For several reasons, soapstone has something of a cult following in the interior design community. There are plenty of devotees, like Martha Stewart, who have sung the praises of soapstone, but there are still some factors that need to be considered to determine if it is right for your home. Today for Good to Know, we’re going to talk through the pros and cons of soapstone, and the biggest question that we get, about oiling your soapstone countertops.

First off, let’s talk about what soapstone is. Soapstone is a beautiful, naturally quarried material that comes in a variety of shades between light gray and darker black, with some having green and blue undertones. The stone is metamorphic, like marble, and comes from magnesium rich mineral talc. The high talc content in the stone is what provides the “soapy” feeling, which is where the name comes from!

POSITIVES

There is so much to love about soapstone, and the benefits are truly amazing.

1. It’s incredibly heat resistant, so much so that you can place pots and pans directly from the stove or oven on your countertops without causing damage. This heat resistant quality also makes soapstone ideal for use outside of countertops, like fireplaces.

2. Soapstone doesn’t react to acid. You can spill lemon juice, or other acidic liquids on it without a problem. For this reason, soapstone is often the material of choice for science labs.

3. In addition to not reacting to acid, soapstone is bacteria resistant, so harsh cleaners are not needed.

4. This material is non-porous, so it does not need to be stained, sealed, or protected. Because of its non-porous nature, it also does not stain from food, or food dye!

5. It is very versatile. With the number of shades that are available, it is possible to find soapstone that will work with a wide variety of kitchen and home styles.

6. Any scratches and nicks that do occur can generally be removed with sandpaper. If you do end up going with soapstone, keep a worn piece of sandpaper under the sink. Make sure it’s not a brand new piece, as the worn ones are more gentle on the stone.

7. The wear on the soapstone builds into a lovely patina over time, and truly, the stone improves with age. No patina is ever exactly the same as another, but it can often make the stone look antique.

8. Overall, the stone is generally very low maintenance, and is durable and hardworking.

POTENTIAL DRAWBACKS

As amazing as soapstone is, there are a few things that need to be considered before you commit to it.

1. One of the biggest drawbacks to soapstone is that is is very soft. Scratches and nicks can happen easily, and the stone needs to be treated tenderly. Luckily, most scratches can be sanded away easily, but always make sure to use a cutting board. Overall, it has a tendency to dent rather than chip or crack.

2. It can be difficult to find in longer lengths, so if your countertop is longer than 7 feet, it will likely have a seam. The seam itself can be made to be fairly unobtrusive, but if that’s a dealbreaker for you, it would be best to choose a different countertop material.

3. As far as cost goes, soapstone is generally less expensive than marble, but more expensive than granite or engineered stone. Typically, soapstone will cost between $75 and $150 per square foot, installed.

4. As soapstone ages, the stone will darken. Some people choose to treat their soapstone with mineral oil, which helps make sure that the wear on the stone is more even. Without oiling, the wear on the stone will be uneven, and the stone will darken more quickly in the areas that get the most wear. This stone is ever evolving, so if you want your countertops to always be a uniform color, soapstone is not the material for you. If you do want to oil your soapstone, it’s up to you on how often you’d like to undertake that process. Generally, people who oil do so every few months for the first year, and then once a year after that. However, it all depends on how dark you’d like your soapstone to be, and how often you’re willing to oil it.

TO OIL OR NOT TO OIL

Let’s talk a little more about the question of oiling your soapstone. There are lots of sources online for the benefits of oiling, but not a lot of discussion about people who choose not to oil. For me, I am choosing not to oil my countertops, and I have been really happy with them so far. However, there are a few things to consider before you to decide whether or not you’d like to oil your soapstone. Keep in mind that this is all a matter of preference, and that oiling the counter does not protect the stone in any way, as soapstone does not need protecting.

The sole purpose of oiling your stone is to achieve a more uniform color, and to make sure that the color darkens more uniformly over time. The mineral oil that is used helps oxidize the stone, which enhances its natural aging process. Without oiling, the stone will still darken over time, but the most high-traffic areas will darken more quickly than other areas.

In addition to darkening unevenly over time, temporary oils, like those from hands or stray oil drips, will show up more prominently. These oils will oxidize and fade over time, but in general, spills show up more noticeably on un-oiled surfaces.

If you dislike the patina of the stone, or if you don’t want your countertops to change color, you’ll definitely want to oil your countertops, or choose a different stone. An un-oiled counter will change more dramatically than an oiled one, so you really need to like the patina before you commit to not oiling.

Ultimately, oiling is 100% a matter of preference. No two slabs of soapstone will darken and age the same way, and the natural shade of soapstone is beautiful when left as is. If color variation is going to be a big deal, definitely oil it. I have been very happy with my soapstone countertops so far, but if scratches and dings will bother you over time, I don’t advise soapstone for you. The benefits of soapstone are pretty great, but you just need to make sure that it’s the right fit for your family and home.

Sources for this blog post were gathered from Marianne Brown, Remodelista, Vermont Soap Stone, Marble and Granite, Keystone Granite.