When you walk through a church yard or cemetery, you will probably notice that there is a very wide variety of different types of gravestone, and that some of the gravestones are in a better condition than others. While all gravestones are planned and designed to be a permanent memorial to a departed loved one, some materials will last the years in a better condition than others, and this is something you should bear in mind when choosing a gravestone to commemorate someone’s life.

For example, some people prefer to use a stone that is local to their area, such as sandstone. This however, will weather over the years, as it is a fairly soft stone. This will mean that over time the detail of carvings and lettering may wear down, making any inscriptions more difficult to read. Marble is another popular material for gravestones that is easy to carve, so is suitable for more intricate designs, but will show signs of wear and tear over time. Of course this won’t happen quickly – it is likely to be many decades before any significant wear and tear to the gravestone occurs. However, it is something that you may want to bear in mind when choosing a material for a gravestone.

One of the most durable and hard-wearing materials for gravestones is granite. This is a very hard stone and can be polished to a long-lasting shiny finish, meaning that the gravestone really will stand the test of time and endure changing weather conditions with very minimal damage.