Useful information
With our experience of 20 years we would like to give you a hand choosing the right material for gravestones. However, not from the point of view of business, but from yours as a customer according to the two most important factors, price and value. The following text might seem long but it is worth devoting 10 minutes to read it in order to get a clear picture.
Artificial gravestones
Artificial gravestones are starting to disappear because cheaper granite approximates their price. Furthermore, its lifespan is more favourable as well. Some retailers (who are not skilled people, only dealers) claim that these stones are absorbent, prone to stains and moss, not frost-resistant etc.
They are people who do not know how to produce artificial stones to withstand all these conditions. What’s more, we should not criticize the work of previous generations without expertise. Old gravestones have been in graveyards for 50-60 years and even though they are covered in moss (every 7-8 years they need to be polished, which costs 25-35,000Ft at our company), frost hasn’t destroyed them. Unlike imported Chinese or Indian stones which are not resistant to frost and tend to get stained and unpolished (for further information see granites).
Artificial gravestones are available in different colours and granule structure. Colours like white, grey, red, yellow etc. are a mixture of limestone and cement. Without maintenance they tend to get mossy in 8-10 years. However, having been polished they look just as if they were brand new. Their life span is 20-50 years. Polished granite granule or basalt rubble artificial stones are much harder and their polish might last as long as 18-20 years. They cost between 169,000 and 294,000Ft at our company.
They can be dismantled, assembled and renovated at any time. Artificial gravestones are recommended to those who find their qualities and price suitable.
Marble gravestones
It is true that they are harder than artificial stones, but not hard enough in order not to get mossy after 10-15 years. They can be re-polished and look as if they were brand new. They cost more than artificial stones, about 250-260,000Ft for two persons. They can be dismantled, assembled, renovated and re-polished at any time. Marble gravestones are recommended to those who find its wonderful pattern, colour, unique features and history attractive despite the above mentioned drawbacks.
As opposed to some unskilled retailers, I would recommend them to everyone taking into consideration all the above. If they are suitable as gravestones in the paradise of stonemasonry in
In favour of marble we must mention that one of the biggest and most beautiful gravestones in the world, The Taj Mahal, is made of marble.
Solid granite gravestones
They are much harder than the previous ones, but not all of them, though. Their hardness can be described with an absorbent factor. The smaller it is, the more solid and harder the granite is.
However, above a certain limit it is not resistant to frost, but it is still granite.
All in all, not every type of granite is suitable for making reliable gravestones. Some rival retailers claim that their granite gravestone is the one. There are hundreds of imported Chinese and Indian granites which absorb more water than they should; consequently they are not frost-resistant. Furthermore, there is another source of problem. It contains more granite ferrite which becomes oxidized outdoor due to rain. This way rust may develop on their surface. So it is wrong to claim that they are resistant to alkali, acid or frost. Moreover, it is also wrong to believe that they will keep their colour and shine forever. Every kind of granite is a volcanically transformed crystal stone. Therefore, they contain derivatives of different metals which can become oxidized when coming into contact with water (they get mature, their colour changes). This process takes one or two years depending on the hardness of granite.
This material will keep its brightness up to 120-130 years (in case of a horizontal surface), although it is not true for some imported ones which absorb water. They start to lose their brightness after 50-60 years.
Every kind of granite is prone to stains and rust (e.g. the metal wires of wreaths), only its hardness and darker colour might prevent it for a while. Concerning identical patterns we must make it clear that stonemasons who use boards can select the different parts (frame, cover, headstone etc.) so that they are uniform. In case of other dealers it is really hard to find two identical pieces in two different consignments from
Their price is similar to marble starting at 169,000 Ft without a maximum limit. We offer a 14 days deadline even for unique sepulchres in urgent cases. They can be dismantled, assembled, renovated and re-polished at any time.
It is just as suitable for making gravestones as the previous ones, but its shiny surface, and little maintenance make it more popular. You should buy granite gravestones only at stonemasons who have their own premises, because they hardly ever exhibit two identical pieces. However, if there are 4-6 different colours with identical shape and style, you can suspect that they come from containers.
