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Post by nana on Dec 21, 2015 16:47:20 GMT -5
Good thought Kellijo40! I would guess soapstone might be a good heat baffle in the thermowell too, come to think of it!
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Post by evangeline on Dec 21, 2015 22:51:53 GMT -5
kellyjo40, you read my mind. I have a whole bunch of images downloaded from Houzz showing soapstone countertops. I'm particularly taken with the gray stone from Vermont. Just received a profit sharing bonus at work and was all set to get a quote on replacing the formica. . . when a family member called with an urgent need for cash. So, perhaps the countertops will wait. Meanwhile I'll try DYI zinc for the two little cabinets flanking the Chambers & think about the big kahuna next year. But it is so beautiful!! Am also stalking Craigslist.
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Post by vaporvac on Dec 21, 2015 23:56:05 GMT -5
Yes, soapstone is so lovely. If you find a good source, let us know as it makes the best griddles.,, non-stick. I looked a while ago, but American soapstone has been almost all mined, and everything else is still too expensive (for me.)
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Post by mach12 on Dec 22, 2015 1:40:33 GMT -5
I've never worked with soapstone but it sounds like it could be a great option. I'm going to have to be doing some research now.
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Post by melissaf on Dec 22, 2015 10:11:55 GMT -5
I put soapstone counters in my kitchen about 8 years ago and absolutely love them. The gray stone will darken over time to an almost black color. When my counters were being installed, I was leaning against a cabinet with my hand on the counter while the installer was finishing up the faucet holes. When I moved my hand, there was a perfect hand print left behind where the stone had absorbed the oil from my skin. You can let the stone darken naturally over time but the areas that get used the most will darken faster and it will take a while before the color is uniform. If you want to speed up the process you can wipe on a coat of mineral oil. I used a combination of mineral oil and beeswax. I did this 3 or 4 until they kept an even color. Now I don't do anything to them.
Soapstone does scratch fairly easily. The scratches look almost white but eventually they blend in as the scratched area darkens back up. If scratches bother you, you can sand them out with fine sandpaper.
You can cut soapstone with a circular saw and a diamond blade. We've been rearranging the cabinets in our kitchen to make room for the Chambers. We had to cut down the counter on one side of the stove. I don't remember the exact type of soapstone we have but it must be one of the harder ones because the blade wore out pretty quickly just cutting a strip off one side of the counter.
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Post by evangeline on Dec 22, 2015 21:15:54 GMT -5
Oy. Next year, if I'm going to try to do it. To quote Scarlet O'Hara: with god as my witness, Ima gonna end my life with a large single bowl sink! Possibly soap stone. I have this weird sink karma. Every house I've lived in since I left home in 1977 has had a shallow double bowl stainless steel sink. I mean SHALLOW. Can't soak a sautee pan, or a lasagne pan or a roasting pan. This twists my knickers. What did I do in a former life? Must've been BAD. These simple tools for living, we use them every day.. . .why can't they be right? And yet I've seen people come to virtual blows about the single bowl versus double bowl issue, so I know there's another side. How do you fans of double bowls soak your large pots?? Ok, enough. Happy Holidays, everyone!!
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Post by kellyjo40 on Dec 23, 2015 1:46:07 GMT -5
Soapstone wax is another option, and from my research it is better than a plain mineral oil for lasting good looks.
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Post by nana on Dec 23, 2015 7:12:25 GMT -5
Perhaps, Evangeline, in a former life you were a landlord who installed those small shallow sinks. Karma is often referred to as a witch with a capital B.... I am fortunate in that the stainless steel double sink that was in the house when we moved in is both large and deep, and since I don't have a dishwasher, I really like having the two, one for washing and one for rinsing the dishes. My mom solved the problem by having a stainless double sink where one side was about half a bathtub, and the other side a small afterthought size. Both of my kids took baths in the big side as babies, when we were visiting. Very convenient to have them at that height, too! I made that crack about landlords because when we (as the landlord) redid the house my daughter lives in, we had to do the kitchen on the cheap, and guess what kind of sink we put in? I'll be paying for that in MY next life, I guess!
