Dan DiTomaso

Soapstone Countertop Care

Caring for Soapstone is the number one question we get when people are shopping for Soapstone countertops. It is the most feared and misunderstood aspect but there is plenty of information available and you can always ask for a sample and "work it" in your kitchen to see just what it takes to scratch, oil or sand it for yoru self.

Soapstone Care

How to care for soapstone is the number one question people ask when they are considering a soapstone counter top or sink. Soap stone is soft and can scratch but the good news is that you can easily sand scratches out with common sandpaper. Start with a low grit (100) and move up to a (200) and finally with a 400 grit paper, small circular motions will get the best results. Once you are satisfied that you have removed all the scratches apply a light coat of mineral oil. Your sink or top will look brand new.

When you first get your soap stone installed, it will arrive un-oiled. This is intentional so that epoxy used to create seams will have proper adhesion. Your soap stone will require multiple coats to maintain that dark "wet look". Within a week of the first coat the oil will have soaked into the stone enough that it will appear to dry out, the second coat will typically maintain the wet look for a month before it starts to appear to dry out, after that the frequency of coating with mineral oil will be months or years before the surface starts to look dry. How much you use your counters and what you clean them with will affect the frequency of oil as much as how "wet" you desire the surface to appear.

Most people who buy soap stone are selecting it because they desire a weathered or aged look. The worn rustic look of years of use is exactly what they are trying to achieve. If this is the look you are after, soap stone is a good material choice for you. If you are looking for a perpetually new and shiny look perhaps Soapstone is the wrong material choice for your project. Soapstone slabs, soapstone sinks and installed job photos are on our website to read about and look at the many design options and see how other people  have used soapstone to warm up their kitchens.

A relatively new product designed to make soapstone maintenance easier is “Drywax” It is compatible with mineral oil so if you already have a soapstone counter that has been oiled previously you can apply this on top of your existing treatment. It is safe to use and needs to be applied much less frequently than mineral oil.

One such company to get dry wax from is Dorado Soapstone. They have fabricators and dealers all over the USA and can ship drywax to you. Their website is http://www.doradosoapstone.com/ you can contact them directly for this and other useful research information if you are just starting out deciding if you might want soapstone countertops or sinks for your home.

Dan DiTomaso Stone Masters inc 515 School House Road Kennett Square PA 19348 http://www.stonemastersinc.net/

Article Tags: Soap Stone

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