It is important to check with your cemetery to find out if it requires a certain type of grave marker material and size. A granite headstone may be appropriate in one part of the cemetery but in another, such as a memorial garden, bronze may be required.
Grave markers are available in a variety of materials, but the most common are granite, bronze, or a combination of the two. These materials re economical, long-lasting, and easy to maintain. Both are easy for artists to work with which allows for a variety of designs ranging from simple and elegant to extravagant and detailed.
Granite
Granite is an extremely hard, igneous rock that is made up primarily of quartz, mica, and feldspar. The same qualities which make it an excellent stone for building structures make it a preferred material for crafting memorial stones.
Its strength makes it durable, long lasting, and able to withstand the harsh weather. This type of grave marker material is available in many colors such as gray, pink, blue, black, and green.
Due to its natural properties, granite can be polished to a beautiful shine and its surface finished in any number of ways. This makes it tthe perfect material for personalizing. Modern carving techniques which use diamonds and carbide allow the craftsmen who create grave markers to engrave the stone with virtually any design.
Bronze
Bronze is an alloy that is made primarily of copper combined with other metals such as tin. Once combined, these metals become one of the hardest materials available. This makes bronze extremely durable and desirable for use in grave markers.
The actual marker is created by heating the bronze to an extremely high temperature until it liquefies and then passing it through a mold. The mold contains the personalization. After the molding process is complete the marker will be fine-tuned by a craftsman who evens out imperfections and applies a brown tinting to the background. Over time, bronze memorials will develop a green patina, bringing out the beauty of the marker.