We chose soapstone with similar gold flecks in it. I always thought it was pyrite. We don’t have those counters anymore. Ours were really soft. I could scratch them with a fingernail. The guys at the quarry (Alberene) did warn me that those slabs were not good for counters because they were so soft but I did it anyway. They were meant to be used architecturally. Anyway, I would just check to make sure they are hard enough for counters. I loved my gold flecks!

I love it Especially with wood toned cabinets.

IN this time where everyone is now doing gold toned stuff in the kitchen it IMO would be perfect .

Mica flecks are lovely in a counter - they are frequently seen in granites, and beautify them. The issue with mica is that it flakes. If just a few bits of mica in your counter for the lovely glitter/glow effect, that is no problem. But if there is a lot of mica, or a vein of mica, you will get flaking and roughness in those spots. It's not the end of the world, but it is an irritation when your sponge catches on them. You have to decide whether you love the appearance of the mica more than you will be irritated by some rough spots in your counter.

As to soapstone's softness, it would be ignorant to paint all soapstones with the same brush. Some soapstones are harder and some are quite soft. It depends on the talc content. A number of regulars on this forum have the harder varieties of soapstone, and they will not scratch easily, though they can scratch. You need to see the soapstone in person, and try scratching it with your fingernail, and with a penny, and see whether it scratches or not. If your stoneyard is knowledgeable about soapstone they will be able to give you guidance on which of their slabs is a softer variety or not. And many people get a softer variety anyway because it looks so beautiful.

I really think the Alberene quarry told me it was pyrite, not mica. My gold marks looked exactly like the photo and never chipped or created rough areas. I got the slabs because I was so in love with the gold even though they were not really intended for counters due to their softness. I would 100% do soapstone again. I would just make sure I got one of the harder varieties or at least a type suitable for countertops. I say go for it!!!

Thanks for all the comments - I will have to go back and look at it again. I did do a fingernail test, and it seemed like it scratched but then buffed out by rubbing my finger on it. I bet it is pyrite instead of mica.

Mine has tiny gold flecks in the large vein. It’s PA soapstone.

Soapstone is even softer than marble. So, if you install them be prepared for scratches and small chips.

OMG, really @Norwood Architects? Coming up on 2024, and you’re still spoutimg uninformed, incorrect nonsense about soapstone?

Soapstone is available in many varieties, and hardnessess. The softest can be scratched with a fingernail. Some will need to be scraped with a coin, or the underside of a plate. Then, there’s my soapstone, Belvedere, just about the hardest soapstone there is. It took DH dragging a cast iron pan across it, to show scratching, (next to the rangetop). Those scratches were easily buffed out. I challenge you to find them.

As for chipping…after nearly 8 years, the only (small) chips I have, are at the sink edge…again, done by a cast iron pan, during cleanup. Guess what? The same thing happened to friends with granite and resin filled quartz. The difference being, i was able to take a black Sharpie marker to fill in the chips, and no one’s the wiser.

The key to selecting soapstone that won’t easily scratch or chip, is to test samples. And, to purchase from a reputable soapstone dealer, like M. Teixeira and Vermont Soapstone…not a generic stoneyard, where soapstone is an afterthought.

Soapstone is a fabulous countertop material. It cannot be stained, and will not etch. It never needs to be sealed. Nor does it need to be oiled, as so many think. Soapstone is also anti-microbial. Cleanup is a breeze…just dish soap and water suffices. Additionally, soapstone is temperature neutral. It can’t be harmed by extreme cold, or extreme heat.

So please, before spewing misinformation, educate yourself. Otherwise, you’re doing a great disservice to the general public.

As we’ve seen many times on this forum, architects are not the people you want to go to for kitchen design. They may be brilliant architects, but kitchens not so much.

