SOAPSTONE COUNTERTOPS - MY OTHER FAV ALTERNATIVE TO MARBLE

I am constantly thinking of countertops. It's sad, I know. But I worry a lot about countertops. This is because of the many requests for a more durable alternative to marble countertops, or rather a prettier alternative to your basic granite countertop. I've already posted about my love for marble countertops and some alternatives here, but I have a new one to add...SOAPSTONE.

This material is really gorgeous. I think this slab with the ogee edge is my personal favorite I've seen.

Soapstone comes from Brazil, as do many of my favorite countertop surfaces. Soapstone is also known as Steatite. It's a non-porous surface that doesn't need to be sealed, but you should oil it with mineral oil to keep the nice dark black color. Oiling the soapstone also helps if your countertop gets scratched. You can oil your countertop as little or as much as you want. *Be careful when choosing your slabs - some soapstones have a little green in them so make sure you choose wisely :)

Soapstone is very durable and extremely heat resistant. In fact pizza ovens are made with soapstone! So go ahead and take that boiling pot of water and set it on your countertop.

Soapstone is priced similarly to man-made quartzites like Caesarstone or nicer granites. That would make soapstone less expensive than a lot of marbles.

Here's what I personally love about soapstone. 1) It is a nice clean surface. 2) It is a non-porous surface 3) It varies from slab to slab and some types of soapstone can even look a little like marble 4) It's more affordable than some of my other favorite countertops and 5) It's a classic countertop that will outlast the trends.

For more information about soapstone I found this website to be very helpful.

And now for my favorite pics of soapstone countertops!

soapstone backsplash

soapstone in the bathroom - love the gray color!

*If any of you have soapstone countertops or has any advice for those wanting to put soapstone in their homes I would love to hear from you! I've never used soapstone in my own home or in a project yet so I'm really curious to hear reviews. Thanks for your comments!