Choosing a variety of Soapstone

So you want Soapstone Countertops… now which variety should you choose?  Keeping in mind that there isn’t any black Soapstone in its natural state, decide if you want the Soapstone to be very black with oil.  Some varieties will be look almost completely black with oil.  Some varieties will maintain the color in the veins even with oil.  Some varities will have hints of green, and a few varities of Soapstone will  look very green even when many coats of oil are applied.

Now for everybody’s favorite, how many “veining” or “movement” do you want to see in your Soapstone slab?  Its helpful to look at pictures of installed Soapstone to help determine this.  Just looking at the slab is difficult.  You have to  think about what it will look like once its all cut up and installed.  Generally, you can find slabs with consistent veining throughout, spotty with scattered dramatic veins, or multi-colored veins.  My personal preference is to avoid the spotty look that reminds me of granite.  All spotty soapstone will stop looking spotty once oiled.  Most spots will start to disappear with use as well.