Great question, it really depends, if you always want the counter to look 'perfect' then no, but I quite like the imperfections, after a year or so we found it took on a lovely patina. In terms of maintenance, we just rubbed it down with mineral oil every few weeks, it was a simple process, just use an old rag and leave it over night and remove any excess in the AM. The counter will absorb the mineral oil and darken up a bit until it dries up. I look at Soapstone as a 'living surface' yes, it takes a little more care but they just look so beautiful. Good luck

We have had soapstone for about 10 years. Fantastic. We tested it with enchilada sauce and anything else our kids would spill. It is what they make chem lab counters out of. They will get some mineral deposits over the years by faucets. We love the texture of the natural stone. You can seal it but we prefer it the way it is.