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Post by evangeline on Dec 23, 2015 8:27:30 GMT -5
Nana, you gave me a good laugh. Why is it that, every year's end, when I should be thinking about serious things, I obsess about the kitchen sink (and hijack my own thread)? It's my oldest holiday tradition! ;0
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Post by melissaf on Dec 23, 2015 15:55:55 GMT -5
Soapstone wax is another option, and from my research it is better than a plain mineral oil for lasting good looks. You can make your own soapstone wax a lot cheaper than you can buy it. I think the soapstone suppliers charge around $40 for a 12 oz jar. I made my own with mineral oil and beeswax. Just melt a chunk of pure beeswax in a double boiler. Once it's melted, stir in a little mineral oil. Once it cools, you want it to be the consistency of a furniture paste wax. To apply, just scoop some out and rub it on the counter with your bare hands. Then buff off with a soft cloth. It's really cheap, smells great and it leaves your hands nice and soft!
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Post by nana on Dec 23, 2015 18:38:03 GMT -5
I bet that between all of us here that know a little bit about somethings, together we know everything about everything!
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Post by nana on Dec 23, 2015 18:50:02 GMT -5
My husband just told me a good Christmas joke for this thread: Q: Why did Santa bring only 8 reindeer with him this year? A: Because Comet stayed home to clean the sink.
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Post by kellyjo40 on Dec 24, 2015 19:57:16 GMT -5
Melissa you have saved me $40!!!! Now I just have to find beeswax. Not a lot of bees in Alaska (just imports). On to Amazon I go.
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Post by kellyjo40 on Dec 24, 2015 19:59:48 GMT -5
Soapstone wax is another option, and from my research it is better than a plain mineral oil for lasting good looks. You can make your own soapstone wax a lot cheaper than you can buy it. I think the soapstone suppliers charge around $40 for a 12 oz jar. I made my own with mineral oil and beeswax. Just melt a chunk of pure beeswax in a double boiler. Once it's melted, stir in a little mineral oil. Once it cools, you want it to be the consistency of a furniture paste wax. To apply, just scoop some out and rub it on the counter with your bare hands. Then buff off with a soft cloth. It's really cheap, smells great and it leaves your hands nice and soft! Measurements of each pretry please!
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Post by melissaf on Dec 25, 2015 0:35:41 GMT -5
I bought my beeswax at Michael's craft store. If you have a craft store that sells candle making supplies, they should have it. You don't need much. I only made it one time when I first installed my counters in 2009. I put it in an 8oz wide mouth jar and I still have 1/3 of if left. I've waxed 20 linear feet of counter 4 or 5 times and only used about 5oz total. I keep what is left by my kitchen sink and we use it for dry hands and chapped lips in the winter. I don't remember the proportions but I'm pretty sure I wrote it down on the beeswax label in case I needed to make more. I'll check and let you know.
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Post by melissaf on Dec 27, 2015 17:17:03 GMT -5
kellyjo - I didn't write down the proportions but I weighed the block of beeswax that I had left to figure out how much I used. Based on that, I'm guessing I used 1.25 ounces of wax and 3/4 cup of mineral oil. You can add or reduce the amount of mineral oil if you want it thicker or thinner. I grated the beeswax with a course cheese grater, put it in a double boiler with the mineral oil and heated until the wax was completely melted.
If you haven't already ordered beeswax from Amazon, send me a PM with your address and I'll be happy to mail you enough wax to make a couple of batches.
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Post by nana on Dec 28, 2015 8:21:24 GMT -5
I put mineral oil on my butcher block, but now that it's next to the stove, I find it needs more cleaning than it used to. This sounds like it might be a little more durable than just plain oil.
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Post by melissaf on Dec 28, 2015 10:12:46 GMT -5
Yes, the mineral oil & beeswax is great for cutting boards and butcher blocks.
