How to Install a Flat Grave Marker
Jill Darby 
As a leading manufacturer of bronze grave markers, Trigard Memorials makes it a priority to be an educational resource to industry professionals as well as consumers.
This month, we are going to cover how to install a flat grave marker.
Such an undertaking is more involved than many people realize. It’s an important responsibility that requires knowledge, skill, and patience.
Allow me to walk you through this two-part process.
Mounting the Memorial to the Base
The instructions below explain how to securely attach a bronze memorial to its granite base.
The granite should first be lifted onto three wood two-by-fours. Included with the granite will be two threaded rods. Insert these rods into the lugs on the bronze memorial and tighten each one.
One complete, place the bronze marker over top of the granite making certain that the rods can pass through the granite’s pre-drilled holes.
After centering the bronze on the granite, tighten the rods’ washers and nuts. This will keep the bronze from becoming loose if cemetery maintenance equipment were to pass over it.
The unitized granite and bronze is now ready to be loaded on a vehicle and taken to the gravesite.
Installing the Memorial and Base
Once you confirm that the location of the gravesite is correct and verify that the name(s) on the marker are in the right position, you can begin the installation process.
Step 1: Alignment
Locate the grave markers that will be on each side of the newly installed memorial.
Then, run a line of twine from the top of the left marker’s base clear across to the top of the right marker’s base.
This is done to ensure the memorial will align with the other grave markers in that row.
Step 2: Positioning
Use the twine as a guide to carefully position the memorial on its intended grave space.
Carve out the outer edge of the granite base with a sod cutter. The granite base can now be picked up and placed aside.
Step 3: Digging
Remove the sod and dirt from inside the previously created border with a shovel.
A deeper hole must be dug if the memorial is designed to accommodate a flower vase.
A layer of pea gravel should be spread across the base of the hole to allow for proper drainage.
Step 4: Placement
Confirm that the depth of the hole equals the depth of the granite base.
Then, with assistance from another person, set the grave memorial down into the newly excavated space.
Step 5: Leveling
Take a couple steps back from the grave and double-check that the granite is level with the contour of the ground.
If it is not level, use a spade to pry up the uneven side and add pea gravel to shore it up.
This will prevent the marker from getting damaged during the mowing season.
Step 6: Cleaning
Before leaving the gravesite, take some time to clean the marker and remove any debris from the surrounding area.
The family will appreciate your efforts when they see their loved one’s memorial for the first time.
So there you have it – how to install a flat grave marker in a nutshell.
Check This Out: Marker Installation Video
The grounds crew at Sunset Memorial Park in Danville, IL use a marker raiser to transport and set grave memorials.
It is one of only ten apparatuses that were manufactured in the early 1970s. The marker raiser turns a two-person-job into a one-person-job by doing all of the heavy lifting.
Thanks for Reading!
Whether you decided to read this blog because you are a cemeterian in need of a little direction or just have an inquisitive mind, I hope you found this guide helpful and informative.
We would love to hear what you have to say. Feel free to ask a question or leave a comment below.
Jill Darby
Jill is a member of the Marketing Team and copywriter for Trigard Memorials and all affiliated Greenwood Inc. companies. She grew up in the funeral industry, as her family owned funeral homes in the Midwest. After graduating from Miami University, Ohio in 2003 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business, Jill worked in sales and customer relations for a global funeral product manufacturer. Her experience also includes merchandising, cemetery operations, and aftercare. Jill and her husband, Rich enjoy spending time with family, traveling, watching college basketball, and spoiling their 5 grandchildren.
12 responses to “How to Install a Flat Grave Marker”
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I just want to know if the flat bronze grave marker is to be installed at the head of the coffin or at the feet ???
Thank you for contacting Trigard burial products. Permanent memorialization can be placed at either the head or foot of a standard grave space or plot. Typically, the cemetery will have by-laws that will include regulations regarding the placement of memorials. Single graves, family plots or companion graves will have easements or borders listed in plot mapping. The easements often determine where placement is allowed. Checking with the cemetery prior to designing and purchasing a memorial is advised to confirm what the regulations will allow.
My sons grave has a hard plastic border around the maker, what is that called and where can I get one?
Hello Bernadette, I appreciate you reaching out. Trigard Memorials does not offer hard plastic borders, and I am unsure where you can purchase one. However, if you are able to provide a picture of the border, I can look into it for you. Thank you, Jill.
How much does it cost to put garnitt under the grave marker
Hi Lois, This is a great question! The cost of putting granite under a grave marker can vary quite a bit. Factors such as the size and thickness of the slab, as well as the type and quality of the granite chosen, will play a role in the final cost. On average, prices can range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. I suggest reaching out to your local monument company or cemetery to get specific pricing information. -Jill
Hi – I just needed to ask if a family member can be present when the marker is being installed? I’m having a difficult time with the Cemetery to make this possible.Is this an unusual request?
Thank you for reaching out and asking this question. I am certainly aware of other families who have wanted to be present when a grave marker is being installed. However, every cemetery has its own rules and regulations, which can impact the ability to accommodate such requests. My hope is that the cemetery will be open to working you.
Hi. I’m wanting to get the Veteran’s bronze flat marker for my Dad. I contacted our local monument company about the base. They are right at $600. Is it okay to just set the marker on the ground without the base? Thank you.
Hi Jennifer,
In most cases, veterans’ markers are mounted to either a concrete base or a slab of granite. To determine your options, I suggest reaching out to the cemetery in which the marker will be placed. I hope that helps! -Jill
If I choose to change an existing grave marker to granite base instead of concrete, is the bronze top replaced or taken off and reapplied to its new granite base? A new marker must now have a granite base and I like that so would like existing one to match.
Hi Becky, This is a great question! Different cemeteries have various processes, and they are best suited to answer these types of questions and provide specifics. That being said, the marker will need to be pulled up. At a minimum, a portion of the concrete will need to be removed so the bronze can be attached to the granite and reinstalled. Once complete, it will look beautiful!