For an introduction to the wonders of soapstone fabrication,
I visited M. Teixeira Soapstone in Glen Rock, New Jersey. Before I’d even walked in the door, I noted an entry landing made from scrap soapstone, scored to prevent slipping in wet or icy weather. More soapstone tiles line the entry foyer; beyond that is a sumptuous, double- ended tub carved from a single block of stone. Further on in the petite showroom are displays of soapstone countertops with integral and custom carved sinks ( a specialty of Bucks County Soapstone, a frequent collaborator), a soapstone- tile floor and, surprisingly, samples of engineered stones and a porcelain countertop installation. “Soapstone is just one of the options customers have in mind when they walk in,” says owner Roger M. Teixeira, noting, too, that using more than one surfacing material in a kitchen is
becoming popular. “People are mixing Carrara marble and soapstone . . . using one on the island and the other on the counters around the perimeter.” Beyond the showroom is the workshop, set up with CNC machines and a control booth. At the back is the hands- on part of the shop, where sinks are fitted and epoxied together, and sink bases are laboriously hand- sanded to direct water toward the drain. While CNC machines can do many things, handwork is sometimes more efficient, Teixeira says. One example is sanding down drainage grooves on a counter. “The grooves come out very sharp, and we bring it back here and smooth it out by hand.” Teixeira offers two kinds of sinks: those carved from a single piece of stone, and the more affordable sinks that are pieced together. Simply putting a sink together requires a lot of skill. Each side is cut with rabbet or tongue- and- groove joints and notched to absorb epoxy, then dry fitted to make sure all the sides are square and fit together perfectly. Finally, the sink is glued together and the epoxy is allowed to cure before it’s tested with water.