3 Reasons to Choose a Granite Monument Headstone
While monument headstones are often made from materials like marble, granite is also a popular stone. Why is it often a better option than marble?
1. Granite Makes a More Durable Headstone
While marble headstones look great to start with, they don't always create a lasting memorial. Marble is a relatively soft material. It can scratch and chip. Its soft composition makes it prone to erosion over the years. Plus, marble doesn't always cope with weather exposure all that well. Rain, heat and salt in the air can all damage this stone. Pollution can stain its surface.
Granite is a much harder and more durable material. It isn't likely to scratch, chip or break. It doesn't erode in the same way as softer stones. Plus, it is much more weather and pollution resistant. So, a granite headstone will look good years down the line. It won't need repair or much maintenance to stay in good shape.
2. Granite Broadens Your Colour Choice
Marble headstones tend to come in muted tones such as white or grey. While you can find marbles in different colours, you won't get an enormous colour range. Your costs may also increase if you want a monument in an unusual colour.
Granite headstones have more colour options. For example, you could pick stones in reds, pinks, browns and even blues. Plus, granite has natural flecks of colour in it that makes this stone stand out even more. This material can create striking memorials.
3. Granite Holds Lettering Well
If you've ever walked through a cemetery or churchyard and looked at old headstones, then you may have noticed that the inscriptions on older stones aren't always clear to read. If you use a soft stone like marble, then the acid in rain may erode away the stone around inscriptions over the years. Everything tends to then blur together.
The fact that granite is more durable and less likely to get damaged helps keep inscriptions clear, no matter how long the stone stands. You can laser etch granite to get clear and legible letters that last. The stone will stay in place around the inscription writing.
For more information on the benefits of choosing granite for monument headstones, talk to your headstone provider. They can show you examples of memorials made in this stone so you can get an idea of how it might look if you use it for your order.