How to Set Up a Grave Marker
Usually made of either bronze or granite, grave markers bear the name of the deceased, a peaceful image and a small, comforting epitaph. The grave markers we are used to today have existed for only about 300 years. Grave markers before this time often exhibited dark and sinister images. Whatever its appearance, one thing remains constant when it comes to the installation and setup of a grave marker---it must remain in its installed spot indefinitely.
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Instructions
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Decide where you want the grave marker to lie. If the burial plot is in a private cemetery, you may have to follow their criteria regarding placement. If the property is your own, you may not have any restrictions, but check the zoning laws before you place the marker.
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Place the grave marker over the desired location. Push a few metal stakes into the ground around the grave marker, marking its perimeter. Remove the grave marker and put it to the side, leaving the metal stakes where they are.
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Follow the outline that you created with the metal stakes, and dig a hole that matches the length and width of the grave marker. Measure the thickness of the grave marker with a ruler and dig the hole as deep as the grave marker is thick.
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Place the grave marker in the hole and check that it is level. Make sure the grave marker lies perfectly parallel with the ground or it will wobble. Lay a carpenter's level over the top of the marker to check that it is lying evenly on the soil.
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Pack sand underneath the grave marker if one side lies lower than the other. Lift the grave, adding sand and smoothing it with your hand. Replace the grave marker and check it once again with the level. Continue the process of adding sand and checking the level until the grave marker is flush with the soil line.
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Tips & Warnings
If you cannot afford a grave marker and your loved one served in the armed forces, contact the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
While a bronze marker may weigh only about 18 lbs., a granite grave marker can weigh in excess of 100 lbs., which may exceed what you can comfortably carry on your own. Lifting a grave marker that is too heavy could hurt you, or you might possibly drop and break the marker.