Coated granite gravestone
It is not different from solid granite except for the concrete bracing inside the frame (3cm thick solid granite). They cost more than 5cm thick solid granite frames. They are available from 189,000 Ft for two persons at our company. In case of 5cm thick frames the price of solid granite is 20-40,000 Ft higher.
It is more expensive, stronger, and thicker owing to an invisible reinforced concrete bracing. The frame is fixed with screws of size 8, whereas 5cm thick frames only allow screws of size 6. 5cm thick frames might lose their shape and in 10% of the cases they might even break. As opposed to this a coated grave is strong enough to pull a truck.
Some unskilled ‘experts’ often say that it is cheaper than solid granite, the two materials behave differently in cold or warm weather which causes them to come apart, plus they cannot be repaired. Moreover, they say they never make coated gravestones. Well, with such skills I would advise them not to do anything at all. They say it is cheaper, because they do not have the skills to make it, or else, this is the only way for them to sell imported gravestones, which are cheap originally, but they sell them at a much higher price.
Does it come apart?
If they make it, then sure it does. Even though the deny making them, it is not true. The evidence is the following. If somebody makes a granite pavement to go with the granite gravestone, they use the same technology. In other words, they have to use concrete or artificial stone underneath the granite paving.
Is it impossible to repair it?
With my experience of 20 years and continuously improving technologies I can safely say that a frame can be repaired in five or six minutes. Of course I do not mean frames made at our company.
By the way, for those who may not know, in order to solve the problem of thermal expansion, in the past 20 years, together with other experts we have been using a special dilation technology for the two materials. That’s why it doesn’t come apart. For example they often say granite cannot be used on terraces, squares, old concrete or asphalt. But you should take a look at the city centre of
Gravestone with 10cm or 8cm thick solid granite frame
This is technically the same as a coated one, but you are forced to pay for 7-8cm more granite. In case of a coated frame this amount is substituted with concrete, which is not even visible, let alone covered gravestones.
This solution has its price depending on colour, although not as much as at other companies. We charge 50-80,000 Ft compared with the costs of 100-500,000 Ft if you choose another company. It is neither steadier nor stronger than a coated frame. Moreover, it might lose its shape if the concrete is not reinforced.
Apart from this I would recommend it to everyone who can afford it. But make sure you enquire at different places in order to make an informed choice, because eventually it is price that matters, and you might get an offer for half the price. Let me make a comparison. The foundation of a house must be 60cm thick according to regulations, but many people believe that it’s a good idea to make it 90cm because it’s more expensive. Unfortunately, many of us have misconceptions such as believing that more expensive things are necessarily better. However, it is not true.
The most important factor is price and value. If you can buy a certain product at a much lower price from an expert, it is not sure that the product itself has a lower quality as well. Maybe profit margins are smaller.
I hope I could give you a thorough review. Should you need any further information, do not hesitate to contact us either on phone or in person.
About maintenance
Artificial stones, marble or limestone should be washed every spring (after the snow has melted) and autumn (after trees have lost their leaves) using a brush and clean water. This way we can remove dust, which means that moss and lichen cannot develop on the surface. It’s essential not to use any kind of chemicals, hydrochloric acid or bleach, because they can cause the stone to wear away and lose its colour.
If you need to tackle some persistent stain, you should choose a stronger brush. If it still doesn’t help, the only solution left is polishing. In case of polished artificial stones, which are coated with stone wax, this wax layer must be replaced twice a year after washing and drying. This way its surface varnish can be preserved against all weather conditions and moss.
Granite gravestones can be washed with water and vinegar, or even window cleaner. The procedure is quite similar to window cleaning. It is also vital to know that wax, oil, grease etc. can be absorbed by any kind of stone, which produces an irremovable stain. Kitchen counters must be treated with waterproofing substances.
Should you need any further information, do not hesitate to contact us either on phone or in person.