Headstone Material: Settle for the best that can last for years
Are you looking for the best monument for a deceased loved one?
Have you already started the process and finalized the design and the materials to be used?
Do you know which headstone materials you can get in Slovenia, or which are the best?
If your answer to the last two is no, the information below may help you choose the best quality headstone that will last for years.
What are Headstones?
Have you taken a look at your local cemetery before choosing a design? If you have you will have noticed a variety of headstones with many different shapes, colors, designs, and names each with its own story.
Well, there are also many headstones or gravestones which are in general unique. Most include the name of the deceased, their religion, and date of birth, and very often the headstone tells the story of how the family wanted their loved one to be remembered.
To choose the best headstone for your loved one, you first need to learn the many different qualities of stone and the different types of stone.
What are the factors in conceptualizing a headstone?
A conceptual headstone may be something you already have in your mind, despite that, the headstone size will still need to follow the local cemetery restrictions. The grave material, design, and color will depend on the deceased family’s preferences.
The Quality
As with any other decision we make in life, a headstone is considered a long-term investment. We always advise our clients to agree on an effective plan when it comes to the budget of the headstone, which entails the design, the material, the color, and the workmanship. You need to consider the shape of the headstone and where it is going to be placed. When it comes to the materials of the headstone, its quality, and the engraving, the drafted ideas should be examined again for any mistakes. In order to find the right headstone for your loved one, you can start by looking at samples, portfolios, and reliable recommendations on where to find headstone makers, online or in person.
The Design
As with most headstones, the deceased person’s basic information should be engraved on the stone. Details such as; name, date of birth, and date of death.
You may find headstones that include a photo, a quote, religious verses, emblems, and other symbols.
Before proceeding with the design, it is best to make sure that your design is acceptable at your chosen cemetery. In addition to these considerations, it is advised to check with the cemetery staff or the Upravna Enota about the main guidelines and standards. Once you know the allowed specifications, you can proceed with the design which includes the text, the color of the headstone, the text, the text color, photos, or other things that you wish to include. For design samples, you may contact us and we can assist you in finding what headstone material may tailor to your ideas.
The Budget
It is an important factor that you will need to decide on as well. In choosing a headstone, you have to set a budget to narrow down the choices. You need to know in advance that your ideas correspond with your budget. So, if you want to memorialize your loved one’s last wishes and commemorate their life then it is advisable for you to view the designs of headstones before making any final decisions. With this matter, it is best to consult a professional and let them recommend the right headstone material and design according to your budget.
Recommended materials
Whilst being aware of your budget, materials for your loved one’s headstone are the next consideration. Most headstones are made from marble or granite.
Headstones are forms of memorializing our loved ones through art primarily produced from durable stones such as Granite or Marble. These days, granite stone is much more popular in Slovenia because it is a harder stone than marble. Granite has surpassed marble as the most popular material for headstone creation, and that’s why it will be easier to find it among the headstone makers across Slovenia.
For many years, aside from the important details of the deceased on the headstone, most do have various inscriptions, religious texts, symbols etc, which can be engraved on both Marble or Granite. The choice of stone will need to be reflected upon, although granite is a more practical option. You can also select a headstone that has a unique design that incorporates your ideas and consists of your loved one’s wishes.
What are the practicalities of each stone?
Granite is the standard stone for making headstones and grave markers globally, thanks to its increased durability and aesthetic appeal. The material has a high heat-treating ability, which keeps it cool and can prevent cracks or chipping. Granite is a tough natural stone that comes in a variety of fascinating colors, including jet black, tropical green, blue pearl, classic grey, mountain red, light pink, and more.
Due to its natural strength, granite can withstand extreme temperatures, climate changes, snow, sleet, rain, and salt. Most expert memorial makers consider granite as an excellent choice for making monuments due to its greater versatility in terms of possible design options.
Granite is one of the most budget-friendly options among different memorial materials; that’s why some cemeteries only allow granite headstones to maintain conformity throughout the cemetery. Granite can also stand the test of time for years to come, making it the primary choice among buyers searching for memorial headstones.
Marble is a material that can be utilized to produce intricate headstone designs, that’s why in the past, most monuments made of marble came in attractive designs. Since granite became an increasingly popular option that is able to handle the climatic conditions in Slovenia, marble is now mostly used as a work surface as opposed to a headstone. One of the significant downsides to using marble is that when it is exposed to acidic rains the inscriptions upon it become unreadable with time. Since marble is a high-maintenance material, people often prefer granite as a high-quality and budget-friendly substitute.
What headstone material should I choose?
You must know which material to use when planning the headstone. It is best to choose a long lasting-material for your loved one’s headstone so it will remain for future generations. A Headstone is an irregular unwanted purchase. That’s why we would like to assist you in getting as much information as possible for you to make the right choice to meet your needs.
Granite stones have many ranges across the color spectrum—from grays and blacks to reds and blues. It isn’t made by people or machines, but by geological processes far below the earth’s surface, it is an igneous rock, meaning it crystallized from magma that cooled thousands of years ago. For this reason, granite is one of the most durable materials used for headstones. When choosing a stone you should take into account the weather and how it will impact the stone.
Physically, the stone is worn away by natural processes such as frost and ice. Chemically, by air, acids, water, and other biological influences.
Granite is composed primarily of minerals that have been altered by heat, pressure, and water. The cost for each stone type depends on several factors including the stone strength, where it’s been imported from, the stone weight, how long it can be exposed to weather, etc.
Without question, granite has become the staple headstone material. It is accepted by almost all Slovenian cemeteries and will last for generations to come.
Selecting a finish for your Headstone - Engraving, Fonts, and A Polished headstone
In addition to the headstone material, you also need to think about the shapes and designs you wish to see on your loved one’s headstone. As they are both very important parts of the design, you need to make sure that you are able to choose a font that has a good balance between the type and its width. You should also choose a font for your loved one’s name and dates of birth and death.
Headstones have different finishes:
Polished Surfaces (smooth and shiny) – the headstone surfaces and sides can be polished. Firstly the main surface is polished with a coarse abrasive and then a finer abrasive comes into action until the surface is perfectly smooth. This action can be done on any stone surface, however, the more polished surfaces the headstone has, the more time it will take and the more it will cost. The final shiny finish is achieved with a buffing process that uses an extremely fine abrasive. In Slovenia, most of the headstones have at least some surfaces polished.
Honed Surfaces – these are surfaces that have been partially polished. They are not shiny but are very smooth. They are rarely used – their primary application is to provide decorative contrast to polished areas.
Sawn Sides – this is a smooth finish, but may have lines in the finish from the saw blade, and is generally used only for surfaces that will not be visible after the monument is installed.
Rock Pitched – is a rough finish, rock surfaces that have been pitched by hand using a hammer and chisel to achieve a finished, consistent rock effect.
What is the estimated expense for a headstone?
Many people are used to contacting the local headstone maker in the area they live in, despite that they might get better service and inquiries from other headstone makers in nearby cities across Slovenia. To get other inquiries about the headstone you have decided on, it is recommended to share your chosen design, materials, and accessories with other headstone makers.
Before meeting with other headstone makers it is advisable to have a prepared sketch or photograph of what you would like the headstone to look like along with the designs, materials, and accessories you wish to have, so the headstone maker can give you the right offer based on the design and size you prepared for him. You can inquire about other headstone colors they may have available.
You can contact us to discuss your needs and obtain an estimate that suits your budget, we are committed to providing excellent service to all of our customers and delivering your materials on time.
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