Ocean Black is probably the same as Marine black, not a true soapstone. Here is some information on the type of stone it likely is : Beautiful, Soapstone-Like Marine Black Phyllite

I am in the middle of a renovation, and I have honed ocean black granite. It is gorgeous. My favorite thing so far in my new kitchen. I am wondering if that is what she saw - ?

Thanks you all! drwass the stone she saw was really pretty. I’m curious if it’s what you have? Any pictures? She’s so concerned about scratching, chipping etc. soapstones ar

Thanks so much for sharing! Gorgeous! Hers looked different I’m thinking. If I can figure how to share I will😂

I recently helped a friend who wanted soapstone though could not afford it. They don't like the fleck and speckle of granite - nor do I. They were pleased to find absolute black granite and have it honed rather than polished. Because it is granite it will not scratch or chip easily. Some slabs they saw had a bit of veining. She could also look at jet mist granite.

Thanks Kendrah. I think she’s looked at available granite slabs here and they all look speckled to her. She really likes some veining and movement.

@drwass I love your counters! My counters look a bit similar to yours; mine are a leathered granite that the stoneyard called White Titanium (even though they're black.) I have always loved soapstone, and love that my counters are black with subtle veining. They are a breeze to keep clean - no oil spots or finger prints, and I can get messy when I cook.

OP I'd encourage your daughter to look at more dark / black granites. Virginia Mist / Jet Mist are other options that she might like. (Not trying to talk her out of quartzite or soapstone, just saying there may be other options for her.)

@chicagoans - Our counters are so similar! Love them both. I also like soapstone but was concerned about maintenance, as I am a bit obsessive (lol!). What color are your floors - I am looking for a similar color and cannot quite figure it out.

@drwass We have white oak floors - a mix of old and new. (The pre-reno kitchen had tile.) The flooring guys did a great job of feathering in new wood with the old, and refinished all using one coat of this:

And two coats of this:

In retrospect, I would use some kind of commercial flooring sealer. We now have a 70 lb dog (about 16 months now with all that puppy energy) and the floors are showing some scratches.

But I will say that I love the floors! There's character to some of the boards and even after 3 years I sometimes notice new things. Here's a long view of the new flooring (it's not as yellow as it looks here):

And here's a shot with some of the refinished old flooring (original floors are from 1985ish):

@chicagoans - Thank you so much! Your floors are gorgeous! I have red oak, and am strongly consider Bona Natural seal. Thank you!

Black Mist/Virginia Black granite is a very popular option for lots of my homeowners for something similar to soapstone! Not many people are fans of the freckling in granite but it's simply the way the Earth's oven baked it! Perhaps considered a honed or leathered finish, the Black Mist is sold more frequently in those finishes.

My sister has Silver Grey Honed granite in her kitchen. It's so pretty and looks very similar to soapstone.

@Debbie Klausing - you need to tell your daughter to be careful about purchasing this black soapstone slab. First, ask her to find out what the place of origin is for the slab. If it's from India, while India does source a little soapstone, a LARGE percentage of the slabs are actually a phyllite/slate relative being marketed as soapstone.

These "faux" soapstone slabs are a different natural stone entirely without some of the positives of soapstone such as heat resistance and stain resistance. They are porous and need to be sealed regularly.

These are a few tips on how to tell if the slab is real soapstone:

• Surface Appearance. If the slab has a silvery or metallic sheen, it’s likely not true soapstone.
• Cost. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• Touch. Real soapstone feels cool to the touch at room temperature.
• Texture and Luster. Authentic soapstone has a waxy or silky texture, often described as “soapy”—hence the name.
• Acid and Stain Resistance. Test a sample with undiluted white vinegar. Authentic soapstone won’t etch or stain.
• Hardness. Soapstone is softer than granite or slate, which typically feel hard, coarse, or grainy.
• Color. Soapstone naturally occurs in tones of gray, green-gray, or deep charcoal with white veining.

FYI - real deep charcoal soapstone is mined in Brazil and Virginia.

"Faux" soapstone slabs also may contain calcite = will etch (like marble). Also, while scratches on soapstone can be easily fixed, if a "faux" soapstone slab is scratched, it is not an easy fix.

If your daughter ever took chemistry classes, the tables in chemistry labs = soapstone. The feel of soapstone is very unique.

A black granite is a much better substitute for any "faux" soapstone slab sourced from India.

Thanks Dani for the helpful info. I’ll pass this on to her. I thinks she’s also considering a Macaubus quartizite. She loves the marble look but not the worry.

@Debbie Klausing Watch out for white Macaubus quartizite. Some people have had staining iasues with it.

https://www.gardenweb.com/discussions/4862644/white-macaubus-quartzite-stained#n=62

Thanks Claude. I’ve read about the potential problems with Macaubus. I got Calcutta Exra suede quartzite 2 years ago. It has behaved itself amazingly but boy did I overthink and worry about my decision. I learned after researching on Houzz that it is a Macaubus but is cut opposite and isn’t linear. So it kind of reminds me of marble, which I love. I have been so happy with my quartzite. Now I’m hoping whatever she chooses will work as well as mine. She was wanting soapstone but got scared off because of chipping etc.

Sorry Clyde- I thought I had typed your. name correctly

Your daughter needs to get to know all the options and think hard about HER priorities, not other people's priorities. You said she likes the look of soapstone and lots of surfaces can look like soapstone. She likes the veining, and a couple of materials have veining. You said she likes the feel of soapstone, and nothing else feels like it, so if that's a high priority... Or does she just like a honed feeling?

I chose soapstone because of the natural antimicrobial properties. That is my highest priority. I don't want a counter that has to be sealed (https://greensciencepolicy.org/news-events/blog/are-there-forever-chemicals-in-your-kitchen-counter); I want a countertop material that is naturally nonporous so I don't have to seal it. I could oil my soapstone but I don't want to do that either because things can live in oil, yuck. I can't imagine what I would do to a countertop that would scratch it so badly I couldn't stand it but was comforted to know that, if I did, I could sand it out myself. It's a matter of priorities really. There is no perfect stone.

At the stoneyards I have shopped at in MI, Ocean Black = granite.