Methods for Repairing Headstones
Many headstones require repair after years of being exposed to the elements or being damaged in a cemetery accident or move. You can repair headstones in several ways, some better than others. How to fix a headstone depends on the age and condition. Repairing older headstones borders on the line of "should I repair" or "should I preserve."
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Cleaning the Headstones
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Cleaning often gives an older marker much more contrast. One method of repairing a headstone is cleaning it. Sometimes, you can greatly improve headstones using either a toothbrush or a natural bristled paintbrush and a non-ionic soap. This method gets most of the dirt and some types of graffiti off of the headstone and enhances the contrast of the stone. You can do this about every year and a half to help preserve the tombstone.
The Metal Plate Method
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The metal plate method is for when a headstone's top half has broken off. You can bolt a metal plate to the bottom half of the tombstone first, and then bolt it to the top half. You must insert the bolts into the headstone very carefully, so that it doesn't cause further damage.
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Resetting the Headstone
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Resetting will fix a tombstone that has broken off at the base. Resetting a headstone can fix a tilted headstone and a headstone that is broken at the base. This method is not particularly difficult, but it does require digging, measuring and aligning. Basically, you create a new socket and set the stone in the socket. Sometimes, you can use stainless steel dowels to help support a tombstone in a new socket.
Patching the Headstone
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The darker spots on this tombstone have been patched. Patching is the process of repairing holes in a tombstone, and you can often do it while the tombstone is standing; this eliminates extra work and hassle. Patchers come in a variety of colors, so that it is not too difficult to find a close match. The patcher is a fast-setting concrete that sets in less than five minutes. You can repair two or three holes at one time at this method.
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References
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