There are many factors that affect the type of stone to be chosen for a memorial. Individual church yards may have specific regulations about the stone type, designs, approved inscriptions allowed and style of memorial. The location of the grave may be a factor; form instance if it is in an exposed area then a memorial made in a softer stone such as Portland might weather more quickly than one in granite. Another consideration might be that a memorial made of a marble material may stain if erected in a wooded area.
Different types of stone also allow different types of lettering. Stone memorials may have the letters cut and left natural. Often letters are cut and painted with enamel, with black or silver being the most popular colours. However, a dark granite memorial lends itself to cut and gilded lettering. So Selecting the Memorial Stone needs careful consideration.
Which types of stone are easier to maintain?
An important issue to consider is about the amount of time that you will be able to devote to looking after the memorial. Some stone-types are harder wearing or easier to clean than others. A good example of this is polished granite memorial that can be easily cleaned with a damp cloth. However, a marble memorial may require special treatment after a time to maintain its original look. Also, letters cut in granite will stay sharp for many years, but letters cut into softer stone may require re-cutting in the future.
What types of stone are available?
- Black Granite
- Blue Pearl Granite
- Red Granite
- Light Grey Granite
- White Marble
- Dark Grey Granite
- Portland Stone
- Nabresina Crown Stone
- York Stone
- Green Slate
- Serena Stone
- Grey Slate
At Set in Stone we have a wide choice of other materials that can be used and there are a wide variety of colours available.
It is worth noting that the colour of a particular stone is dependent on the minerals and conditions present when the rock was formed. You should also note that some stones may be more easily available than others at certain times.