How to Sandblast Grave Monuments
Memorializing loved ones has been an industry for thousands of years in civilized society. In America, as well as in most other countries, cemeteries dot the landscape. Within these memorial parks are contained works of art fashioned from the most durable materials on Earth: granite and marble. The process that produces many commonly found monuments is called sandblasting. A stencil, a mix of air pressure and an abrasive that resembles sand are concentrated upon the surface of the slab to etch or engrave a lasting tribute.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Sawed-side blank grave marker with polished top, 2 feet by 1 foot by 6 inches
- 36-inch metal rule or yardstick
- Roll of 12 3/4 inch-sandblast stencil, 40 mm thick
- Precision cutting knife
- Black fine point drawing pen
- Small hand rolling pin
- Wood blocks
- Sandblasting unit
- Spray paint (optional)
Instructions
-
-
1
Unroll 25 1/2 inches of stencil material from the supply roll, and cut it straight so that a piece 25 1/2 by 12 3/4 inches is available as your working area. Leaving a border of 3/4 inch around the entire design, draw a four-sided box directly on the stencil that measures 12 by 24 inches. Before you is the design area of the grave marker.
-
2
Draw the design onto the stencil with a fine point black marker. Make certain that the thickness of the letters is uniform and large enough to be clearly visible from a distance of 8 feet. Designs can include a multitude of design elements, such as hearts, open books, harps or society symbols, such as those representing the Masons.
-
-
3
Lay the stencil face down on a smooth work surface and, starting at a corner, remove the protective backing sheet from the stencil material. Hold the stencil by the upper corners and align the outline of the marker with the edge of the stone. Gently drape the stencil across the surface, maintaining alignment of the stencil with the edge of the stone. Reposition as needed by lifting gently and replacing in proper position.
-
4
Roll from the center of the stencil toward the edges with a small rolling pin, removing any air pockets that may have been created while positioning the stencil. It is imperative that no voids exist between the stencil and the smooth stone surface.
-
5
Follow the lines of your drawing as a guide, and cut the stencil with a sharp, fine tip knife, removing all areas to be engraved. After removing the rubber, you will notice a clear film layer remains. This layer will be removed during the blasting process.
-
6
Position the marker for sandblasting by standing it on its 6-inch sawed edge. Block the front and back with low-profile pieces of wood to ensure that the marker does not tip over during blasting.
-
7
Sandblast the surface of the design area to a uniform depth of 3/16 inch to 1/4 inch. To ensure uniform depth, start at the top of the marker and move across the surface at a rate of 1 inch per second. Keep the nozzle of the sandblaster moving to avoid burning the stencil. When the end of the marker is reached, lower the aim of the nozzle, and move the hose at the same rate back across the stone. Work down the surface to the bottom, ensuring that all exposed areas are treated. Repeat as needed.
-
8
Removing polish (optional). Many designs are enclosed within a border. The design calls for the edge to remain polished while the inside area is to have the polish removed to make the design easier to read. If this is the intent, remove the stencil within the border and sandblast off the polish that was protected by the stencil. This step will take no more than a minute on a stone of this size. Too much blasting at this point will round off the edges of the letters and design edges so care must be taken to only blast the polish off the stone and nothing more.
-
9
Peel the stencil away from the surface of the stone. Clean any residual adhesive with warm soapy water and a nylon scrub brush.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
The time and number of passes required depends on the hardness of the stone in question. Softer stones, such as marble, may be adequately etched after as little as 15 minutes. Very hard granite, such as Barre or Wausau Red, may take an hour or more.
Be absolutely certain of spelling and accuracy of dates. Proofreading of the design by a second person is highly advisable.
It is sometimes desirable to spray paint the letters and numbers of the design to increase the legibility. If this is the intent, apply a spray paint designed for this purpose prior to removing the stencil.
Wear protective gear when operating a sandblaster. Heavy gloves, safety goggles and a dust mask are absolutely required when performing this task. In addition, ask a helper to move the marker, or use an overhead lift; granite is heavy, and improper lifting could cause serious back injury.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit grave of baby and mother. image by Tom Oliveira from Fotolia.com