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Post by kellyjo40 on Dec 30, 2015 0:35:38 GMT -5
And wooden bowls!
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Post by kellyjo40 on Dec 30, 2015 0:37:33 GMT -5
Melissaf: thanks for the offer, I may take you up on it but will look at our local craft store first. They have a lot if candle making supplies. And thanks for the proportions.
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Post by kellyjo40 on Jan 9, 2016 2:19:26 GMT -5
MelissaF: made the soapstone wax this weekend. Made 12 oz for half the cost of pre made stuff! Thank you so much.
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Post by melissaf on Jan 9, 2016 10:12:57 GMT -5
That's great, kellyjo. You're going to LOVE your new soapstone counters!
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Post by metrowmn on May 3, 2016 10:41:28 GMT -5
I'm a bit late to this discussion. I have soapstone counters. I love them. They do scratch and pit but that's part of the beauty and you can sand them down and rewax them as needed. I don't worry about putting hot pots on them but it feels better than granite which has a "cold" feel imo.
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Post by evangeline on May 5, 2016 7:42:50 GMT -5
Really gorgeous, metrowmn! I love the schoolhouse fixtures and the tile floor too! Classic!
The update is, the cabinet maker was able to re-use some of the laminate on the two little side cabinets. . . so the pale mauve 80s formica is staying for the while. Dugbug's still beavering away on my Chambers. But the hood is installed and I'm hoping to finish the job in June. Have decided I want soapstone in the long run, just when being the question. The cabinet doors are all different colors of white (that plastic spray on finish, what's it called? It's fading unevenly) so it would be wise to replace them at the same time. And the tile floor form the 80s is cracked. . . . sheesh. And so it goes.
Cute westie! Our neighborhood is full of westies. Such good dogs.
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Post by kellyjo40 on May 9, 2016 1:16:02 GMT -5
Just got my soapstone installed, waxed it the same day. It is beautiful before it is waxed even, but the wax brought out all its glorious swirls and rivers. Can't wait to finally use it. The house still isn't done.
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Post by pooka on May 9, 2016 14:39:25 GMT -5
metrowmn, those counter-tops look great. Heck, so do the cabinets, floors & lights. Looks like a pic right out of a decorator magazine.
Soapstone is on my wish list when my ship comes in. It has such a timeless & enduring appeal. It can last many lifetimes if someone doesn't rip it out because they think it needs "updated". It'll have to stand in line behind some more vital things like a new roof, plumbing & new electric service for starters.
I glad for you kellyjo40 for getting your in. It has such a buttery softness to the touch unlike the cold hardness of granite & other similar materials. It's a tactile thing that's hard to describe. It's just a joy to touch. You can understand where it gets it's name.
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Post by nana on May 9, 2016 19:27:15 GMT -5
Pictures, please, Kellyjo40!
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Post by metrowmn on May 11, 2016 23:02:09 GMT -5
Thanks Pooka and Evangeline. I obsessed over every detail and though there are some things i would do different now.... like not putting an unglazed white mosaic porcelain floor with three dogs and a house in the middle of the woods!! all in all I think it all turned out pretty great especially when you consider I was 650 miles away during construction. My contractor was on speed dial.
Pooka I agree with you 100% about the soapstone. "Buttery" is a great description. Silky too I think. Even though it is a stone, its not near as cold or hard as granite. And quite frankly the scratches adds to the "patina" look of having always been there (even though its all brand new)
Evangeline Westies are great dogs, we also have a Scotty- together they make a scotch add. Our newest is a heinz 57 rescue. sweetest dog, shes much bigger than the other 2 but despite my plans, she has NO guard dog instincts whatsoever
' '
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Post by kellyjo40 on May 18, 2016 20:55:19 GMT -5
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Post by nana on May 19, 2016 6:52:34 GMT -5
They are truly beautiful! And did I spy Patience's future home in that first pic? That satiny black counter will really make her yellow and chrome dazzle!
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