When we talk about soapstone uses, the first image that conjures for most people is kitchen counters, or maybe a bathroom vanity top. But soapstone is so versatile that it can be used to breathe new life into pretty much any space in your home — including outdoor living spaces! If you’ve been following the Dorado Soapstone blog, you may have seen our posts about using soapstone in the kitchen and bathrooms. Today, we’re going to dig into all the other options for bringing soapstone into your home, including a few options you may not have guessed!

Laundry Rooms

Let’s start with a soapstone use you may not have thought of, but one that makes perfect sense given kitchen and bathroom uses: if you’re planning to upgrade your laundry room, soapstone is a great option for countertops. It’s easy to cut, so you can usually get a single soapstone slab to form a continuous countertop. The other big benefit to soapstone countertops in a laundry room is that this stone absorbs heat well. You could do your clothes ironing directly on soapstone if you choose. Just keep in mind that soapstone absorbs and retains heat, so you’ll need to be watchful otherwise more delicate fabrics could burn. Soapstone is also chemically inert, so you don’t have to worry about damage if you happen to slosh a bit of bleach or any other household cleaners. 

However, you may want to skip soapstone flooring in a laundry room, or at least get it cut with added texture. This is mostly because of the amount of soap that occasionally spills and the general amount of lint that gets kicked up. On one hand, it’s a non-porous stone, so it’s pretty easy to clean away spills and messes. The flipside of that is that it’s important to clean up spills quickly because the stone won’t absorb spills — meaning spilled detergent will make soapstone tile slick and unsafe. 

Fireplaces

Do you want to keep the cold at bay through our windy, sometimes snowy Colorado winters? Soapstone is a great option for fireplace surrounds and masonry fireplaces because of how nicely it absorbs and retains heat. Using soapstone around your fireplace is a great way to cut down on heating costs because it absorbs the heat while a fire is going, and then slowly disburses the heat over time after the fire goes out, keeping your home warm longer. And as a bonus, since soapstone is non-porous, it’s a lot easier to clear away accumulated ash between uses. 

Flooring

Another way to bring soapstone throughout pretty much any part of your home is to install soapstone floor tiles. Soapstone is a relatively easy stone to cut, so there are plenty of tile shapes and sizes to choose from. Soapstone flooring works well in most spaces throughout the house because it’s easy to clean, doesn’t stain, and retains and radiates heat nicely. We especially love soapstone flooring with an in-floor heating system!

Outdoor Spaces

In a similar vein, soapstone also makes a great option for outdoor living spaces. Create your dream outdoor kitchen/grilling area with soapstone because it is incredibly durable and can hold up to whatever weather Colorado throws out there. It also makes a great option for patio flooring. Proceed with a bit more caution if you want to use soapstone as a pool or hot tub surround because the stone can get slick when wet, but just talk to your soapstone supplier about options if this is the direction you choose. 

Ready to find your soapstone slab and get started on your next home improvement project? Connect with the team at Dorado Soapstone of Colorado to get started!