The bright memory of the person who has left our world in the hearts of his close and dear people remains forever. The path to the grave does not overgrow, there are always fresh flowers. To emphasize the love of the departed and the depth of their grief, family members on the grave set a tombstone, where the dates of birth and death are usually written, the name of the deceased, an epitaph, a photograph is often placed (either embossed on the stove itself or printed). And what are the monuments made of? Read about it in the article.
Tombstone Installation
Today, you can order a monument in every ritual bureau. The staff will provide you with a catalog with samples from which you can choose the appropriate option. Also, if you want, the tombstone can be made according to an individual sketch. Before placing an order, you need to select the material. About what monuments are made of, they will tell you in the office of the manufacturer. Keep in mind that the better and more durable the material, the longer the tombstone will retain its original appearance, however, the price, accordingly, will be higher. Now on the market they offer all kinds of tombstones: from stone, metal, polymer granite, concrete and even wood. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of each option in more detail.
Monuments from a natural stone
Such tombstones are considered the most reliable and noble, they will look decent for a long time and can stand for centuries. And what stone are the monuments made of? Granite is considered to be the best material, marble is no less often used. Let's talk about the properties of these stones.
1. Tombstones of granite
This material does not turn gray and does not fade under the influence of the sun's rays; it does not crack under temperature extremes. A granite monument can have any thickness and shape, because the material can be easily processed. At the same time, you can be sure that the finished product will not be damaged: cracks and chips. It will be possible to apply a portrait image of any complexity on it, and the surface will not lose accuracy from this and will not look too scratched. The advantage of this stone lies in the fact that it is presented in a huge variety of color variations, so you can choose absolutely any color. Gabbro granite is considered the most beautiful and expensive.
2. Marble tombstones
This material is softer than granite, therefore, working with it is more problematic. Perhaps the benefits include a lower price. It is impossible to carve a portrait on such a stone, so usually granite tiles or photo walls are attached to it.
Manufacturers make tombstones not only of natural marble, but also make monuments of artificial stone. In any case, the material requires regular maintenance and is less durable than granite. If you live in a considerable distance from the burial place and do not have the opportunity to often come to the cemetery to clean marble of impurities, it is better to choose a different tombstone. The fact is that stains remain from grease and moisture on such monuments, and colored material is also characterized by low frost resistance.
Metal monuments
This group includes bronze, iron and other gravestones. Different metals have different properties, but have a common significant drawback - susceptibility to corrosion. Unfortunately, there is also a fear of vandalism. Metal products can be returned for recycling for money, so there are times when monuments are simply carried away from the cemetery.
1. Tombstones of bronze
They look expensive and solid, even corrosion looks noble on them. Nevertheless, completely bronze monuments are quite rare, often letters or bronze ornaments are applied to stone slabs. In this way, even the most modest tombstone can be given individuality.
2. Monuments of iron
These products are simple and easy to install. But dismantling, unfortunately, will not cause difficulties either. In general, this material is better not to choose: it quickly rusts and is easily deformed. To some extent, this situation can be prevented if the gravestone is regularly painted.
What material are the monuments made of?
Nowadays, polymer granite is often used for this type of product. This is a mixture of polymer material and granite chips, which is first cast into molds, and after hardening, coated with a protective composition and decorated with decorative elements. Such a tombstone will stand less than stone, but it also costs less. Despite the fact that outwardly the monument will look like granite, inside it is often hollow. And this means that after some time the joints will begin to diverge, and a beautiful view will be lost. According to the manufacturing technology, polymer granite products are very similar to tombstones from stone chips. The difference is only in the binding substance - instead of concrete, polymer is used.
Other materials
Talking about what the monuments are made of, one cannot but mention concrete. The tombstone is cast entirely from this material, that is, except for concrete, no components are present anymore. This design is unreliable, even with proper reinforcement, the monument will not retain its original appearance for long: the concrete quickly crumbles and begins to crumble under the influence of the external environment.
Finally
We have not listed all the options for what the monuments are made of. The selection is quite extensive; in order not to make a mistake, it is better to seek the advice of professionals. After all, it’s important to establish a tombstone that will leave for posterity the memory of the forever gone!