How to Repair a Broken Corner on a Granite Headstone
Although granite is a very hard and dependable material that can last through the ages, it is not impervious to the elements or to vandalism. Many granite headstones and memorials need to be repaired and restored over time, and there are professionals who specialize in this kind of care. However, if you have a small piece of a gravestone that has broken off, you could do the work yourself, but you may need to seek permission from whoever oversees your cemetery.
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Things You'll Need
- Bristle brush (nonmetallic)
- Sponge
- Ammonia or Photo-Flo
- Clean water
- Barre Pak epoxy
- Duct tape
- Granite surface repair kit
Instructions
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Thoroughly clean the matching faces where the stone has split. This will ensure a good bond when epoxy is applied. Likewise, it is best to clean the entire stone so that it all looks consistent later. It is important to use a non-ionic detergent like ammonia, or Photo-Flo, a photo developing solution. Ammonia should be mixed at 1 cup per 1 gallon of water, Photo-Flo at 1 oz. per 5 gallons of water. Wet the surface thoroughly with pure water first, then scrub and rinse. Anything left on the surface can then be removed with the detergent solution.
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Rinse all of the surfaces well to make sure all of the detergent is removed, and allow everything to dry.
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3
Follow the instructions to mix your epoxy. Barre-Pak is recommended as it is especially designed for stone restoration applications. Spread the epoxy on both surfaces, being careful to avoid getting it near the visible surfaces of the stone. Press the two pieces slowly together, matching them up as closely as possible. While holding in place, make sure you have removed any visible signs of epoxy.
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Put on a generous amount of duct tape pulled as tightly as possible. After 24 hours, remove tape.
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Tips & Warnings
If everything looks okay after removing the tape, that could be sufficient. However, if the crack is too obvious or there is a visible gap left, there are specially made repair kits for stone surfaces. These include a resin that you mix with a matching stone dust, which costs under $10. Work it into the crack and remove the excess.
Wear latex gloves when handling epoxy and cleaning solutions.
