Consultation

At Minneapolis Granite Monuments, everything starts with a discussion. This can be a one-on-one or with the whole family, and can be conducted in your own home, at our office or if preferred, via e-mail. The conversation is designed to clarify your preferences and to guide you through the process of creating your monument.  

Areas of discussion:

• Available colors, sizes, and shapes for the monument.
• Pricing options.
• Discussion of layout and artwork preferences.
• Shipping and installation details.
• Local cemetery information.

Layout Design

After consultation, the ideas and concepts discussed are handed over to our on-staff designers, who begin the process of making them a reality. This can include any imagery or custom artwork you provided us with, which they will then reformat and put together with the desired inscription to create a proof layout for your approval. To ensure your ultimate satisfaction, we have you sign off on all designs before proceeding.

Shop Preparation

Once the artwork has been approved, the next step is to prepare the stone. We cut a rubber stencil directly from the approved layout file to create a perfect representation of the original artwork. The stencil is affixed to the stone and then sections are removed to expose areas of granite. Other parts of the stencil are left in place to protect the stone during the sandblasting process.

Sandblasting

The sandblasting process is where all the creativity and planning takes a more permanent form. Microscopic steel grit is used to permanently etch the prepared stone, carving away any areas where the rubber stencil has been removed. This is the process that renders the text and imagery of the original design. If the artwork allows for it, adding a 3-Dimensional element to the design called ‘shape carving’ usually completes the monument. Minneapolis Granite Monuments takes great pride in the quality of our shape carving artistry.

Laser Etching

With the introduction of new technology Minneapolis Granite Monuments has the option to imprint photographic imagery onto stone monuments. This is achieved through a process called laser etching that permanently burns an image into the surface of the granite. The process is flexible enough that entire monuments can be produced using laser etching alone, although more often, the process is used in conjunction with traditional sandblasting, to add embellishments after the shape carving has taken place.

Monument Setting

Monument Setting is the term we use for the process of installing and aligning your monument in the cemetery. All of our trucks are equipped with cranes, allowing us to gently place the stone to avoid any possible damage during this critical process. We will then ensure that the monument is squared off and stable. Installation is part of the service we offer and we do everything possible to ensure that you have a finely crafted monument you can be proud of.

Over Time

Once a monument has been set, there may still be occasional servicing requirements. Minneapolis Granite Monuments are built to be resistant to weather and seasonal extremes, but a common issue is shifting ground, which can cause monuments to lose alignment. In such an event, just contact us and we will send out an expert who will reset any existing monument.

Another follow up requirement is the need to add additional death dates. Our cemetery teams are equipped with portable sandblasting equipment that can used to add additional family members, new dates and any additional artwork requirements. See our Cemetery Lettering section for further information.