What Colors are Available for Soapstone Countertops?

The color of soapstone varies depending on the part of the world they are quarried from—whether in India, the United States, Brazil, Chile, Malawi, Canada, and Zimbabwe. Soapstone is a metamorphic rock made of talc, dolomite, magnesite, and chlorite. Most soapstone rocks are composed of large amounts of talc which affect their color. The common soapstone colors are white, pale green, and gray. Soapstone countertops do not come in solid colors but in mottled, texturized colors in their natural states. In its discolored state, soapstone can have mottled brownish and reddish casts. The color of soapstone countertops is also affected by the amount of light it can reflect or transmit. Traditional soapstone countertops have opaque and translucent shades with a pearly or waxy brilliance.

Soapstone used in kitchen countertops is sold in soapstone slabs and are categorized according to their color. Combarbalite soapstone comes from the Chilean province of Coquimbo in Combarbala. This type of soapstone has various colors like brown, yellow, green, and red. Soapstone that comes from Uttar Pradesh in India is called Gorara stone. Also known as India soapstone, this type comes in mottled black, tan, gray, green, and even pink. Palewa soapstone comes from another place in India called Agra. Palewa soapstone is usually gray, green, or tan, which deepens when polished. The most common type of soapstone is called steatite. It is light gray and is quarried from most areas of the world. The other types of soapstone are Agalmatolite, Pagodaite, Pearlescent soapstone, Potstone, and Rapoka.

Basic soapstone countertop colors

Soapstone countertops are available in basic colors like white, light gray, tan, and pale green. Freshly-quarried soapstone slabs come in these colors, but they usually darken or deepen in shade once they are exposed to oxygen, water, and mineral oil. The colors of soapstone countertops are always mottled with thread-like veins of color creeping all over its surface.

The more traditional homeowners and builders prefer the basic soapstone colors because they are neutral and easier to mix and match with existing furniture or color palettes. Traditional homeowners prefer the soapstone countertops in basic colors because they look like the older types of soapstone countertops that they grew up with.

Other soapstone countertop colors

For the more modern homeowners and professional builders, the popular soapstone countertop colors are red, black, pink, and dark green. These colors are commonly used in contemporary homes and structures to match modern furniture. Red, pink, black, and dark green countertop colors usually darken and deepen with age, when they come in contact with water, and when they are rubbed down with mineral oil.

How to maintain the luster of soapstone kitchen countertop colors

The best way to preserve the distinct color of your soapstone countertops is to regularly rub the surface with mineral oil. Mineral oil protects the surface from scratches and cuts, and it also gives it a deeper and richer shade.