Most often, granite monuments are erected on the graves. These products are presentable and durable. If you know the technology of their installation, it will not be difficult to assemble and install a granite monument.
Granite monuments and headstones need to be able to choose. The product must be polished with high quality on both sides: front and back. Its edges should be clear, without chips and other flaws. When installing it yourself, you should try not to hit the monument or drop heavy objects on it.
What is needed to install a granite monument?
To work, you will need the following set of tools: a pry bar, a mallet, a trowel, a building level, a hacksaw, a metal square, a bayonet shovel, a crowbar, a bucket. Since it will be necessary to carry out excavation and filling with rubble or gravel, shovels will be needed. For reinforcement, you will need reinforcement with a cross section of at least 8 mm, for concreting - a container for mortar, sand, cement of a brand not lower than M300, water, fine gravel or crushed stone. For the device of formwork, boards with a thickness of 2-2.5 cm, self-tapping screws, metal corners are needed. To assemble the monument - frost-resistant sealant or tile adhesive.
Assembly and installation technology of a granite monument
It is advisable to install the granite monument after a year has passed since the burial. Work can be carried out from mid-spring to mid-autumn. This is due to the fact that the monument cannot be installed in frozen ground and because concreting is possible at temperatures not lower than + 5oC.
On the first day, the following work is performed: the site is marked, which must correspond to the size of the grave with the removal of the reference points 30-50 cm from its corners. Further, a ditch is dug to the width and depth of the bayonet shovel, which should "surround" the burial pit. Sand is poured into the bottom of the trench with a layer of several centimeters and the same amount of gravel or crushed stone. The bedding is tamped and leveled.
Then they start assembling the formwork, which should be two frames along the contour of the trench. Next, a cement-sand mortar is prepared in a ratio of 1: 3 (1 part of cement and 3 parts of sand). In the place where the curbstone (base) of the monument will be installed, a channel is laid, along the perimeter of the ditch - reinforcement. Further concreting is carried out.
On the second day, the formwork is dismantled and a stand (pedestal) is installed, which is leveled. After that, a stele (the main part of the monument) is inserted into a special hole. To fix it, use a sealant or tile adhesive for outdoor use. During the installation work, care must be taken to ensure that no oily drops fall on the granite. The final stage is the laying of flower beams. After that, all granite surfaces are polished with a dry clean cloth.
