A couple of things to get straight here. Hardness and needing to be sealed are two different things. A stone can be very hard and still be porous and absorb stains. On the other hand soapstone is not absorbent, does not really stain as far as I have heard, but can be very soft. Those are two separate things. As far as I know, all granites are pretty hard. They don't scratch easily or dent. Soapstone does. Granites CAN be porous and need sealing, although some don't. Soapstone is not porous so does not need sealing, but does need oiling to keep its darkness. I know someone here I read does theirs monthly. If you like it a light gray color and not black you don't have to oil it at all. Anyway, Soapstone is better for you I guess if you don't want to bother finding a granite that doesn't need to be sealed, but it will certainly scratch, dent, etc, more easily than granite. Many soapstone owners here keep sandpaper in the kitchen to go over them with.
You don't have to worry about damaging the sealer on granite. If you use something that removes it, however, you just spray it on again and wipe off the excess after it is absorbed.
I have been over to findstone and understand your fear of granite. My goodness. A lot of fraud going on with black granites, isn't there?

You will find people who have had problems with Soapstone here as well. Unfortunately, there is no substitute for educating yourself and using reputable companies.

You are right, though, there IS less variability with Soapstone. Just please don't think it is harder than granite.

green vyara granite. It requires no sealing and no maintenance beyond the routine cleaning any kitchen countertop requires. The granite has been in use for over 4 years.

Blue Pearl also requires no sealing and no maintenance.

Green Iguana granite in kitchen doesn't need sealing. Fashion green in bathroom same thing.

When I was shopping I found a number of different stones that didn't seem to need sealing, in all different colors and range from dark to light.

If you like the look of granite it's no hassle at all to find one that will work for you.

The easiest way to know if a "granite" needs to be sealed or not is to take a sopping wet sponge to the unsealed stone and place it on the stone for a couple of minutes. Then pick it up. and if the stone is darker under where the sponge was, you need to seal it. (after it dries back out, of course! :-) )

Thanks for the comments.

Sue, I obviously misspoke. I do understand that soapstone is a softer stone and that granite is harder. I should have referred to "porous and non-porous" instead. In truth, besides the beautiful look of soapstone, the thing that most appealed to me about it is that it is not porous. The softness of the stone is a concern, however, as I have a developmentally disabled child who tends to be rather careless and would probably do some damage to a soft stone. (I have requested a sample and will experiment on it myself when it arrives.) Thanks, though, for making sure to clear up the differences between soapstone and granite.

I am in the early stages of planning/decision-making, so I'm interested in what's available in granite. I think, from what I understand so far, I would prefer a non-porous stone that does not require sealing. My reasoning is that then I would only be maintaining the stone and not the stone AND the sealant. I tend to use a bleach/water mixture or vinegar/alcohol/water mixture to clean and sanitize my counters, and it's my understanding that would damage the sealant. Is that true?

Thanks to all of you that responded with the names of granites that don't have to be sealed. Do you think the granite that isn't sealed is a little less shiny than the ones that are sealed? I'm having a little trouble adjusting to the super shiny look, which has also made me less interested in the engineered stone/quartz.

Thanks, Bill, for the tip about the wet sponge. That would help to rule in or rule out a stone immediately, rather than taking a bunch of samples home to test. Of course, once I got serious about a selection, I would certainly ask for a small sample to do the lemon juice test on, as well.

I think, after reading some of the information on the Findstone site I have become more afraid of granite. When reading there, it sounds like there are more so-called granites that are NOT suitable for kitchen counters than there are ones that will work well. I don't mind having some upkeep, but I do want to know exactly what I'm getting into before making my choice.

Many granites now come resined...which means that no sealing is required..as the resin protects the stone.

We have Bianco Romano..esentially a white granite..traditionally the type where staining would normally be an issue..that is resined..for over a year now...and litterally NOTHING stains it at all...everything wipes up in a nanosecond.

One thing I learned from Findstone- test absorbency with oil as well as water. I have a Kashmir white sample that passed the water and lemon test but failed miserably when I put oil on it. Bianco Romano might be a suitable replacement if I can't get my first choice and the Kashmir isn't appropriate. Anyone know how much sealer helps with the oil absorption?
By the way, the soapstoners can elaborate, but you probably already know, some soapstones are harder than others and might not be as much of a problem for you.

Sue

I'm curious about folks with brushed Cambrian Black. My fabricator has said that it would be sealed. However, I'm pretty sure that on findstone, I read that it should NOT be sealed. Any input there?

It is also my understanding that you have to be more careful about what you clean with on granite. I, too, use vinegar almost exclusively in cleaning around my house so that's an issue for me. I want something easy in a spray bottle with some disinfecting properties but don't want to worry about taking off the sealer.

