Apr 8, 05: mariana/green soapstone

mariana/green soapstone

Posted by djconte (My Page) on Fri, Apr 8, 05 at 12:55

Help! I'm about to order mariana soapstone from Terra Nova in MA for our new kitchen. The supplier says its the "green soapstone" i'm looking for without a lot of veins. From reading these posts and the look of the sample its more charcoal grey than I would like. I;m looking for something like the original from green mountain or the emerald green from m. tex. any suggestions? thanks.

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RE: mariana/green soapstone

• Posted by: Sweeby (My Page) on Fri, Apr 8, 05 at 14:10

My only suggestion - and I suggest this strongly - is to SEE your slabs! You will never be sure until you see them in person. At the yard, ask them to wet the stone. That's a quick and easy way to see the veining patterns. But even wet, the stone is likely to look lighter and greener than it will once (if) oiled. If you see a slab and are seriously ready to buy, I would ask them if they would let you oil a small corner. A fresh coat of oil (not rubbed off) will give you a much better idea of the eventual color.

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RE: mariana/green soapstone

• Posted by: sweetpea_path (My Page) on Tue, Apr 12, 05 at 12:42

I agree with Sweeby wholeheartedly! I've got a kitchen floor scattered with various soapstone samples, all oiled so I can see the *transformation*. The mariana (which I've been told by a supplier here in WA state) is the exact soapstone that comes from Vermont Soapstone and it is indeed very, very dark...almost black when oiled. I wouldn't even call this stone "green" compared to other samples. I really encourage you to see the material for spending such a chunk o' change! Sweetpea

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RE: mariana/green soapstone

• Posted by: Lispeth (My Page) on Tue, Apr 12, 05 at 12:50

We are using the emerald green on our perimeter counters and while there is a lot of green veining and mottling in it, it is still a black stone. Other than the rainforest green, I've never seen a truly green soapstone. Then again, I've only received samples from East Coast distributors. My emerald green sample with the emerald green tumbled marble tiles: [click for photo; opens in new window]

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RE: mariana/green soapstone

• Posted by: KitchenObsessed (My Page) on Tue, Apr 12, 05 at 21:57

FWIW, the Mariana I've seen is definitely at the bluish end of the spectrum; I would hardly call it green. OTOH, I can't recall a quiet, non-veiny sample that I've seen that is not bluish gray (Mariana, Mt. Holly, Albarene, Sta Rita) other than the impossible to get Cobra which doesn't really resemble any other type of soapstone. Even at a stone yard, it is so hard to tell how a slab really looks, even when they allow you to oil it rather than wet it down. Most don't, BTW. (I brought my own mineral oil.) The first oiling of SS hardly lasts at all. The lighting is not exactly what one would have in a kitchen, and I found it even changed from one row to another. Anyone: Can *quiet* and *greenish* SS co-exist?

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RE: mariana/green soapstone

• Posted by: Garden_Of_Darwin (My Page) on Tue, Apr 12, 05 at 23:30

I have one piece of 16"x16" tile of "Mt. Holly" aka "Marianna" soapstone from Vermont Soapstone that is MUCH greener than all the others, with no veining. I've named him Mr. Green, and although I'm fond of him, he may have to be hidden away! All the other tiles we have are charcoal grey to black with minimal veining, lots of dark spots and mica-ish flecks. This is one of the BIG DOWNSIDES to ordering anything (especially tiles that you plan to try to make look like slab) sight unseen! We were VERY LUCKY that most of the tiles appear to have been cut from a slab and we've been able to line up the veins and make them flow from one to another. Maybe I'll make Mr. Green into a trivet. I do love him. Susan