Before you try anything: always speak to a professional before cleaning, treating or applying any product to your stone. Every slab is different, and the wrong product can cause permanent damage. Contact us or a qualified stone restorer first.
Quick answer
Chips in soapstone edges can be sanded smooth by hand: work 120-grit then 220-grit sandpaper along the edge until the chip becomes a gentle curve, then oil it. Larger breaks can be glued back with epoxy by a stonemason.
First, check what you are dealing with
- Small piece missing from an edge or corner: chip.
- Line running across the surface: crack. Have it assessed.
- Hollow sound or movement: possible structural issue.
What you need
- Sandpaper: 120 and 220 grit
- Mineral oil
Step by step
Sand the edge
Sand along the chipped edge with 120-grit, rounding it into a smooth curve.
Refine
Finish with 220-grit.
Oil
Oil the area so it matches the rest of the top.
What not to use on soapstone
- Superglue on visible areas: it yellows and does not match.
- Filling a crack without knowing why it cracked.
When to call a professional
Get a professional for sink cut-outs, visible edges, anything larger than a fingernail and any crack. Most soapstone repairs are DIY: fine sandpaper and mineral oil. A stonemason can smooth chipped edges.
Understanding chips and cracks on soapstone
On soapstone, marks show as lighter scratches, dents, and uneven darker patches where oils have soaked into the surface.
Most soapstone repairs are DIY: fine sandpaper and mineral oil. A stonemason can smooth chipped edges.
Good to know
Soapstone edges dent and chip easily, but they can be softened with sandpaper so the chip becomes a gentle, rounded edge.
Stop it happening again
Whether yours is benchtop-grade steatite, usually charcoal or grey-green, repairing it fixes today's mark; protecting it stops the next one. Our clear Stone Protection Film sits over the surface, so marks stay on the film, not the surface. Most soapstone is honed and oiled, so the Matte/Satin film is the usual match: it keeps the natural, low-sheen look. It is installed across Sydney with a 10-year written warranty. It will not stop a heavy knock from chipping an edge, but it protects everything else.
How we protect soapstone · Choosing benchtops · Chips & cracks on every surface