Kota Black Limestone

Black limestone is arguably one of the most unique stones on the market.

It’s a colour most people don’t realise occurs naturally in the ground, and as a result can be an impressive show piece for someone’s garden.

The deep blacks of Black Limestone paving slabs are an amazing choice if you are looking to create a contemporary garden with a truly standout feature.

 Freshly laid and wet it is a genuine deep black; dry and over time it is closer to a dark charcoal grey. This is natural to the stone and the single most common surprise for buyers. Sealing holds it at the darker end and brings back the depth whenever you reapply. If you want a black that never shifts, our dark porcelain ranges keep their colour permanently, as the pigment is fired into the slab.

Not for durability, but we would recommend it for appearance. Limestone absorbs little water and will last unsealed, so sealing is about colour rather than protection. Without it, Kota Black lightens towards grey over the first year or two. A breathable sealer keeps the deep black, makes spills easier to lift and slows the chalky white bloom some limestone shows early on. Seal after laying once the slabs are fully dry, then top up every two to three years.

Yes, it mellows. All Kota Black lightens from deep black towards a softer dark grey as it weathers, which happens faster in full sun and on an unsealed patio. It is not patchy fading; the whole surface shifts together, and many people prefer the more traditional, settled look that results. Sealing slows it considerably and a fresh coat restores the darker tone. A thorough clean also brings back colour, as surface film dulls the stone.

Very little. Kota Black is one of the most consistent natural stones we sell, with a single shade of deep black across the pack rather than the blends you get in sandstone. The surface is naturally smooth with fine pitting, which catches the light differently slab to slab. Order the full quantity in one go as separate batches can differ slightly.

Our mixed size packs come in 5m², 10m², 15m² and 17m², with 17m² the full patio pack, priced from £24.48 per m². Each pack holds a balanced mix of four sizes: 90 x 60cm, 60 x 60cm, 60 x 29cm and 29 x 29cm, all calibrated to 22mm thick. Allow around 10% extra for cuts and the occasional breakage. 

A random or opus pattern suits a mixed pack best, with no repeating module and no continuous straight joint running across the patio. Dry-lay a few square metres first and shuffle the sizes until nothing looks like a grid. The one rule worth keeping is to break the joints, so that a joint in one row lands in the middle of the slab above. If you prefer a modern, ordered layout, buy single-size slabs instead, which we stock in all four sizes.

Yes, a full range. For walls we stock Black Limestone wall coping with hand dressed edges or two-side bullnosed, plus corner pieces from £28.99 each, three-side bullnosed end pieces and pier caps from £14.00. For changes in level there are Black Limestone Rustic Steps and Black Bullnosed Steps from £33.98. All are the same Kota Black stone, so they match the paving, though seal the whole lot together to keep the colour matched.

Kota Black is quarried in India, mainly in the Kota district of Rajasthan, which is where the name comes from. You may also see it sold as Kaddapah Black, after another Indian quarrying area. All our paving is sourced from approved mills, and because natural stone varies between quarry batches we always advise ordering the full quantity for a project in one order rather than topping up later.