Why Work With Us?

Headstones Dealer
in NJ

Hand-carved headstones by Black Granite Shop — 80+ years in Morris County, NJ.

Headstone Specialists — Single, double & flat headstones
Companion Headstones — Side-by-side memorial pairs
Veteran Headstones — VA-compatible military headstones
Custom Granite Carving — Hand-carved in Morris County
Photo-Etched Portraits — High-contrast relief portraits
Headstone Restoration — Restore aged & weathered stone
Cemetery Compliance — Every headstone meets cemetery rules
Foundation Installation — Below frost-line, level-set
American-Made Granite — Domestic & select imported stone
Over 80 Years in NJ — Family-owned since 1945
All 14 NJ Counties — Statewide installation
Multilingual Service — English · Russian · Polish
Call (201) 297-4344Get a Free Consultation
Serving all of New Jersey · English, Russian, Polish
Black Granite Headstone hand-carved by Black Granite Shop in NJ — image 1

Headstones

Over 80 Years in NJ

Ready When You Are

Talk to a Black Granite Shop craftsman today.

Call, email, schedule a free quote, or visit the showroom in person. Real people answer the phone Monday through Saturday.

Call (201) 297-4344Email UsSchedule a Free QuoteVisit Our Showroom
Service Area

Serving All 14 NJ Counties

Black Granite Shop serves every New Jersey county from our workshop in Madison, Morris County. We place black granite headstones in cemeteries throughout Bergen, Essex, Passaic, Hudson, Union, Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, Somerset, Middlesex, Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean counties. Our team manages every step from design to installation, working directly with cemetery staff at each location to ensure your monument meets their regulations and is placed correctly the first time. Families across New Jersey have trusted Black Granite Shop for more than 80 years; we take that trust seriously at every stage of the process.

  • Morris
  • Bergen
  • Essex
  • Passaic
  • Hudson
  • Union
  • Sussex
  • Warren
  • Hunterdon
  • Somerset
  • Middlesex
  • Mercer
  • Monmouth
  • Ocean
Cemetery Guide

Cemetery Compliance Guide

Cemetery Regulations

Cemetery regulations in New Jersey are set independently by each institution, meaning the rules at a historic Catholic cemetery in Bergen County may differ substantially from those at a newer non-denominational memorial park in Middlesex County. Permitted heights, minimum base dimensions, required granite thicknesses, and acceptable finishes all vary from site to site. Black Granite Shop contacts the cemetery's monument office for every order, confirming the current regulations before any fabrication begins. This step eliminates the risk of producing a monument that must be resized or modified after the fact — a scenario that causes unnecessary delay and expense for families already navigating difficult circumstances.

Foundation Requirements

Black granite headstones placed in New Jersey cemeteries require a concrete foundation beneath the base, poured to a depth specified by the receiving institution. Standard foundation depths range from 12 to 24 inches depending on monument size and the cemetery's requirements; frost-line considerations in northern New Jersey counties often push requirements toward the deeper end of that range. Black Granite Shop's installation crew prepares foundations, allows appropriate cure time, and then sets the finished stone using mechanical lifting and leveling equipment. We do not use expedient shortcuts on foundation work — a monument placed improperly will tilt or sink within years, and we take our responsibility to your family's investment seriously.

Religious Cemetery Considerations

New Jersey's religious cemeteries — representing Catholic, Jewish, Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, Orthodox Christian, and many other traditions — sometimes carry monument guidelines specific to their faith community. Most welcome black granite as a material; a smaller number may have preferences around polished surfaces, portrait imagery, or specific symbolic elements. Our team has served families in these communities for generations and is familiar with the sensitivities involved. Before your headstone is designed, we confirm with your cemetery that the proposed material, style, and imagery are appropriate for the institution's setting.

Our Collection

Our Headstones Collection

Headstone

Black granite headstones at Black Granite Shop are produced in three principal configurations, each appropriate to a different type of New Jersey cemetery. The upright headstone — a vertically oriented die set on a matching base — is the most traditional form and provides the most surface area for names, dates, epitaphs, decorative carving, and portrait work. Standard upright dimensions in New Jersey range from 24 to 48 inches in height, though larger monuments are produced for families in cemeteries with accommodating rules. The slant headstone leans forward at a moderate angle on a flat base, occupying a middle ground between the full profile of an upright and the ground-level presence of a flat marker; it is popular in many Morris and Bergen county cemeteries. Flat markers — also called flush markers or grave markers — lie level with the surrounding ground and are required in lawn-style memorial parks throughout central and southern New Jersey. All three styles benefit from black granite's contrast properties. Polished surfaces are the most common finish choice; honed surfaces provide a softer, matte effect; rock-pitched edges give the monument an organic, rough-cut border that some families find particularly meaningful.

