Why Work With Us?

Headstones Dealer
in NJ

Hand-carved headstones by Black Granite Memorials — 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 Memorials in NJ — image 1

Headstones

Over 80 Years in NJ

Ready When You Are

Talk to a Black Granite Memorials 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

From our workshop at 199 Main St in Madison, Morris County, Black Granite Memorials serves families across all 14 New Jersey counties. Black granite headstones we produce travel to cemeteries in Bergen, Essex, Passaic, Hudson, Union, Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, Somerset, Middlesex, Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean counties. Our installation crews coordinate directly with each cemetery's monument office to ensure foundations are prepared to specification and placement is completed correctly. Whether your family's cemetery is a small faith-based institution in Hunterdon County or a large memorial park in Middlesex, we bring the same standard of craftsmanship and attention to every installation.

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

Cemetery Compliance Guide

Cemetery Regulations

New Jersey cemeteries publish their own monument regulations, and those rules can differ significantly from one institution to the next. A cemetery in Morris County may permit upright monuments up to 48 inches in height, while a lawn-style memorial park in Monmouth County may restrict all markers to flush-level placement. Before any black granite headstone leaves our workshop, Black Granite Memorials's team reviews the receiving cemetery's current rulebook — covering permitted heights, base dimensions, stone colors, and installation methods. This diligence ensures your monument arrives ready for compliant, same-day installation without revision or rejection.

Foundation Requirements

Virtually every New Jersey cemetery requires a concrete sub-base, or footing, beneath an upright granite monument. Standard depth ranges from 12 to 24 inches below grade depending on monument size and soil conditions. Our installation team pours and cures foundations to the cemetery's stated specification, then sets the finished stone with mechanical leveling equipment. For black granite monuments, the dark surface makes any misalignment immediately visible in photographs, so precise leveling is especially important — our crews check plumb and level twice before releasing the stone.

Religious Cemetery Considerations

Faith-based cemeteries in New Jersey often carry denomination-specific monument rules in addition to standard dimension limits. Catholic cemeteries may specify that bases be flush-trimmed for mowing equipment; some Jewish cemeteries restrict stone colors or ban polished surfaces; certain Protestant institutions require prior approval for any figurative carving. Black granite is accepted in the overwhelming majority of NJ faith cemeteries, but it is always wise to confirm with your cemetery office before selecting a material. Black Granite Memorials's team handles this inquiry on your behalf as a standard part of our order process.

Our Collection

Our Headstones Collection

Headstone

A black granite headstone draws its power from contrast. The deep, nearly light-absorbing surface of India Black or Jet Black granite makes every carved letter, every incised line, every portrait etching stand out with exceptional clarity. This is why black granite has become one of the most widely chosen materials for upright headstones in New Jersey over the past several decades. At Black Granite Memorials, we work with upright, slant, and flat styles in black granite, each suited to different cemetery settings and family preferences. An upright headstone — the traditional form — stands vertically on a matching base and provides ample surface for names, dates, epitaphs, and decorative carving. A slant headstone leans at a gentle forward angle on a flat base and is favored in many Morris County and Bergen County cemeteries for its clean silhouette. Flat black granite markers, set flush with the lawn, suit memorial parks where vertical monuments are not permitted. All three styles are available in polished, honed, or rock-pitched finishes — each producing a distinctly different effect against the stone's natural black surface.

Black Granite Options

Not all black granites are alike. Black Granite Memorials sources from quarries that produce consistent American-made stone with known structural integrity and reliable color uniformity — critical qualities when a family is investing in a monument expected to last a century. India Black is our most popular black granite: a uniformly dark stone with fine crystalline texture that polishes to a mirror finish and holds carved detail exceptionally well. Jet Black offers a slightly cooler tone with minimal grain variation, giving finished monuments a near-matte appearance on unpolished faces. Absolute Black is the densest option, preferred by families who want the darkest possible surface with the highest contrast for gold-filled lettering. Our Morris County showroom keeps sample slabs of each variety so families can compare color and finish in natural light before deciding.

