Soapstone fireplaces are a popular, beautiful and simple way to add a touch of class to any fireplace in your home.
Soapstone fireplaces are a natural stone surface with a touch and feel like nothing you’ve ever seen or felt. Thinking about a granite, quartz, marble, or even a concrete fireplace? Then you have to add Soapstone to your list. Here’s why:
Durability
Soapstone ranks highest among all options for durability. Remember those high school lab tables that were impervious to just about any liquid, chemical or heat? Those were likely Soapstone tables, and what’s more – they’re probably still there. Soapstone is the surface of choice for any area expected to take a bit of a beating. Which makes it the perfect choice for a fireplace.
Soapstone is so durable in fact, that it’s not uncommon to come across stoves and sinks manufactured in the 1800’s still in use today made from soapstone.
Soapstone Fireplaces are likely to outlast you, and your home.
Beauty And Uniqueness
You are a unique individual, and you probably want your home to be as unique you are. Soapstone is the perfect way to put a “one-of-a-kind” stamp on your home.
Marble, Granite and Quartz slabs are quarried from very large locations, meaning they will only supply granite if they can supply thousands and thousands of slabs that look exactly the same. Soapstone on the other hand is so incredibly unique that no 2 slabs are ever the same. The Jones’s will never have the same fireplace as you.
Colors vary greatly, but depend largely on where the soapstone comes from. Colors vary from greens to grays,and everything in between. “Veining” usually reserved for the finest marbles, are common in Soapstone countertops. Because the slab color is a natural process doesn’t mean you’re powerless to personalize it – mineral oils can be applied to darken or lighten the tones, or you can go “Au Naturel”.
Soapstone is ideal for many styles of homes from older traditional, or cottage style homes, to high end luxury homes – Soapstone appeals to the most discerning tastes.
Density
Soapstone slabs are non-porous so it will never absorb liquids, spills, soot, or stains from hot coals. Charcoal cleanup is not a problem as they can be wiped right off as well. This type of stone is so dense that no type of sealant is required at all. You can oil the fireplace but this would only be done for aesthetic reasons.
Environmentally Friendly
It may sound strange to talk about something removed from the earth as being environmentally friendly, but consider this:
Soapstone is sustainable because it is harvested in far smaller amounts, is 100% natural requiring no artificial products to produce it, no sealers or toxic chemicals are used to finish it, and is 100% recyclable.
Man-made countertop alternatives are almost all made from products that are devastating to the environment, and even other stone products require toxic sealers to enhance their appearance.
Cost Effectiveness
Yes Soapstone slabs are more expensive than other natural stone countertops. However, there can be substantial savings in sure longevity of Soapstone, and the fact that it just never goes out of style. These make a strong case for the cost effectiveness and long-term value of Soapstone over alternatives.
Longevity
It’s not uncommon to hear of Soapstone being passed on from one generation to the next, lasting many generations in some cases. And why not – if it does get scratched or dented you can easily sand these out. In fact, this is one of the most unique things about Soapstone. Other natural stone surfaces would require costly replacements should you scratch or dent them, not so with Soapstone!
If you know anyone who has a Soapstone Fireplace, then likely you know how much they love it.
