Products and Services
Quality Manufactured MEMORIALS
Granite is the traditional stone used to create monuments. It is one of the hardest and most durable of substances. It can be exposed to weather for centuries without crumbling. It is this extreme hardness, plus the fineness of its crystals, that makes granite the perfect choice for monuments. Different types of granites are quarried from specific regions of the world. Some from as close as Vermont and some as far away as South Africa and China. Each type of granite carries a color, texture and the particular crystal pattern associated with that region. At Staten Island Monuments we help you choose a granite of beauty with a color, texture and finish that is perfect for the very special memory of your loved one.
Granite is quarried by either jet-piercing, blasting or sawing it from the earth. Once in granite block form, they are transported to production plants by heavy machinery to begin the manufacturing process. The blocks of granite are cut into pieces or “slabs” of various thicknesses by diamond saws. Many of these slabs undergo polishing. The polishing process is somewhat similar to the sanding of wood, in that abrasives are used to smooth the surface of the stone. Coarser abrasive grits are first used to rough grind the granite. Progressively finer grits are used during the process to first polish and then to buff the surface to a glass-like sheen.
Once both sides of the slabs are polished the stone is transported to an area where the monument is cut to dimension and refinished according to the customers requirements. A rubber stencil is then cut that includes the design the family has chosen along with lettering sizes and styles. The memorial and stencil are now moved over conveyors into one of the sand-carving booths. The operator directs a stream of abrasive that is blown at the monument with a pressure of about one hundred pounds per square inch. When the abrasive strikes the rubber it merely bounces off, but where the rubber has been cut away, the abrasive carves the pattern into the granite. This one-step method is used to produce letters and other two-dimensional designs. After the completion of the carving the memorial is then moved to an area where the stone is completely washed and dried.
Once dried, it is time for the Quality Control Inspector to carefully compare the original order and design to make certain that the memorial is complete and error free. Only after the memorial completes inspection and receives a passing grade from the Quality Control Inspector is it moved to the crating area, where it is carefully packaged in a wooden box and shipped to our facility where it is staged awaiting setting in the cemetery.
Quality - Intergrity - Service
Common Questions
“How do I know what to choose?”
“Can we do something special?”
“What would my loved one want?”
“What can I afford?”
At Staten Island Monuments, our goal is to help you find answers to these questions and more. We can help with the decisions that will make your final choice worthy of your loved one. Through words, images and natural stone, we can help you honor them with a permanent tribute that helps you remember the journey they have taken, even as it marks their final resting place with dignity and beauty.
Our designers work with your family to design a memorial that is a tribute to your loved ones. We ensure that the memorial we design with your family will meet all of your expectations while also meeting the stringent cemetery regulations. Cemetery regulations can dictate one or all of the following regarding monuments erected in their cemetery: size, type of granite, design, wording, lettering sizes, and finish of the monument.
- Flat Markers/ Slant Markers: One piece granite grave markers designed and erected by Staten Island Monuments.
- Upright Monuments: Two piece granite monuments designed and erected by Staten Island Monuments.
- Mausoleums: The most exclusive family mousoleums for the most accomplished families. Mausoleums are a way for individuals and family members to erect a symbol of their distinct qualities and contributions to the world. Generations to come marvel at the quality and craftsmanship of a family mausoleum.
- Cemetery Lettering Inscription: The process of sandblasting an existing cemetery monument to include the names and dates of additional family members into an existing plot.
- Monument Cleaning & Restoration: Monuments, like diamonds, are forever. But they may need some maintenance after being exposed to the elements for several years. Contact us for an estimate to clean and restore your family's memorial to its original luster.
- Bronze Markers, Plaques & Signs: Contact us for all of your bronze needs. Whether it's for Private (memorial), civic or business needs, we can provide you with all the options available.
At Staten Island Monuments it is our job to take the questions and concerns out of your hands. We are the experts, we do the work from start to finish and we guarantee it!