Black Granite: What Are The Options?

Black granite is an especially popular choice of decorative stone. Most materials which are marketed as black granite are in fact dolerites or gabbros. The reason these stones are generally described as granite is for simplicity as they have the same properties.

The black granite you choose for your project will depend upon the kind of effect you are trying to create. Below we will go through some different effects people commonly try and achieve with Black Granite.

Creating a Pure Black Effect With Your Granite

If you are looking for a strong uniform black effect you would be best off looking at the more plain materials. These include Absolute Black, Angola Black and Nero Impala. As granite is a natural stone none of these stones will be completely black.

They may look completely black from a distance but upon close inspection you will see dark grey markings. This is the graining of the stone. The most black granite slabs you can find are the Absolute Black fine grained varieties. This stone is sometimes called Nero Assoluto and is quarried in both India and Zimbabwe. There are other varieties of this slab from the same regions with larger graining.

Another good choice of black granite if you are trying to create a uniform black look for your project is Nero Impala. This stone is also known as Rustenburg granite after the region in South Africa it is quarried. When this material is placed next to Absolute Black you can see it does contain more grey colouration and has a larger grain running through it. Despite this, if Nero Impala is the darkest coloured material in the room it will come across as black.

There is another granite from the same region which is extremely similar called Bon Accord. The only difference between Bon Accord and Nero Impala is the Bon Accord has a larger grain running through the slab.

Angola Black is also a good choice for those who want a black stone with some form of movement in it. Angola Black provides an abundance of small flecks throughout its surface which possesses a medium grain. This fleck provides a shimmering type effect when it comes into contact with any type of light.

Out of these granites mentioned above Absolute Black is the most expensive. The highest priced variety of this granite are slabs which have a uniform black background and fine graining. These types of slabs are the most uniform black colour you can get for granite.

Angola Black and Nero Impala are less expensive materials which are not quite as black. However, they are both perfectly capable black decorative stones for those wanting a black uniform background for their project. In some situations where you want larger graining to add some texture to your stone or as means to not make every smudge as obvious, these materials can be better options. Not to mention the lower investment they require.

Creating A Sparkle Effect With Your Black Granite

A sparkle effect is often desired by people wanting to use black granite for their project. The shining sparkles on a pure black background is a beautiful site to behold and one which will take long time to grow tired of. There are two black granites which can be used to create this coveted effect.

The first granite which can be used is Star Galaxy. Star Galaxy is actually a Gabbro1 it has a deep black background with bronze flecks embedded throughout. The reason for these bronze flecks is due to the presence of ferrous rich Enstatine (Bronzite)2. When the light hits the surface of this stone these bronze flecks shimmer giving a sparkle effect.

Star Galaxy is often referred to as Black Galaxy and is quarried in Southern India. There are three different varieties of Black Galaxy granite, the difference in these varieties is the size of the fleck in the granite. You can have Black Galaxy granite with either large grain, medium grain or fine grain. There is no variety superior to another it just comes down to personal preference.

If you want a more subtle sparkle you would go for the fine grained variety and if you wanted a bolder sparkle in your black granite you would go for large grained Star Galaxy.

In the image below you can see how Star Galaxy creates a sparkling effect.

Another granite which can be used to create a sparkle effect is Cosmos Black Granite also known as Nero Stargate or Black Cosmos. This is a black granite quarried in Zimbabwe. This black granite possesses small silver flecks scattered across the surface.

The effect with Nero Stargate is not as extroverted as that of Star Galaxy it is a softer type of sparkle. The reason for this is because the silver is not as reflective and the flecks in Nero Stargate are not as tightly packed.

Most of the time Black Galaxy will have a deeper black colour than Nero Stargate. However there are batches of Nero Stargate which are a deep black colour which is comparable to Black Galaxy. If the intensity of the black is important to your project it is best to check with your supplier the background of your slab before making any purchase.

The black granite you choose to create a sparkle effect comes down to your own personal preference, it is a good idea to get samples of each granite before purchasing. The reason for this is you can put the samples in the room where you will be using the granite and see how it interacts with both the lighting and the natural light in the room. Once you have done this you will be able to see which black granite comes closer to replicating the sparkle effect which you desire.

Creating a Feature Piece With Black Granite

It is not uncommon to see black granite used as a feature piece. This can be seen in individual pieces of furniture such as a black granite dining table or with kitchen worktops. To create a feature piece with black granite you need to make sure you use an exotic granite slab3 with a striking pattern across the surface. This patterning on the surface really captures the attention against the solid black background of the stone.

The exotic black granites which we recommend to create feature pieces are Cosmic Black, Black Marinace and Black Forest.

All of these granites make use of beautiful patterning which makes an impression upon anyone who sets eyes upon it. With exotic stones for feature pieces it is highly recommended to view the slab before purchase because the patterning on the slab will be truly unique for each slab and it is important you get the exact effect you want for your project. Below you can see the absolutely breathtaking Cosmic Black used as a stunning feature piece in a kitchen.

What Can Black Granite Be Used For?

Black granite is a popular decorative stone an can be used in a number of applications. Due to it's durability you can see black granite in external and internal flooring. For exterior flooring it will normally be in a flamed finish to provide an anti-slip finish and to tolerate very heavy foot traffic. Internally black granite flooring is most often seen with a polished or honed finish.

It is also common to see black granite cladding commercial buildings. This can be seen in many buildings in cities all across the world. The reason for this is out of all materials granite provides a perfect combination of beauty and durability. And if you want a black stone for exterior cladding granite stands up to weathering far better than any of the black marbles.

For this reason you do not often see black marble worktops and this is why a black granite worktop is a common site in kitchens across the world. As mentioned earlier in this article black granite can be used to create a range of effects whilst providing excellent practicality. This is due to granite worktops being heat resistant, very durable and easy to maintain.

Black granite worktops make a wonderful addition to any kitchen and really add luxury to any household which has them installed.

Another use of black granite is in luxury furniture. With items of furniture like dining tables which will be enduring heavy use, black granite is often preferred over black marble. The reason for this is exactly the same as why black granite worktops are often chosen over black marble tops. Granite is better suited to withstand heavy use.

When it comes to coffee tables the choice between a marble or granite coffee table will come down to which material you find most attractive as the usage will not be as intense when compared to use endured by a granite worktop or dining table.

As you can see black granite is a very versatile material which is suitable for a number of different applications and design schemes. Below we have assembled some useful links for you to learn more about black granite.