When planning a memorial for a loved one, there are many factors to take into consideration with regards to the installation of a headstone, grave marker, or burial monument that is placed above the grave. After the funeral and the burial, the next step that many family members considered when determining how best to commemorate a deceased loved one is a headstone or another burial monument. This monument may be installed weeks or months after the burial, but it is intended to last for generations.
What is the timeline after the burial?
After selecting the design of the monument or mausoleum, deciding upon a gravestone inscription is the first step. The next step is installation. But how long, exactly, does it take for gravestones to be installed?
Typically, it takes at least three or four weeks for the installer to completely create the headstone or grave marker and to place it upon the top of the grave. In some instances, the ground will need to settle before placing the headstone, depending on the climate, the time of year, and the weather.
Who is in charge of the timeline?
Creating a personalized and meaningful burial monument is an important part of commemorating the memory of a loved one. For this reason you should not be made to feel rushed, when deciding on a headstone design or inscription, take your time. Engraved granite headstones, one of the more popular choices, are designed with the intent of lasting for many lifetimes; therefore, it is acceptable to take days, or even weeks, deciding on what you want the finished headstone engraving to say.
There are no exact rules about when a headstone must be installed, though some cemeteries may have a minimum wait time between when the burial happens and when a burial monument can be erected. You can contact the cemetery to see if they have a minimum wait time between the time of the burial and the headstone installation.
Learning more about installing a headstone
If you are interested in learning more about choosing a headstone or burial monument for a loved one in the greater Washington D.C. area, Columbia Gardens Memorials can assist you through the process of choosing an inscription and materials, to developing a timeline for installation. After the headstone or burial monument has been installed, Columbia Gardens Memorials is available to provide on-site headstone inscription services, as well as, headstone cleanings.
2 thoughts on “How long does it take for a headstone to be installed?”
Thanks for explaining how headstones usually take three to four weeks to create and install. Since this is the case, it could help to figure out the design early on so that it can be finished when you want it. When choosing a design, it could help to figure out what you or your loved one like, both in shape and what’s written on it, so that people remember you the want you want.
Thank you for pointing out that it may be different for every cemetery when it comes to how long the headstones take to get installed. My sister just passed away and we are wanting to get the best headstone for her. I’ll have to do some research and find the best place in our area to order her a headstone.
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