Headstones are by their very name memorials erected over graves to mark the final resting place of the deceased. They are lasting symbols of remembrance.
Material
The most popular materials for headstones in the UK Cemeteries
and churchyards are Granite and Marble. Granite is usually the shinny polished headstone material and comes in a variety of colours. The white unpolished headstone material is marble.
Over the last twenty years the price of granite that is imported from India and China has actually gone down. This due to improved production techniques and reduced transport costs. This in turn has meant that granite headstones and granite memorials prices have remained relatively static.
Marble is very good for carving and so headstones made of this can be very elaborate. The down side to marble headstones is that they weather over the years and so can not be looked upon as everlasting.
Granite
headstones come in a huge verity of colours. If your selected
headstone supplier can not show you at least twenty different
colour samples we suggest you try another headstone company!
Price of Headstones and Memorials.
Headstones and memorials can be purchased from many showrooms around the UK. Recently at uk-funerals.co.uk we have noticed a company called Nationwide Memorials based in Kent. Memorials can be brought from this factory outlet and although we are not in the business of recommending any particular Headstone Mason we feel you should have a look at their web site - www.nationwidememorials.co.uk
Cleaning of Granite Headstones.
Granite headstones do not weather and will last forever. They can be cleaned with soapy water and should return to their former glory.
This is OK for general grim and dirt but very old light grey granite memorials might well need a chemical clean to remove built up tree sap and the like. This should only be done by a memorial mason.
Lettering inscriptions that have been cut into the granite memorial will never have to be re-cut. As the granite headstone is everlasting the letters will remain as sharpe as the day they were cut. The only remedial work that may have to be done to the headstone is that the gold leaf or enamel colour (color) may have to be reapplied. This is a relativity cheap process, about £1.00 a letter from a reputable monumental mason.
The Headstones Centre - Headstones www.memorialcentre.co.uk
What happens if the headstone subsides and goes out of level.
Whether a headstone goes out of level can depend on many factors. If the memorial headstone has been fixed on a concrete base it is usual for the memorial to settle. A headstone can weigh anything up to a ton so settlement is to be expected .
It is a simple process for your mason to raise the concrete base and pack under with earth. A reputable Monumental Mason should revisit a memorial headstone at least twice to re-level free of charge but you can expect to pay a reasonable amount, (say £50-£75) for their time after.
NAMM Anchor Fixing
Anchor fixings are becoming more common place across the UK as local councils demand safer fixing of headstone memorials in their cemeteries. The National Association of Monumental Masons, (NAMM), has developed a fixing system that is being adopted by many of these councils as their recommended system.
More and more councils are adopting the new BRAMM registration. All professional Monumental Masons that fix Headstones and Memorial in cemeteries will sooner or later be registered with BRAMM.
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