Losing a loved one is never easy. When it happens, you will want to have a good way to remember them, and one of the best ways to achieve this is by creating a monument for them. Monuments are a little different than regular gravestones. You can have a monument in the shape of a lion, spindle, obelisk or another shape that your loved one would have liked. Here is an easy, three-step process to choose a monument headstone.

Decide on the Ideal Monument Material

Some commonly used materials to make gravestones and monuments are limestone, marble, bronze and stainless steel. Each of the materials has its benefits and disadvantages. 

Granite is adaptable and comes in a variety of colours and finishes. Marble is beautiful and smooth, which makes the most aesthetically appealing. Limestone has sentimental value because it is the oldest monument material, but it is not as durable as the others. Stainless steel is new and can withstand a variety of harsh weather conditions, which makes it quite durable. 

When choosing a monument material, you have to strike a balance between the aesthetic appeal and how well the material will handle weather conditions.

Consider the Ideal Monument Finish

Monuments can be finished in several ways. The most common include polished, partially polished, honed and pitched, among others. Polished finishes are smooth and attractive but also highly reflective. The pitched finish is rough but has clean edges, while the honed finish is smooth, but not polished. 

Other types of finishes that are more unique include axed, sandblasted and frosted finishes. You should pick a finish type depending on the design and the appearance you want for your headstone.

Decide What to Write on the Headstone

Once you have the material and the type of finish chosen, you can decide what you want to have written on the monument. Usually, people write the name of the deceased and add an epitaph. The epitaph is your chance to describe all the amazing qualities of your departed loved one. 

Choose a family member who is good with words to write the epitaph. After that, you can pick a reliable designer and see if they can successfully engrave or emboss your words of choice on the monument.

The last step in choosing a monument is getting a competent supplier to create the design of the monument you want, using your material of choice. Finally, ask for samples of monuments they have made before to make sure their products are superior quality. 

To learn more, contact a headstone supplier.

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