And as we've also argued over many times, soapstone is not the be-all-end-all answer for everyone. Every countertop material has pros and cons. It is up to the consumer to make informed choices, which, in the case of soapstone, includes the distinct possibility that it will chip, scratch, and develop a patina that IMO is very unattractive. Yes of course much is predicated on the hardness of the variety of soapstone chosen, but not everyone has access to the same materials or even knows that such differences exist in soapstone. That is the beauty of boards like this -- mentioning the pros and cons, what to look for and what to avoid, and all that.

As most of us with soapstone probably won't have the hardest varieties, it is good to let people know that some scratching and chipping can be expected, it being, as one soapstone afficionado has put it, a "living stone" (translation: "life is going to leave a mark"). It would be dishonest to not do so. For many of us, that's not a big deal, but I've read blogs where some who have had soapstone installed become so distraught with its susceptibility to scratches, chipping, and its generally shifting, varying nature that they have soon had it replaced. Folks wanting and more comfortable with static perfection should probably go for granite, quartz or Taj Mahal instead.

We passed on the harder varieties (Belvedere and Stormy Black) available at M. Teixeira because that wasn't what we liked, nor the look we wanted. (According to the manager at the SF store, those are the two hardest; the other varieties are somewhat less hard but of similar hardness -- none of those can be scratched with just a fingernail, so not really soft.) The Marina we chose can chip and get scratched by metal but, so what? The marks can be minimized and seem to soon fade into a general patina. Its overall character is exactly what we wanted -- love it.

Geez, @porkchop_z5b_MI, where did I say that soapstone was the “be-all-end-all answer for everyone”? You always get so heated and argumentative, whenever the positive qualities of soapstone are mentioned in a thread.

I was correcting misinformation put on this forum by a ”so called” pro. That’s all. That offends you? 🤷🏻‍♀️

X Ray - Any update on your stone search?

Kayla C - Where did you purchase your PA soapstone from? Is PA the stone's full name or is it an acronym? Can you post a photo(s) from further away?

-Laurie

I absolutely love the look of this stone, would love to see the kitchen itself to see if how well it all goes together if you can please post some pictures. Other then that the stone itself I love!

Laurie I got mine from Garden State Soapstone. It is pinheiros altos soapstone, one of the harder varieties. I believe it is similar or the same to what MTex calls stormy black? Mine has not chipped or gotten any deep scratches and we are not easy on it. Here are some additional pictures.

@Kayla C, your soapstone is stunning! Love those veins!

Kayla C -

Absolutely beautiful. Thank you for posting these photos of your PA soapstone. I also appreciate the information about where you purchased it, it's name, hardness, and similarity to M.Tex's Stormy Black. I'm learning more about soapstone every time I read posts on this kitchen forum.

Your grey backsplash subway tiles look great, too. Any Info on those would be nice (including grout color if you know it).

Laurie

Hi Laurie- thank you for the nice words! The tile is Nabi tile in Tundra from tilebar. I love the tile- it can look gray or even blue/green depending on the light. The grout is Bright White.

https://www.tilebar.com/nabi-subway-tundra-gray-3x6-glossy-crackled-glass-tile.html

Kayla C

Thank you for the subway tile and grout info and link! I would definitely like a little hint of blue/green in a grey tile. It's so helpful for you to mention that.

Love seeing you additional photos, too : )

Your soapstone countertop reveals it's unique character as the light reflects on to it at different angles. Very pretty!!

Laurie

Congrats! So glad you found a suitable variety.

Please come back after the soapstone’s installed, and post some pics.

X Ray - Thank you for posting an update and adding the photo : )

Your newly installed soapstone is beautiful. Glad to hear you like the hardness of the slab you found. Sometimes, a 3 hour drive is worth it. What city and state are you in?

Please post a photo(s) when your muted teal backsplash is in. Will it be subway tile?

-Laurie

Gorgeous! Enjoy!

Just beautiful, and so original, too! I love your choices.

X Ray -

Thank you for posting follow-up photos of your muted teal backsplash. Beautiful!! I love muted teal. It looks great with your soapstone.