When it comes to maintaining or restoring gravestones, choosing the right paint is easy to overlook but is crucial. Gravestones signify everlasting remembrances and memorials to those we love, so not only do you care about what you are using to restore the gravestone, you will want to use the best materials possible that preserve its beauty and clarity. Whether you’re working from a new blank headstone wholesale or touching up an older stone, you want to make sure you have all the facts related to choosing the best paint for gravestones.
A Bit of Background: Why Paint a Gravestone?
Gravestones, especially granite, marble, and sandstone gravestones, are exposed to the elements such as rain and wind and UV rays from the sun. Over time, the engraved lettering or art will become faded, consequently losing its distinction. Painting will bring back the gravestone’s original form and ensure all inscriptions will be clearly readable for future family generations to enjoy.
Painting gravestones is often done when older headstone restoration is needed and when blank gravestones are written on with a new letter, font, or style. Jiahengstone is a reputable headstone supplier and offers headstones that are perfect for new lettering and restoration.
Selecting the Appropriate Paint for Tombstones
Utilizing the appropriate kind of paint is instrumental in ensuring the longevity and dignity extension of the headstone. The following suggests some of the most prominent items to consider when selecting tombstone paint:
1. Longevity
Gravestones endure all elements, throughout the entire year. Rain, wind, frost, and heat can make quick work of cheap paints. Because of this, it is extremely important to choose durable and weatherproof paint for a long-lasting finish. Look for paints specifically manufactured for stone or outdoor use; this guarantees extra protection and adhesion to surfaces like granite and marble.
2. Waterproof and UV Resistant
As gravestones are located outdoors, waterproof paint is a must. Water can cause paint to degrade over time, causing it to peel or fade away. Significantly, UV resistance is necessary. The sun will cause base paint applications to fade or yellow over time. High-quality UV-resistant paint will ensure colors will not fade and the paint on the gravestone will maintain a fresh look across time.
3. Colors
When touching up, you will want to stay as close to the original color of the engraving or artwork; black, white, and gold are the most common. The colors will always look best against natural stone colors. Specialty headstone paint can come in a large variety of colors for your preferred styles or personal qualities.
Jiahengstone, an honest headstone supplier, provides customers with customizable options for blank gravestones. The products offered allow customers to customize gravestones to suit their needs, including perfect colors for an inscription or decorative touch.
4. Non-toxic and Eco-friendly
Gravestones are frequently placed in natural or tranquil surroundings, and by utilizing non-toxic and eco-friendly paint, we can ensure that no toxic chemicals leach into the ground. Many contemporary paints are VOC-free, making the choice safer and more eco-friendly.
5. Type of Paint
There are typically two main types of paint that are well-suited for gravestones:
- Epoxy Paint: Recognized for its strength and durability, epoxy paint is an appealing choice for outdoor use. Significantly, epoxy paint is resistant to water, chemicals, and the weathering effects of nature, making this paint a good option.
- Lithichrome Paint: Lithichrome paint is clearly made for stone surfaces. It bonds well to the stone’s surface and does not break down when exposed to weather. Lithichrome paint is primarily used for lettering and artwork on granite headstones and offers a smooth finish that lasts.
Step-by-Step Guide for Painting a Gravestone
Now that you’ve determined the appropriate type of paint, it’s time to discuss the steps you are going to take.
- Clean the Area: Before you begin painting on a gravestone, you need to properly clean the area. Use gentle cleaner and water and scrub with a soft brush to remove dirt, moss, or algae. Avoid any harsh chemicals that could harm the stone.
- Get the Right Tools: For precision spots, like filling in all of the granification in the letters you aren’t going to paint, small, fine brushes are best. Using the fine tip brush to paint will be difficult, so using a wider brush or spray paint designed to be used on stone for the larger areas is the best option.
- Test the Paint: It is always a good idea to test the paint on a small area that is not seen, to make sure the paint adheres and the color and finish are to your preference.
- Paint the Gravestone: Carefully start painting the engraved letters or artwork. Use controlled, slow strokes to ensure the engraved area is properly filled in with paint. For best results, apply more than one coat, allowing the paint to dry between coats.
- Seal (optional): Consider sealing for extra protection if desired, with a stone-friendly sealant. This will provide more protection against moisture and sun.
Gravestone Restoration Benefits with Proper Paint
Repainting or touching up a gravestone is a method of honoring the memory of a loved one that you can feel good about. Using the proper paint can improve the look of the gravestone and it will also hold up for years of exposure to the elements. A properly painted gravestone can last for decades without needing any frequent maintenance or touching up.
Blank Headstones are Customizable
If looking to customize a new gravestone, Jiahengstone offers blank headstone wholesale. You can have a complete blank slate for families to personalize. You or the families can customize the inscriptions, designs, and paint colors.
When you start out with a blank headstone and customize the inscriptions, you can ensure that those inscriptions are as pleasing and legible as possible with the right paint. Whether name, dates, or a symbol is added to customize the gravestone, the customer will have had the chance to customize their gravestone for the person they are honoring.
How Jiahengstone Assists in Personalizing and Designing Gravestones
Jiahengstone is a competent headstone supplier, offering a great selection of stones and services available to customize them, all to help a family obtain the best gravestone possible for their loved ones. At their stone and monument shop, you will find high-quality stones and workmanship to create a permanent and personalized memorial – from cleaning and processing blank headstone wholesale options to providing fully customized monuments.
The blank headstones offered by Jiahengstone are available in a selection of stone types or finishes so families can develop the shape and inscriptions as desired. Furthermore, when combined with the right paint, they have lasting memory solutions for our loved ones who have passed.
Conclusion
Choosing the correct paint when deciding how to restore or add to a gravestone is an important, but sometimes overlooked, part of the process with the gravestone’s longevity and overall appeal. Epoxy or lithichrome paints are the optimal protective functions for gravestones or any stone meant to be placed outdoors. Paints that are durable, weatherproof, and UV resistant will have the longest-lasting protection if you are restoring or customizing a gravestone.
Whether you are customizing a new blank headstone wholesale order or working on a restoration, using quality materials from a reliable headstone supplier like Jiahengstone will guarantee your work of art is a tribute to your loved ones for years to come. Combining great workmanship, tools, and materials, you can complete a headstone that helps preserve the memory of those whom we have lost for years to come.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What kind of paint should I use for gravestones? For gravestones, the best types of paint are epoxy and lithichrome paints. These types are durable, weather-resistant, and made specifically for stone surfaces.
- Can you repaint an old gravestone? Yes, old gravestones can be repainted in order to restore the stone to its original appearance. Just be sure to clean the stone before repainting, and use a durable, waterproof paint designed for outdoor stone use.
- How long does gravestone paint last? High-quality gravestone paint such as epoxy and lithichrome can last many years with proper application and maintenance.
- Where can I purchase a blank headstone for personalization? Jiahengstone has blank headstone wholesale that can be personalized by the customer either by inscriptions or other unique designs.
- Should I seal the paint on a painted gravestone? Sealing the paint on a painted gravestone can offer additional protection against moisture and weathering, but it is generally not needed if high-quality paint is used.
- What are the most common colors for gravestone inscriptions? Black, white, and gold are the most common colors for gravestone inscriptions for their contrast with the natural stone surface.