Custom Design Process

Every black granite headstone we produce begins with a detailed design consultation. At our Morris County showroom — or by phone in English, Russian, or Polish — we gather the information that shapes every decision: the full name and dates, preferred stone dimensions, any faith symbols or personal emblems to be incorporated, the style of lettering, and whether the family wants a portrait or scene etched into the stone. Our design team produces a scaled drawing showing all elements in their correct positions. You review and approve this drawing before production begins. Nothing is cut until you are certain the design reflects your wishes. Once approved, the stone moves to our hand-carving workshop, where artisans work through the design stage by stage. Final installation is coordinated directly with your cemetery.

Black Granite Headstone hand-carved by Black Granite Memorials in NJ — image 2
Black Granite Headstone hand-carved by Black Granite Memorials in NJ — image 3
Black Granite Headstone hand-carved by Black Granite Memorials in NJ — image 4
Black Granite Headstone hand-carved by Black Granite Memorials in NJ — image 5
Black Granite Headstone hand-carved by Black Granite Memorials in NJ — image 6
Black Granite Headstone hand-carved by Black Granite Memorials in NJ — image 7
Black Granite Headstone hand-carved by Black Granite Memorials in NJ — image 8
Black Granite Headstone hand-carved by Black Granite Memorials in NJ — image 9
Headstones process
Our Process

Our Hand-Carving Process

Producing a hand-carved black granite headstone in our Morris County workshop follows a disciplined six-step sequence refined over more than 80 years. First, we meet with your family — in person or by phone — to understand the person being remembered and what you envision for their stone. Second, our design team produces a scaled drawing that shows every letter, symbol, and carved element in exact proportion, which you approve before any cutting begins. Third, the approved design is transferred to the selected black granite slab using a precision template; the stone is secured in our carving cradle and inspected for any surface irregularities before tools touch it. Fourth, our artisans execute the carving: raised letters are cut first, then decorative borders, then any portrait or scene work, using pneumatic chisels and hand tools appropriate to each element. Fifth, the finished carved surfaces are evaluated against the approved drawing; paint-fill or gold-leaf is applied to lettering as specified; and the stone is cleaned and polished on its designated faces. Sixth, the completed monument is crated, transported to the cemetery, set on the prepared foundation, leveled, and photographed. We share the installation photograph with your family as confirmation that the work is complete.

Headstones memorial installed in NJ
Voices

What Families Say

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

“We chose Black Granite Memorials because my father's family had used them decades ago. The black granite stone they made for my mother is exactly what we wanted — the lettering is deep and clear, the finish is flawless, and knowing it was carved right here in New Jersey by people who take this work seriously meant everything to us.” — Robert, Essex 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?

Most black granite headstones move from first consultation to installed monument in eight to twelve weeks. That window covers design approval, granite fabrication and carving, foundation preparation at the cemetery, and installation. Cemeteries that require their own scheduling approval may add a few weeks to that estimate, and we communicate any such requirements to you at the outset.

Do you serve cemeteries throughout New Jersey?

Yes. Black Granite Memorials serves families and places monuments in cemeteries across all 14 New Jersey counties — Morris, Bergen, Essex, Passaic, Hudson, Union, Sussex, Warren, Hunterdon, Somerset, Middlesex, Mercer, Monmouth, and Ocean. Our installation crews travel throughout the state; distance does not affect the quality or completeness of our service.

Are your memorials cemetery-compliant?

Every headstone we produce is built to meet the specific regulations of the receiving cemetery. We obtain or review that cemetery's current monument rulebook before production begins, covering height limits, base requirements, foundation depth, and acceptable materials. Black granite is accepted at the vast majority of NJ cemeteries, but we confirm this for every order.

Can I bring my own design or photo?

Absolutely. Many families bring photographs of a loved one, religious imagery, military insignia, or hand-drawn sketches. Our designers incorporate those references into a scaled drawing for your approval. You can also select from our portfolio of standard ornamental borders, religious symbols, and lettering styles if you prefer a starting point rather than designing from scratch.

Do you offer veteran companion markers?

Yes. We design companion monuments in black granite to accommodate two individuals, with space for names, dates, and individual carved elements on a shared base. For veterans, we incorporate military branch emblems and service information. We are also knowledgeable about VA burial benefits and can advise on coordinating a private companion stone with any government-furnished veteran's marker.

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 Memorials Madison, NJ 07940
Get directions
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