Belfast is a deep‑black granite quarried in South Africa, renowned for its consistent, fine‑grained appearance and subtle, almost invisible mineral speckles. The stone presents a sleek, uniform surface that works equally well polished for a high‑shine finish or honed for a softer, matte look, making it ideal for both interior applications such as countertops, flooring, and wall cladding, and exterior projects like paving and façade panels. Marmi di Carrara supplies Belfast in robust blocks and 2‑3 cm thick slabs, offering cut‑to‑size services and providing photographs of actual slabs before purchase, ensuring architects and designers can select with confidence.
Petrographic description
Typically a black granite with a uniform fine‑grained texture.
Belfast is a Granite quarried in South Africa, catalogued in the Marmi di Carrara atlas under the international reference ICZAGR00044. Its dominant tone is black.
Like every granite, it is supplied as raw blocks, gangsaw slabs in 2 and 3 cm and cut-to-size pieces made in our Carrara plants. Recommended finishes: polished, honed, flamed, bush-hammered, leathered. Typical applications: kitchen worktops, exterior cladding and paving, stairs, monuments, high-traffic floors.
Availability varies with the quarry campaigns: before quoting we check current stock, block sizes and the selection grade, and we send photos of the actual slabs. Price and transport are confirmed by our technical office within one working day.
Belfast Black Granite: complete guide
Overview
Belfast Black is a South African black stone with a very uniform background, considered one of the most homogeneous blacks on the market. It is chosen for deep black surfaces that are elegant and very hard-wearing.
History and origin
Belfast Black takes its name from the Belfast area in South Africa and is quarried from fine-grained dark rock formations. Commercially it is sold as granite, although petrographically it belongs to the basic rocks such as gabbro or norite. It is widely used for monuments, headstones and worktops thanks to its uniform black, which takes a mirror polish. Marmi di Carrara supplies it on request.
Appearance
The background is intense black with a very fine grain, almost devoid of visible pattern. Differences between slabs are minimal, making it suitable for work with many adjoining pieces. Polished, it becomes mirror-like; honed, brushed or flamed finishes give matt blacks or dark greys.
Uses
Excellent for kitchen worktops, bathroom vanity tops, monuments, engraved plaques and prestige cladding. It is also used outdoors for façades and steps. On polished black surfaces dust and fingerprints are more noticeable, so many people prefer a honed finish in the kitchen.
Care and maintenance
Clean with a microfibre cloth and a neutral detergent, avoiding waxy products that leave marks. Limescale from water can create white marks: drying surfaces after use prevents build-up.
- Classification
- basic rock of the gabbro/norite type, commercially granite
- Density
- approx. 2,950 kg/m³ (indicative)
- Mohs hardness
- approx. 6-7
- Water absorption
- very low
- Main use
- indoor, outdoor and monuments
- Acid resistance
- high
FAQ
Is Belfast suitable for outdoor use?
Granite: excellent for façades, paving and stairs in any climate. Tell us the climate and exposure of the project and we will recommend the right finish and thickness.
What is the price of Belfast per m²?
Indicative price from €80/m² for polished 2 cm slabs ex works Carrara, VAT excluded. The final figure depends on selection, block size, finish and quantity; a personalised quote is free.
How is Belfast shipped from Italy?
Slabs travel in wooden A-frames inside 20-foot containers (about 25 tonnes); blocks ship loose or in open-top containers. We quote FOB, CIF or door-to-door to any port or site.
