Where to buy a Soapstone slab hearth pad

[J Bone]

Hi all,

I apologize for being a noob and posting something that may have been posted before, but my search of this forum didn't turn up anything. I also apologize if this is not the right sub-forum for asking about hearth pad info - please feel free to move this post. Thanks.

Anyway, I would appreciate any help/advise on trying to find a solid stone slab, preferably Soapstone (but other stone would be okay) for my new hearth pad for a Quad Mt Vernon AE pellet stove.

I know that Woodland Direct has these (that's where I got the idea), but they don't have any larger than 54"x 54", and they don't have any in the corner shape, for some reason.

I was just hoping someone would have a source from something like that that I can contact or order online that's not a custom-made piece. I realize that custom-made might be my only solution, but I'm hoping to avoid the cost of that if possible.

Thanks again.

 

[esscontracting]

Hi all,

I apologize for being a noob and posting something that may have been posted before, but my search of this forum didn't turn up anything. I also apologize if this is not the right sub-forum for asking about hearth pad info - please feel free to move this post. Thanks.

Anyway, I would appreciate any help/advise on trying to find a solid stone slab, preferably Soapstone (but other stone would be okay) for my new hearth pad for a Quad Mt Vernon AE pellet stove.

I know that Woodland Direct has these (that's where I got the idea), but they don't have any larger than 54"x 54", and they don't have any in the corner shape, for some reason.

I was just hoping someone would have a source from something like that that I can contact or order online that's not a custom-made piece. I realize that custom-made might be my only solution, but I'm hoping to avoid the cost of that if possible.

Thanks again.

Go to a local granite or stone countertop fabricator... They can order stuff thicker than the standard 1.25 inches

Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk

 

[weatherguy]

See if a local granite place has some leftover pieces, they should sell it fairly reasonable. Around here you can' drive 5 miles without passing a granite place, they're everywhere and the prices have come way down as a result.

 

[J Bone]

See if a local granite place has some leftover pieces, they should sell it fairly reasonable. Around here you can' drive 5 miles without passing a granite place, they're everywhere and the prices have come way down as a result.

Go to a local granite or stone countertop fabricator... They can order stuff thicker than the standard 1.25 inches

Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk

Thanks for the help. I was hoping that someone had a line on a standard 60" x 60" corner hearth pad made out of a slab. But I guess I knew it was a long-shot. Custom work is going to cost more, and the nearest place that would do anything like that around here is at least 100 miles away. Oh well, thanks anyway.

 

[esscontracting]

Thanks for the help. I was hoping that someone had a line on a standard 60" x 60" corner hearth pad made out of a slab. But I guess I knew it was a long-shot. Custom work is going to cost more, and the nearest place that would do anything like that around here is at least 100 miles away. Oh well, thanks anyway.

I worked in the stone industry for 10 years... You might be able to get something in my area for 35-50 dollars a square foot... Cheaper than having to pay Mark up 2xs plus shipping...

Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk

 

[bholler]

The shipping from an online place would kill you. A local countetop place will end up costing less.

 

[drz1050]

Also do a search for quarries or landscape stone yards near you. They won't have polished granite or soapstone, but you don't necessarily need/ want that for a hearth anyways. If you're ok with slate/ bluestone/ etc, that have rough surfaces, check them out.

If you can't find one, call a masonry shop- they'll know where they are.

 

[begreen]

Finding it in one piece might be a big challenge and expense. Check with companies in the area that do stone countertops. They may have pieces or a suggestion of where to look.

 

[coutufr]

Try a granite slab with beveled edged to prevent tripping. Too thick not necessarily better at preventing tripping either . I have a dark colored granite slab that was dropped on the hardwood floor and the stove is on top. You could request a specific finish on the slab so it is not polished finished. The color will look a lot like soapstone in the end but will be much less fragile. Whatever you choose or do in the end it will look good!

 

[Nick Mystic]

I have a Woodstock Classic stove in the lower level of my house and that has been my first experience with soapstone. It seems to be a fairly soft stone and I don't think I would want to use it for a hearth. I know some counter tops are made of soapstone, but it seems to me you would have to be really careful not to ding it up. I keep my poker (not the one some of you dirty minded members are thinking of) stored half under my stove (I load from the side door, so it's out of the way). I can picture all sorts of scrapes and dents in a soapstone hearth if I did the same thing with it.

 

[esscontracting]

I have a Woodstock Classic stove in the lower level of my house and that has been my first experience with soapstone. It seems to be a fairly soft stone and I don't think I would want to use it for a hearth. I know some counter tops are made of soapstone, but it seems to me you would have to be really careful not to ding it up. I keep my poker (not the one some of you dirty minded members are thinking of) stored half under my stove (I load from the side door, so it's out of the way). I can picture all sorts of scrapes and dents in a soapstone hearth if I did the same thing with it.

With soap stone you expect that it scratches and dings easily adding to the character.... It's literally almost as soft as soap

Sent from my PH-1 using Tapatalk

 

[barnaclebob]

Would two of the smaller sizes butted up against each other work for you? The stuff is pretty easy to cut, a circular saw with the right blade and someone holding a hose could get the job done.

Maybe Woodstock could do it for you but the shipping might be cost prohibitive.

 

[drz1050]

With soap stone you expect that it scratches and dings easily adding to the character.... It's literally almost as soft as soap

Yes you expect that it dings/ scratches over time, the scratches can be buffed out with steel wool if you don't like them.
Almost as soft as soap though? No way sir. Most soapstone can't be scratched with your fingernail, and lands in the MOH 3-5 range.

 

[jetsam]

You can tile it for about $1.50 a square foot, including cement board, ceramic tile, and thinset. No size/shape restrictions on that.

 

[RandyBoBandy]

Seeing as how bluestone is mined in Pennsylvania and New York are you west coast guys even seeing much of it out there? I have my barn stove sitting on a 7” thick piece of bluestone left over from a step job. This stuff is very heavy so getting it in your house will require engineering skills of pyramid building caliber. I installed a patio a few years back with Idaho quartzite which is closer to the op than me. This stuff is even harder and heavier than bluestone. Contact your local landscaper or hardscape installer and see what they are using for natural staircases. Even if your hearth pad is made of a thinner product the stove itself can still sit on a more manageable slab of stone.