Heard of the term, but wondering what it is? Its basically a glorified term for scratching or an uneven appearance. Similar to a worn chalkboard or denim jeans. For some perspectives, the word patina will add character, and for some personality’s, they may see patina as old or not taken care of. Since we are from the Pacific Northwest, we have crowds of laid back people. We’re not huge on trying to impress, by showing off with shiny materialistic bling. We tend to think we are a little more down to earth than the average person. That being said, we tend to be more attracted to a more flat/matte surface, like one that’s referred to as “honed”. Most suppliers in the Northwest order more honed, leathered, brushed or satin finishes; opposed to a shiny polished look. Whereas the rest of the United States, stock mostly polished slabs.
Here are a few images of soapstone with a patina, a “not so” perfect feel. If you want your soapstone to have more patina, just don’t oil (mineral oil) it as often. I have soapstone in my kitchen and chose it because it accumulates “patina”. But then I found myself oiling my counters every time I had company over. But then I realized that I wasn’t letting the oil dry for long enough, to be able let it “patina”. You’ll find that the oil drys up a little quicker around the kitchen sink, where there is sitting water and near the stove where you find yourself wiping the counter more often. If this is the look you are after, soapstone is a good material choice for you. If you are looking for a perpetually new and shiny look, perhaps granite or quartz may be a better choice.
