Five Steps to Designing Your Monument

Purchasing a headstone or monument is a personal and emotional matter. The headstone you choose will likely remain with the deceased for the rest of time, so it is an important decision that sometimes takes days, weeks, or even months to finalize, depending on the complexity and design of your project.

There are generally five factors you will need to consider when designing a monument, and each one is as important as the next:

Materials

While different types of stone generally serve as the standard for memorials, a headstone can be crafted from a wide range of different materials. Some of the different materials we can use to craft your memorial include:

  • Granite: Granite is the industry standard for monuments. Hard and weather resistant, granite is expected to maintain its shape and engravings for thousands of years. Granite comes in a variety of colors and textures and allows for a wide variety of design choices.
  • Marble: A traditional favorite. Marble has been used for monuments for thousands of years and will continue to be used for thousands more. The choice for both Michealangelo and Arlington National Cemetery, marble will always be a class of its own. 
  • Bronze:  Another traditional favorite. Bronzes are typically mounted on other stones. They are low Maintenace options that offer a different look and a wide variety of artistic choices.
  • Natural stone: Natural stones can be any-type rock with any shape. These are non-traditional options that are always unique. The variety of shapes, textures and materials may limit design choices, but we will do our best to engrave it.
  • Other: We also engrave and etch other materials. Such as: brick, glass and wood.

Choosing the right material is important because monuments are meant to last for generations. We can help you better understand the pros and cons of these materials.