Types of Memorials
- A granite memorial ready for engravingGray Granite Tombstone (No Name) image by steverts from Fotolia.com
When purchasing a memorial, it is best to have an idea of what you are looking for. A good place to begin is to learn the different types of memorials. The most common monuments are granite headstones, but there are also bronze markers, granite benches, columnbariums and mausoleums. When you enter a memorial shop, it will most likely have sample stones, and if you have knowledge of them beforehand, it will make your choices easier. - Typical sizes for an upright memorial are 6 to 8 inches thick, as tall as 24 to 36 inches and 18 to 60 inches wide. Granite upright memorials range in color and might be available in black, gray, blue or red. Choose from polished or rough (rock-pitched) sides. Uprights rest on a granite base, and you can combine them with flower vases. They come in a variety of shapes and might include carved figures on one side or on top. A common profile of the top of an upright is a serpentine.
- Slants are thicker on the bottom and thinner on top. The slope is typically 6 inches on the bottom, rising to 3 inches on the top, but this will vary from stone to stone. These memorials are available polished in two, three or five sides and mount the same way the uprights mount. You can add vases on the bases on slants as well. The slant of this type of memorial allows rain and debris (like branches and leaves) to fall away, leaving it clean.
- Pillows are designed for ground level. Common sizes are 24 inches by 12 inches, and they slope from 3 inches in the front to a height of 6 inches in the back; again, this will vary from stone to stone. They come with a variety of polished edges, most commonly only one edge (the top) is finished for the engraving. The edges are generally rough (rock-pitched). Most edges are rough because the stone installs at ground level. Therefore, if chips or scratches occur from lawn mowers, no one will notice them.
- Place flat markers above ground on a foundation, or dig them into the ground. Digging them into the ground allows for easy grounds maintenance. Flats are 3 to 4 inches thick and range from 12 to 24 long and 12 to 36 inches wide. They can only be engraved on one polished side (the top). Due to their size, they are an economical decision for many families as they are more affordable.
Upright
Sloping Upright (Slants)
Pillow
Flat Marker (Flats)
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