Exquisite Memorials & Headstones
Honoring Lives with Personalized Tributes
The death of a family member or loved one is a very difficult time, and designing a beautiful memorial headstone is the last step of the process to honor their memory for many years to come. The memorial you and your family members design will reside at your loved one’s final resting place forever, so it is important that you choose a headstone style and granite color that pays tribute to that special someone in a unique way.
In most cases, the families we serve are new to the memorial buying process and oftentimes need help navigating the process. Having created and installed custom monuments at a large number of cemeteries throughout the state, you can rest assured that our company can help you and your family navigate the process of crafting a beautiful tribute for your loved one that will honor their life for generations to come.
It used to be back in the day that the loved ones of the person who died would get together and walk into a monument company to see the available stones, request a price, and see examples of gravestones for sale in order to get the process started and create a lasting tribute for their loved one. Once everything was picked out, the family and stone carver would have to sketch out a rough draft design and then the family would go home and wait until the stone was completed.
However, with advanced technology at our fingertips in the digital age, the entire process of creating a beautiful memorial for your loved one can be done from the comfort of your own home. Gone are the overwhelming days of having to drive to and walk into a retail monument company with random headstones scattered all over the showroom floor.
“Our company has created a hassle-free and vastly efficient process with quality and customer experience at the forefront.”
Grave Markers
Grave markers (sometimes referred to as “markers”) are smaller in size and can be placed over one or multiple graves. They are one piece (as opposed to an upright headstone, which may consist of a stone and base) and most commonly seen in a single or companion size.
There are different types of grave markers, including grass markers, bevel markers, and slant markers.
Grass markers are typically flush with the ground and 4 inches thick. These types of grave markers are commonly used for a single memorial headstone (meaning it is for one person only). Bevel markers are headstones for graves that are very similar in size to grass markers. However, the notable difference with this type of marker is that they are not flush with the ground, but rather stand roughly 6 inches off the ground with a face that is slanted slightly downward.
Slant markers are the biggest type of marker, as they usually stand 16 inches off the ground and the face of the monument is heavily slanted downward. You have the ability to put the slant marker directly onto the ground or place it on a base to give it an added height.
Headstone vs. Grave Marker
The words “headstone” and “grave marker” are sometimes used interchangeably by families who are looking to honor the life of their loved one following a death in the family. Typically, the term “headstone” refers to any type of monument that is placed at the head of the grave in order to honor the memory of the deceased. “Grave Marker”, on the other hand, is typically a smaller, one-piece gravestone that is placed in a cemetery. Regardless of which term you use, there is no right or wrong answer.
Memorial Headstone Types
There are a variety of different types of memorials. Having referenced markers above, the other types of headstone memorials are upright headstones, which come in single and companion sizes. A single upright memorial is used to honor just one person who has died, whereas a companion upright is used to honor 2 or more memories. Upright headstones can come in a variety of shapes and colors, so be sure to consult with your family to see if there are any specific preferences that may need to be addressed when designing your loved one’s memorial.
Memorial Benches
Memorial benches are unique headstones for sale, as they take the shape of a bench as opposed to the traditional upright stone on a base. If you have done any type of search for headstones for sale online, then you most certainly have seen various types of memorial benches.
There are 2 popular types of memorial benches that are used in place of traditional tombstones. The flat bench memorial is one that is simple yet elegant in nature. It consists of a flat seat with 2 separate legs attached for stability. The other type of memorial bench is the park bench. This is a larger bench with a backrest, where most of the inscription will be engraved.
Headstone For Sale Near Me
Searching online for “headstones near me” may bring up a wide range of results, including monument companies, graveyards, and funeral homes. While gravestones and monuments can be provided by any of these types of businesses (and more), it is important to do your due diligence when purchasing a headstone or marker. After all, this memorial will be a tribute to the deceased forever, so it is important that it gets completed correctly and efficiently the first time.
For example, you will want to make sure that the company you are working with has an installation process in place. Believe it or not, there are companies that will sell a headstone to a family and then ask, “Where would you like it shipped?”. Most cemeteries will not accept shipped gravestones for liability purposes, and they will not install them for the same reason. Always be sure that the company you are dealing with will be installing your stone and that the installation is included in your purchase price.
Upright Headstone Color Options
There are many different colors of granite that are quarried from all over the world. Most granites are imported into the United States. However, there are some quarries in the USA where headstones are quarried, Barre, Vermont, and Elberton, Georgia being two of the most popular quarries for their grey granite.
However, if you are looking for a unique color that differs from traditional grey, you may look at rose, black, or blue, as these colors are also popular and offer a different look than traditional grey.
Regardless of the color you choose for your loved one’s headstone, granite is the material you will want to use in order to ensure that your stone stands the test of time and can stand up to outside conditions once it is set at the cemetery.
Black Granite Headstones
Over recent years, families have been inquiring about black granite stones more and more. The popular black granite that is used for headstones is quarried in India and then imported into the country. At our company, this is the most commonly requested color when someone calls us. Black granite has become increasingly popular in this modern area due to its sleek, clean look as well as its unique properties that allow for a laser-etched image or photo portrait to be etched directly into the granite.
Engraving Your Headstone
When it comes to the engravings on the stone, there are a couple of different directions that can be taken. The most common is traditional sandblasting. This is where the design, name, birth date, and death date are all engraved with a sandblast machine. The vast majority of headstones in cemeteries are engraved in this traditional way, which has been done for a long time. Any granite color can be sandblasted to give it the desired look and design.
More recently, family members have elected to have their designs etched into the stone via a process called laser etching. This process can only be performed on black granite due to its unique properties. Laser etching is carried out on a laser machine and is a much more shallow type of engraving than traditional sandblasting. Because of this, it does tend to fade over time. However, laser etching on black granite is extremely popular in today’s age, as you can get very detailed with the design and even etch scenes, images, and photo portraits directly into the black stone.
Photo Portraits On Headstones
There are 2 ways that you can add a photo portrait of your loved one to their headstone. The first way is by laser etching. This type of photo can only be done when using black granite, and it will be etched directly into the stone.
The other type of photo that you can add is a porcelain photo. A porcelain photo can be created in color or black and white and can be done on any color of granite, including black granite. Through a unique process, a picture of your loved one(s) can be recessed directly into the stone so that the surface of it is flush with the surface of the stone. The picture has a clear porcelain covering that protects it from weather and natural conditions.
Headstone Vases
Oftentimes, you will see matching granite vases on either side of an upright headstone where a family can place flowers. Most of our company’s packages for upright monuments include vases, but be sure to ask if this is an important component of your loved one’s memorial
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Memorial Rush Orders
Do you need your headstone completed quickly?
If you find yourself in a rare situation, such as family members coming into town to see the finished headstone or maybe just wanting a tribute completed before an upcoming holiday, ask us about our rush orders, where we can have your stone completed in our warehouse within 2 weeks after approving a final proofed image
Frequently Asked Questions About Upright Headstones
How Much Do Most Headstones Cost?
The typical cost of a conventional flat headstone for sale is roughly $1,000, although it can range from $1,000 to $3,000 depending on size, granite color, and engraving styles. Depending on the shape, size, granite color, and carved pattern, more ornate upright headstones can cost anywhere from $2,500 to $10,000.
What is the difference between a gravestone and a headstone?
The term “gravestone” dates from the late 1300s, while “tombstone” dates from the mid-1500s. A headstone was a grave monument put at the head of a grave, as the name suggests. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, it is the newest of the three words, appearing in 1676.
Will There Be Any Additional Fees When I Purchase A Headstone For Sale?
Your cemetery will have its own separate fee, which will cover the cemetery pouring the concrete foundation that your headstone will sit on once installed.
Is It Cheaper To Buy A Headstone Online?
At a glance, comparing prices only may in fact seem like it is cheaper to buy a headstone online. However, there is usually a reason. Oftentimes, when you buy a headstone online, there is not installation process in place, so it is up to you to find an installer and coordinate the installation with the cemetery yourself. If your cemetery does not accept shipped headstones for liability purposes, then you will need to make additional arrangements when it comes to finding a destination for your headstone once it is completed with the online company.
What Is The Cheapest Headstone You Can Buy?
Flat burial markers are the least expensive of all the headstone options. Flat grave markers made of granite typically cost between $1,000 and $3,000 on average, depending on a few factors.
Do Your Headstones Have A Warranty?
Our granite headstones come with a lifetime warranty that covers any non-man-made damages, such as a small fissure or crack forming in the granite over time. Although we have never had to honor this warranty due to the strength and durability of granite, you can rest assured that if anything should happen to compromise the structure of your stone, it will be covered at no cost to you.