Reply #9: I lusted after soapstone counters but they are too expensive [View All]

[csziggy]

And these days as with most stone, they are being imported from various countries. The names of stone counters may have nothing to do with the actual mineral content - they call it whatever it looks most like. So a Brazilian "soapstone" or granite may not actually be those stones, have the characteristics of real soapstone or granite, or have anything to do with the real stone in any way other than somewhat resembling them.

I considered a phenolic counter (I think that was the name) - they are the soapstone substitute now used in most labs these days and are fairly cheap. You usually cannot get them from kitchen counter places but can order them online from companies that supply them to schools and laboratories. They have a lot of the characteristics of soapstone - don't react to acids or bases, scratches can be buffed out, and are pretty indestructible. The logistics just didn't work out for me.

I ended up with porcelain tile counters in a very dark blue black that at a glance resembles soapstone but cost a fraction of what the real thing would have cost. Even the building inspector thought they were real stone when he came for the final inspection. We used 18" tiles with a wide edge that has a bullnose. Since the tiles are perfectly square, the tile guy used very small grout lines and we chose the darkest blue/purple/black grout available. I knead bread and roll out pastry right on the counter and have not problems with crap getting into the grout.

The tile is Crossville Color Blox Two "I've Got the Blues". Here is one of the bathroom cabinets with the same tile: