has been one of the leading providers of affordable and high-quality stones for countertops and remodeling. For free consultations and quotations, simply contact us anytime and we will give timely feedback on your concern. Feel free to visit us on Linkedin!
