When you lose a loved one, his or her memorial may be the only space you can visit and receive a sense of closure. Memorial appearance and condition are certainly of great concern to cemetery caretakers and family members of the deceased. Bronze, granite, and marble are some of the most popular materials used to make gravestones, cremation urns, and other monuments that honor the dead. Though bronze and granite are extraordinarily resilient and resistant to environmental conditions, the finishes and coatings that protect them may not be as impermeable. In this guide, we provide a general overview of headstone resurfacing. With this information, you can confidently take the best course of action to restore your loved one’s final resting place to its former glory.
Memorials made of bronze can be refinished. Memorials made of either granite and marble can also be resurfaced.
Resurfacing Bronze
By using a bronze refinishing kit, you can give your loved one’s grave marker a brand-new shine. Bronze develops a patina over time due to oxidation. Although this weathered sheen lends to the antique appeal that is revered by many people, bronze headstones can be preserved to maintain the polished, elegant look that so many families appreciate. Enjoy professional results by removing all oil, dirt, and paint from the surface of the bronze memorial. Invest in specialty cleaners to carefully remove the patina or paint from your bronze memorial marker before refinishing.
Resurfacing Stone
Stone was all raw at one point in history, so nothing gets in the way of stone being cut, polished, and engraved once again. Granite resurfacing can be a messy process, but the results will leave you with a grave marker that looks just as beautiful as the day it was shipped to the cemetery. Granite is mechanically resurfaced with the help of diamond abrasives and water that produce a smooth and consistent finish void of bumps or ridges. Cemeteries usually have strict rules and regulations regarding headstone rubbing, because it can flake away tiny granules off from the gravesite surface and fade the inscription. We recommend that you consult a stonemason or memorial specialist before you decide to resurface the monument of a loved one’s final resting place.
There are also specially formulated cleaning solutions that remove dirt, environmental pollution, and stains resulting from biological soils such as mold, mildew, lichen, and algae. Resurfacing a headstone is no small task. In the event that your loved one’s headstone requires professional resurfacing, there are a variety of businesses that specialize in resurfacing headstone materials with meticulous care and precision. Some businesses can change the high polish of a bronze to an oil-rubbed bronze or a mirror finish to a satin finish, while others can perform raised lettering on granite or marble headstones.