Flat Ground Memorial Headstones and Markers
Flat ground memorial headstones are the most common way of memorializing your loved one here at Orange County, Los Angeles, and San Diego cemeteries for in ground plots. Most if not all cemeteries here in Orange County, Los Angeles, and San Diego will allow you to use a flat ground headstone for you friend or family members in ground plot.
When deciding on the type of memorial headstone for a ground plot it is always best to speak with the cemetery about the sizes of headstone you are allowed to use for your loved ones specific plot. Each cemetery has different regulations for size, so there is no “standard” size allowed at all cemeteries.
Flat Granite Headstones and Markers
The most cost effective product to memorialize your loved one for an in ground plot is by using a granite flat ground headstone. Granite Headstones allow for the most customizations due to the ability to use different types of sandblast engraving and inset photos. There are also options for the edge type such as standard straight 90 degree saw cut (most common), LMP rounded edges, or 2” polished bevels.
We include standard engraving in all of our granite headstones. With standard engraving there are some minimum sizes we have to hold for fonts along with design work. For reference, on a 28x16x3” granite headstone with saw cut sides you can typically fit 2 people’s names, each of their sets of dates, roughly an additional 10-15 words and some sort of artwork made large enough for standard engraving.
Granite designs are typically offered in the following categories:
- Flower Designs
- Religious Designs
- Wilderness Designs
- Children Designs
- Clip Art Design
Flat Bronze Headstones and Markers
All though more expensive than granite memorial headstones, bronze memorial headstones do have a classic timeless look. Here at American Headstones Company we only offer completed bronze headstones, we do not offer bronze headstones that can be added to later on.
We currently offer two different types of bronze memorial headstone markers:
- Flat relief casting
- sculpted
The sculpted bronze headstones are done with premade sculpted designs and the only customization is the writing. The writing on these are done in flat relief so only the artwork is sculpted. With flat relief this offers the most customization for a bronze memorial headstone. This process allows us to design the headstone using many of the same designs we use for granite memorial headstones. On either we can also add color or black and white inset photos of your loved one.
To best understand the color of the bronze memorial marker it is helpful to understand how they are finished. Once the design is cast the recessed area is textured, commonly used is a leatherette texture, then the entire memorial is painted the color of your choice. The most common colors are brown, dark oxide, or black. Then all the raised surfaces have the paint sanded off leaving the gold / bronze color of the natural metal. This is then clear coated. It is imperative when considering purchasing a bronze headstone to understand that once the clear coat wears away it is now metal being exposed to the outdoor elements. This means the memorial will patina. This is a natural occurrence bronze memorials will do once exposed to the elements. The surface will often turn a brown, dark green or black over time. Unlike other metals, bronze does not rust or disintegrate the layer of patina acts as a natural barrier that protects the bronze underneath.
All bronze memorial headstones will need to be installed onto a base. Most cemeteries will either sell their own base or set the bronze headstone into a concrete base during their installation process. We also offer granite bases.
For more information or quotes on a flat marker, memorials or a custom headstones, contact American Headstones at (949) 228-7055.