Black Granite Options

Black Granite Shop works with American-made black granite in several grades and varieties, selected based on the design requirements of each specific monument. India Black is our most frequently specified variety: deep, consistent, fine-grained, and capable of holding a polished finish that reads as a near-perfect black mirror. It handles portrait etching and fine lettering equally well, making it the material of choice for monuments that combine multiple design elements. Jet Black granite presents a slightly cooler, very slightly blue-tinted tone that some families find more distinguished; it works particularly well with silver or white letter fills rather than gold. Absolute Black is our densest option, quarried from regions known for exceptionally uniform mineral composition; it is the preferred choice for families who want the deepest possible surface and the highest possible contrast for gold-filled carved lettering. All three are available for inspection at our Morris County showroom.

Custom Design Process

At Black Granite Shop, the design process for a black granite headstone is a conversation, not a catalog selection. We begin by learning who the person was — their faith tradition, their personality, the symbols and imagery that carried meaning in their life — and we let that information guide every design decision from stone selection to lettering style. Consultations are available in English, Russian, and Polish, at our Morris County showroom or by phone. Our designers produce a scaled drawing that shows every element — name, dates, epitaph, symbols, borders, portrait if requested — in its correct position and proportion. You review and approve this drawing before production begins. Adjustments at the drawing stage are expected and accommodated without cost; we want your complete confidence before a single chisel touches the stone.

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Headstones process
Our Process

Our Hand-Carving Process

Six stages govern every black granite headstone that passes through Black Granite Shop's Morris County workshop. One: the family consultation, where we document every detail of the monument — dimensions, stone variety, design elements, cemetery name, and special requests. Two: the scaled drawing, produced by our design team and approved by you before any stone is touched. Three: material preparation — the selected American-made black granite slab is pulled from inventory, inspected for surface quality, and secured in the carving cradle. Four: hand-carving — letters, borders, symbols, and portrait work are executed in sequence, using pneumatic tools for primary shaping and hand chisels for finishing. Five: surface treatment — letter fills are applied, polished surfaces are buffed, and the finished stone is cleaned and inspected against the approved drawing. Six: delivery and installation — the monument is crated, transported to the cemetery, and set on a prepared foundation by our crew. We photograph the installed stone and send the image to your family, closing the loop on a process built around your confidence and satisfaction.

Headstones memorial installed in NJ
Voices

What Families Say

New Jersey families have entrusted us with their memorials for three generations.

“Our family had used Black Granite Shop for my grandparents' stones, so choosing them for my mother was never really a question. The black granite headstone they made is beautiful — exactly what we described, with the rose border she always loved and her name lettered in a script that suits her perfectly.” — Patricia, Morris County NJ
Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

If you do not see your question here, call us.

How long does it take to design and install a headstones?

The timeline from first consultation to installed monument is typically eight to twelve weeks. That window includes design drawing and approval, granite fabrication and hand-carving in our Morris County workshop, foundation preparation at the cemetery, and installation by our crew. We provide a schedule estimate at the start of your order so you know what to expect at each stage.

Do you serve cemeteries throughout New Jersey?

Yes. We place monuments in cemeteries throughout all 14 New Jersey counties — Morris, Bergen, Essex, Passaic, Hudson, Union, Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, Somerset, Middlesex, Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean. Every installation is handled by Black Granite Shop's own crew; we do not subcontract this work.

Are your memorials cemetery-compliant?

Yes. Every monument we produce is fabricated to meet the specific regulations of the receiving cemetery. We review the cemetery's rulebook — covering height, base, foundation, material, and finish requirements — before production begins. Cemetery-compliant specifications are not optional features; they are how we build every stone.

Can I bring my own design or photo?

Yes. Bring photographs, sketches, or simply a description of what you have in mind. Our design team translates personal imagery and family references into scaled drawings for your approval. We have worked with portraits, religious scenes, landscape imagery, wildlife, musical instruments, sports imagery, and many other personal symbols over our more than 80 years in business.

Do you offer veteran companion markers?

Yes. We design and produce companion headstones in black granite for married couples and for other family pairings. Veteran memorials incorporating military emblems, service dates, and rank are also among our most frequently requested designs. We are knowledgeable about VA burial benefits and can advise on coordination with government-furnished markers.

What languages do you serve families in?

Yes — English, Russian, and Polish.

Showroom & Gallery

See Headstones in Person

Browse a few of the stones we have set, then come visit us in person. Sample stones, finishes, and lettering are all on display.

Black Granite Shop Madison, NJ 07940
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Headstones · Serving all of New Jersey

Schedule a Free Consultation Today

We serve families across Morris, Bergen, Essex, Passaic, Hudson counties and all of New Jersey. Fill out the form, drop by the showroom, or call us. Real people answer the phone Monday through Saturday.

Request Your Free Consultation

A specialist contacts you within one business day. House calls available across Morris County and the surrounding region.

Or call (201) 297-4344