Everything You Should Know Before Buying a Memorial Bench

In the general sense, it is a deeply personal reason that often aligns with what their loved ones might have represented or wished for during their lives. There may be other reasons a family would consider a granite memorial bench as well, such as:

• Granite benches can be highly customized. With a large surface area, a memorial bench can be engraved with room for names, quotes, images, and decorative designs. 
• The natural beauty and character of granite and its wide range of colors make it popular, as it stands up to the weather. 
• Due to the more considerable space, a memorial bench can be dedicated to more than one person. Granite memorial benches are often found on family plots to honor all loved ones buried there, adding names and details over time or allowing a family to create a monument and add individual markers. 

There are a few crucial things to know and understand before you go forward with the purchase of a granite memorial bench. 

Costs

The price of headstones is generally calculated by weight; therefore, the larger the monument, like a memorial bench, the more expensive it will be. Some monument companies do not include the price of any additional features, including engraving or customizing. Families should also remember that when ordering a memorial bench online or from a third party, shipping may become expensive, as shipping costs are calculated by weight. 

Cemetery Rules and Guidelines

Each cemetery will have rules around which kind of headstones they will allow, including style, size, and features. Before shopping for a granite memorial bench, find out exactly what the rules are at the cemetery you are working with. In some cases, cemeteries will have relationships with headstone makers and vendors, meaning they will only allow monuments provided or created by those vendors in their cemeteries. Knowing these requirements will ensure you do not run into potentially devastating issues when installing a memorial bench. 

Color and Customization Allowance

Some cemeteries may place restrictions on the color of granite you can use for a memorial bench. Along with the rules and guidelines, the cemetery in which you will be placing a memorial bench should provide you with exact details on color and what accessories they allow. Also, know if they allow photographs or imagery to be etched into a memorial bench. 

Some cemeteries have online websites with helpful information such as opening hours, guidelines, restrictions, and contact information. If they do not have a website, you can visit the cemetery office in person to view and ask for a copy of all their rules, guidelines, and requirements.

The standard size of a granite memorial bench wholly depends on the grave plot. The typical standard sizes of memorials within the U.S. are: 

• Single Graves: 24" by 12", 28" by 16", or 18" by 24"
• Companion Graves: 36" by 18" or 44" by 14"

The International Cemetery, Cremation, and Funeral Association set the size for typical grave plots, and every cemetery and memorial garden will have guidelines. Your grave plot will need to safely accommodate the length and width of a memorial bench. 

Now that you're more aware of what to know when considering a memorial bench, you can pull the following together to help you decide. 
When you factor in the following: 

• Cost of the memorial bench
• Cost of customization (if applicable)
• Cost of shipping
• Cost of the grave plot
• All rules and regulations of the cemetery where it would be placed

If all of the above things feel right and acceptable to you, and your cemetery allows memorial benches--you are ready to purchase a memorial bench. We hope that by sharing this information, we have helped ease a tough decision. Should you seek a monument bench due to the loss of a loved one recently, we at Legacy Headstones share our deepest sympathies and condolences with you, and should you need it, please do not hesitate to contact us.