Does Anyone Know What Type of Stone This Is?

A building we worked in contained a set of black stairs.  Upon inspection, it was difficult to identify what stone the stairs were made of.  The stone was scratched, stained and chipped in different locations. The stairs’ material is otherwise very durable since they are still standing today “intact and solid”.  Years of wear and tear are what caused the stone to imperfections. Could it be Fossil Black limestone? Black Absolute granite? Belgian Black limestone? Gneiss stone? or Black Slate (honed)?

Black Limestone Renovation

Black Limestone Renovation

The characteristics of Fossil Black limestone were similar to this set of stairs because of its dark completion. Belgian Black limestone also shows some similarities to the stairs with its glossy appearance and rich dark color. Both limestone’s could be a good guess for the type of stone used since limestone is a porous and sensitive stone. Therefore, it easily scratches, stains or chips. Next, Gneiss stone is known for its rough, striped look, but when polished it has a soft tone with simple, solid colors. This is similar to the stairs’ black appearance and softly polished, yet durable condition. Black Slate is the most durable of the stones examined. Slate can be a rough or smooth appearance (if honed down) and its black color relates closely with the material of the stairs. Black Absolute granite (not a true granite but a mixture of stone sold as granite)

Sungloss Marble and Restoration works on all types of natural stones, including the ones listed above. As you can see, Sungloss Marble and Restoration cleaned, refinished and restored the natural stone stairs in the buildings foyer