Product Overview

Black Basalt 12" x 24" Honed Natural Stone Tile delivers a refined architectural surface through genuine volcanic stone. Its deep charcoal-to-black coloring, fine-grained structure, and smooth honed finish create a quiet, monolithic appearance suited to contemporary, minimalist, industrial, and modern organic interiors.

Formed as molten lava cooled and solidified, basalt is naturally dense and durable. Subtle tonal movement, occasional mineral markings, and small natural pores distinguish it from uniformly printed porcelain. The honed finish produces a smooth, low-sheen surface that softly absorbs light rather than creating a glossy reflection.

The versatile 12" x 24" format works across floors, walls, fireplace surrounds, bathrooms, commercial interiors, and properly designed exterior installations.

Technical Specifications

Recommended Applications

• Kitchen, hallway, foyer, and living-area floors

• Bathroom floors and walls

• Shower walls and steam-shower surrounds

• Kitchen and bar backsplashes

• Fireplace surrounds and hearth-facing applications

• Feature walls and architectural cladding

• Retail, restaurant, hotel, and office interiors

• Exterior walls and properly designed exterior floors

• Pool and spa surrounds where the finish meets project-specific requirements

The smooth honed surface does not have a published wet slip-resistance rating. Confirm suitability before using it on shower floors, pool decks, ramps, uncovered patios, or other wet walking surfaces. A flamed or flamed-and-brushed basalt finish generally provides more texture for exterior flooring.

Installation Guidelines

Important: Natural Basalt Moisture and Sealing Protocol

Basalt can darken temporarily or develop edge discoloration when exposed to mortar and grout moisture. Test the complete setting, sealing, and grouting system before beginning the installation.

• Inspect all tiles before installation and reject pieces with unacceptable damage.

• Dry-lay material from several cartons to distribute natural color differences, pores, and mineral markings.

• Install over a clean, flat, stable, and properly prepared substrate.

• Use a polymer-modified Large and Heavy Tile mortar meeting ANSI A118.4 or A118.15 and approved for natural basalt.

• Select the mortar color consistently and test it on spare material to evaluate any visible darkening.

• Directionally trowel the mortar and back-butter tiles as necessary.

• Obtain at least 80% mortar contact in dry interior areas and 95% in wet or exterior installations.

• Periodically remove a tile during installation to verify mortar transfer and coverage.

• Use a grout-joint width appropriate for actual tile calibration, substrate conditions, and installer recommendations.

• Apply a penetrating natural-stone sealer before grouting when required by the selected sealing system.

• Test grout on spare material to evaluate staining, scratching, and picture-frame discoloration.

• Use grout suitable for natural stone and the intended installation environment.

• Install showers and other wet areas over a complete waterproofing system. Sealing the stone does not waterproof the assembly.

• Exterior installations require proper slope, drainage, flashing, movement accommodation, and freeze-thaw-rated setting materials.

• Include perimeter and field movement joints according to TCNA EJ171 and applicable construction requirements.

• Wet-cut using a suitable diamond blade and proper protection from respirable crystalline-silica dust.

• Order approximately 10–15% additional material for cuts, natural variation, breakage, and future repairs.

Sealing Recommendations

• Use a penetrating or impregnating sealer approved for honed basalt.

• Test the sealer on spare material before treating the complete installation.

• A natural-look sealer provides stain protection with minimal color change.

• A color-enhancing sealer will deepen the charcoal and black tones and may create a permanently darker appearance.

• Remove all excess sealer from the surface before it dries.

• Resealing frequency depends on exposure, traffic, cleaning methods, and the selected product.

Care and Maintenance

• Clean with warm water and a neutral-pH cleaner formulated for natural stone.

• Use microfiber cloths, soft mops, or non-abrasive nylon brushes.

• Avoid vinegar, acidic cleaners, bleach, abrasive powders, and aggressive degreasers.

• Remove spills promptly, particularly oil, grease, wine, cosmetics, and strongly pigmented liquids.

• Prevent gritty debris from accumulating on floors, where it may scratch the honed surface.

• Do not apply waxes or topical coatings unless specifically approved for basalt.

• Expect the stone to appear temporarily darker when wet.

• Inspect exterior and wet-area installations periodically for failed sealant, open joints, or moisture intrusion.

Design Profile

• Aesthetic Inspiration: Modern minimalism, urban industrial, Japanese contemporary, and architectural brutalism

• Color Character: Deep charcoal, smoky gray, and soft black

• Surface Character: Smooth, dense, and low-sheen

• Visual Advantage: Creates a calm, continuous surface with less graphic movement than heavily veined stone

• Suggested Layouts: Straight stack, one-third offset, vertical stack, and grid pattern

• Complementary Materials: White oak, walnut, concrete, brushed steel, creamy limestone, and clear glass

• Complementary Metals: Matte black, gunmetal, brushed stainless steel, aged bronze, and polished chrome

• Suggested Grout Colors: Charcoal or dark gray for continuity; medium gray for subtle definition

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Black Basalt natural stone or porcelain?

It is genuine natural basalt, an igneous rock formed as molten lava cooled and solidified.

Is the honed surface textured?

No. Honed basalt has a smooth, low-sheen surface. It should not be described as splitface, sculptural, high-relief, or 3D.

Does Black Basalt require sealing?

Sealing is recommended, particularly before grouting and in wet, exterior, or stain-prone locations. Always test the selected sealer because enhancing products may darken the stone considerably.

Can it be used on floors?

Yes. Basalt is dense and durable, making it suitable for properly designed residential and commercial floors.

Can it be installed outdoors?

Yes, with appropriate exterior mortar, slope, drainage, movement joints, and substrate preparation. The honed finish must also be evaluated for wet slip resistance.

Can it be installed in a shower?

Yes. The supplier lists wet-area and steam-shower applications when the stone is properly sealed and installed over an approved waterproofing system.

Can it be used on a shower floor or pool deck?

Only after confirming the honed surface meets project-specific slip requirements. A textured basalt finish is generally preferable for frequently wet exterior walking surfaces.

Will every tile be completely black?

No. Natural basalt commonly ranges from dark gray to charcoal-black and may contain small pores, subtle mineral markings, and slight tonal differences.

Why does basalt sometimes darken around the edges?

Moisture from mortar or grout can temporarily darken the stone or create picture-frame discoloration. Proper material testing, mortar coverage, drying time, and sealing help control this effect.