Soapstone is a traditional material that’s been in use for thousands of years and is often found in early Colonial American homes. The soft, metamorphic stone material, favored for its ability to withstand and retain heat, was used for fireplaces, hearths, cooking slabs, and water basins.
It still is today, thanks to Bucks County Soapstone.
With a beginning in the cabinetmaking trade, Bucks County Soapstone now focuses solely on crafting custom soapstone sinks for kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms, and a few other specialty products.
Soapstone can be found all over the world, including here in the United States. Bucks County Soapstone sources their material from Brazil where the families of some current soapstone harvesters have been quarrying soapstone for hundreds of years, as well as Virginia here in the U.S.
One distinct advantage Bucks County Soapstone can claim is the use of a highly accurate digital templating device called the Faro Arm. This instrument uses a handheld imager to trace the backsplash a sink will be fit against to get a truly snug fit, even against stone, tile, and other uneven surfaces. This digital template, along with other measurements, are then inputted into a computer system that guides the saws that cut the soapstone slabs to shape. Once cut, the soapstone pieces are then finished by hand by Bucks County Soapstone’s artisan craftsmen.
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Along with the truly custom pieces they can make, one of Bucks County Soapstone’s particular specialties is their ability to replace modern sinks with apron-front traditional soapstone sinks common in historic homes without any major cabinet work. While the sink may have been a common occurrence, this particular specialty is not.
For more information about Bucks County Soapstone, the products and services they offer, and general information about soapstone sourcing and product care, visit their website at bcsoapstone.com.