How to Choose a Headstone for Your Loved One

Choosing the Right Headstone

Choosing a headstone involves much consideration and many decisions to be made. The shape, material, finish applied, and the inscription are all important factors when designing a headstone. Keep in mind, this should be done while adhering to a predetermined budget.

Headstone prices can greatly fluctuate depending on the decisions you make. Once you have an idea of your desired design in mind, it’s best to discuss it with a funeral director. They will be able to offer helpful advice and likely have connections to monumental masonry services.

How to Choose a Headstone

The type of headstone design you select will largely depend on your personal budget and preferences. There are three main kinds of headstone shape categories. These include: upright headstones, kerbed headstones, and flat headstones.

The most traditional of the three is the upright headstone. These typically stand 45 inches tall and are built with a thick concrete base. Meanwhile, flat headstones are available in a selection of different shapes and sizes. They can either be laid flat or at a slight angle. Lastly, kerbed headstones feature full length designs which lie flat across the ground often in conjunction with an upright headstone.

choosing a cemetery headstone white headstones in cemetery

What Materials Are Best for Headstones?

When choosing a headstone, the material you select is very important. The most commonly selected materials include: granite, marble, bronze, and limestone. Each material offers their own unique advantages and disadvantages. Granite is known as a flexible stone that's available in several colours and finishes. A limestone headstone will change drastically over time as weather impacts it. Finally, if you’re looking for a durable headstone that will last, you might want to consider bronze. Keeping in mind not every cemetery permits this material.

What Types of Finishes Can I Choose?

Headstone finishes are available in one of the following types: polished, honed, egg shelled, pitched, or partly-polished.

What Should the Inscription Say?

The inscription, otherwise known as the epitaph is the piece of writing on the monument. Inscriptions are often highly personal and share something meaningful about the deceased. Some people choose to include poetry, lyrics, or religious passages. Whatever you choose to inscribe, remember, it should say something important about the deceased’ life.

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