Picking the right headstone for your loved one is a way to immortalize the deceased. The correct headstone should be one that will reflect the deceased’s personality and style, and should be a testament to how they lived their life. When you try to find a headstone to commemorate the person’s life, there are a few things to consider.
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Types of headstone
Upright
This one is considered the traditional design. Its base is concrete, while the rest is made from granite, limestone, and marble. It’s spacious enough to offer room for a decently lengthy inscription of your choosing.
Flat
Another common type of headstone, flat ones are generally made from granite or bronze. They can be completely level or slightly raised from the ground. As with most other headstones they can be personalized with different colors, finishes, and materials.
Kerbed Headstones
This type of headstone offers extra space for personalized expressions. They’re generally laid flat on the ground, but can be raised with depending on personal choice. They’re usually combined with slant and bevel markers, as well as upright headstones.
Materials
This is an important factor to consider, as it’s the basis from which the type of headstone is then chosen. It affects the design, and the placement to an extent.
Granite
Granite is one of the most common materials used as it’s one of the most versatile ones. It’s very durable, and because of its ubiquity it’s considerably less expensive too. Granite can be personalized with different colors and finishes, and its aesthetics can be adapted to any situation.
White Marble
This material is generally not allowed in churchyards. Even though it’s a beautiful material that often looks and feels smooth, it’s quite fragile, so it shouldn’t be placed in damp areas. White marble has unique textures that can resemble veins, and they usually look blue and grey.
Limestone
Unlike white marble, limestone is permitted in churchyards, but it’s not as durable as granite or white marble. It usually has a beige hue, and it’s rubbed to a smooth finish.
Bronze
Bronze as a material is highly durable, and because of that it’s gaining increased popularity. It’s generally more expensive than granite, but it’s not allowed in churchyards most of the time.
Personalization
After considering your options on the type and materials of the headstone, you should be aware of the customization options.
Images
Modern-day services mostly use lasers to etch names and inscriptions, but you can still readily find services that offer hand-crafted designs. If you would like a full photograph, then ceramics are generally used instead of lasers of hand-crafted services.
Fonts
This is the detail that affects the entire design. Carefully consider your options as the inscription is a very important aspect, and you wouldn’t potentially like to have one that is not fitting to the rest of the design.
There are many details that have to be carefully considered when you’re creating a headstone for your loved one. What’s important is that the memory of the deceased will be cautiously preserved, and their headstone will be a testament to the life they have led.