I'm chewing on the soapstone idea myself right now too.

Logic, What's the difference between resined and sealed countertops? Are there things you have to be careful not to do on your countertops that might hurt the resin or wear some of it off? Also, have you had some things spilled on your counter that you weren't aware of until later? Even after sitting on the counters for a while, did they clean off easily?

Sue, Thanks for the warning about the oil. If I would end up wanting to choose granite, I'm sure I would want to test a sample thoroughly with all sorts of substances. I don't want to find out AFTER it's been installed that something's a problem. Yeah, I'm waiting on a soapstone sample that is supposed to be one of the harder stones.

Canuck, Soap and water probably is good enough. I try not to use too many antibacterial products around my home for cleaning, as I think it may be overkill. However, when I am handling raw meat/poultry/fish, I want to do a more thorough cleaning. Although I don't place those items directly on the counter, it seems like there is always a little to clean up. To be safe, I like to clean off the entire area with something that will definitely disinfect the counter before I cross-contaminate salad or other raw fruits/produce. In addition, I have cats who are NOT ALLOWED on my counters. Realistically, I know they get up there when I'm not around to enforce that rule. I want to be sure to clean up all of my counters well before beginning preparation of food---vinegar works very well for those instances. Just spray some over the counter, let it sit for a while, and then wipe off. (That, incidentally, may be a downside to soapstone, as I'm assuming doing that would wear off the effects of oiling and require more frequent oiling.)

I know there are trade-offs with each counter material. I'm just trying to learn as much as I can about each of them and then make the best choice. Honestly, the laminate (Formica) counter I have in my kitchen right now has held up beautifully to all kinds of abuse for fifteen years. I could see myself being content with the same thing again, except for (1) resale value; and (2) my desire to have an undermount sink installed.

That is so funny because I've had a hideous teal Formica for the past 5 years and, honestly, though it's cheap and ugly looking to me, it has held up just fine...even to my occasional cutting right on it, cleaning with whatever, even doing an iron-on t-shirt on it (with a towel underneath). Part of me just thinks I should get the stinking Formica and save the money! But like you, I want an undermount sink, a "fancier" finish and I don't care for the look.

On cleaning, I definitely like to disinfect the countertop after meat prep and also have cats who I'm sure sneak up there. Vinegar has pretty good antibacterial properties. And I can put it in a spray bottle which makes it easy (no mess of cleaning up soapy water). Not to mention, it's CHEAP!

Yes, Bungalowdawn. My sentiments exactly. I don't even think my counter tops look bad. I'm ready for a change, but they really do look okay. I've also seen some nicer edges done with laminate that I would investigated doing. If it weren't for resale concerns and the irresistable lure of the undermount sink, I would be checking out laminate samples right now. They have some very nice looking stuff out there. It's not that I don't think I would appreciate the looks of a nice granite or soapstone, it's just that the easy use and maintenance of laminate is hard to beat. Plus, when you buy a brand name laminate (like Formica or Wilsonart), you know exactly what you're getting. With the stones, it seems like there are so many "buyer beware" warnings about making sure you really get what you want, that it's installed properly, that your materials provider, fabricator, and installer all are being truthful with you and know what they're doing.

I'd be interested in hearing some more about un-oiled soapstone turning light gray. This is new. So far all the posts on soapstone seem to be about keeping them as oiled and black as possible.

I want a light colored countertop, and am interested in grays. Is soapstone pretty only when it's oiled, or is the un-oiled a different look, but also attractive in its own way? Once it is light gray does it stay consistent in its coloring, or does it keep changing? Anyone have pictures?

BTW, I have Formica that is almost 40 years old, that I have not been particularly careful with, and it is in perfect condition, except that it's Harvest Gold - goes quite well with my Avocado Green appliances & sink. :-) Now you know why I need a new kitchen.

Helou,

If you look on the Creative Soapstone Website under The Stone, you'll find lots of answers. I included a link to the frequently asked questions section.

Here is a link that might be useful: Frequently Asked Questions

I have several soapstone samples from Joshua and Mimi at Creative Soapstone. One of my favorites is the Julia sample which is a harder stone. It has some crystal like inclusions and mottling. I've abused, oiled, scratched, and sanded my samples. What I love about the Julia is how it looks after the oil has worn down. I described it once as a favorite pair of washed demin jeans. Think of an old pair of used to be black but now is a soft grayish stonewashed color. It may be what I go with ... my remodel is this summer. CAN"T WAIT!!!!!

Any oil staining can be removed with a steam/vapor cleaner. I have slate in my kitchen and have a problem with oil staining.

The steam cleaner I am referring to is not a vacuum cleaner. It turns water in to 300 degree steam that shoots out at 75 PSI.