Products, craft & process
Flush, Bevel & Slant Markers
Aside from Monuments, there are 3 different headstone styles to choose from. Flush markers, Bevel markers and Slant markers. All of these granite headstones come in a variety of colors and finishes.
Flush Markers
All of these are flush/flat in the ground and are either made for one or two graves. The most popular size is 2ft by 1ft by 4in. Some cemeteries have size and color restrictions, so we will be happy to find those out for you.
Bevel Markers
Bevels are 6 inches high in the front and 8 inches high in the back. They sit above ground and are found in a limited number of cemeteries in the Chicagoland area. The most popular size for a Bevel is 2 feet by 1 foot by 8 inches. Some cemeteries have size and color restrictions, so we will be happy to find those out for you.
Slant Markers
Slants are sometimes referred to as a small monument, but they are still considered a headstone. They sit above ground and are found in many cemeteries in the Chicagoland area. The most popular size for a Slant is 2ft by 10in by 1ft4in. We are more than happy to look into cemetery guidelines to make sure that you can get a Slant.
Custom Family Memorials
Cemetery Monuments are commonly called family monuments, upright monuments or upright memorials. They are typically made for a single burial and up to 2-10 graves (depending on the cemetery regulations). Because of their impervious nature, all of our monuments are made out of granite. They also adhere to all Chicagoland and Northwest cemetery rules.
Granite withstands harsh weather conditions and time, so hundreds of years from now, the memorial will still look as nice as when it was first purchased. We work with all of our families to create something unique and affordable. Let us know your budget and we will work with you to custom create a one of a kind memorial that will pay tribute to your family for generations to come. Because all of our manufacturing is on site, we are able to keep a close eye on the project. This keeps any unnecessary mistakes from occurring. One would expect all of this custom work to be an expensive endeavor, but fear not, we still have the best prices in the Chicagoland and NW Indiana area.
Bronze Headstones
Bronze headstones, or bronze markers, are composed of copper, tin, lead and zinc. Then they're cast from beautiful molds to create a a unique bronze headstone for your loved one. The bronze plaque is then adhered to the granite headstone, called the Bronze Backer, and then delivered and set at the cemetery. There are only a few cemeteries in Chicago and Northwest Indiana that require bronze on granite. We will be happy to check for rules and regulations for you.
Diamond Stippled Art
Etchings are images stippled into Jet Black stone using a diamond tipped bit. Most of our custom headstone etching are portraits of loved ones, but our etching artist can create any image from 4"x 6" up to 24" x 36".
From landscapes and religious figures to original art and designs, we can make your monument the most personal piece of art.
Many headstone manufacturers around the world create etchings for their customers. But, there are a couple different kinds of custom headstone etchings. You must be aware of which one you pick. Diamond etching and Laser etching are the 2 most common. Because laser etching is transferred directly from an image to the headstone, many times the image quality can be poor or skewed, leaving you with a warped image. Here at Monumental Art Works, we check and double check every image before it is is stippled on to the stone. We are also experts at image touch ups. So, if you want to use an older image that may have dust or scratches, no problem. The diamond etching technique is also much deeper and longer lasting than that of the laser etch. Diamond etching is the best, therefore, EVERY custom headstone etching created at Monumental Art Works is done this way.
On Site Sandblasting
Not only do we make the headstone, monument, sculpture and etching in our shop, we offer on site cemetery lettering and sandblast. But we don't stop there! Many public and private entities have hired us to do on site sandblast work, varying from private institutions and businesses to public transit.
Custom Sculptures
Nothing makes a monument more monumental than a custom carved sculpture. From small vases to 15 feet tall public masterpieces, we can make your vision last forever.
Carvings and sculptures by Viktor.
Sourced Worldwide
The granite of the world all come together here at Monumental Art Works. We source our granite from China, India and The United States of America. U.S. quarries include Georgia, Missouri, Vermont and the Dakotas.
Fun Fact: Not only does each granite have it's own colors, but their own specific grain structure, weight and durability.
How to Buy a Headstone
I. Stop By Our Shop
Let's Begin our Headstone Buying Process. The customer comes to a retail location to pick out a headstone. They discuss with the sales person their desired color of granite, budget and design ideas. The order form is then filled out and payment and delivery timeline is agreed upon. At this time, the sales person also collects the money for the cemetery foundation/installation.
II. The Design is Created
The order is then sent to the designer, who starts working on the proof. The proof is a paper copy of what the stone will look like. The customer then gets the proof and has to look over it carefully. Make sure that everything is spelled correctly and all dates and information are correct. Then they sign and date it and return it to the sales person for production. The sales person also sends the proof to the cemetery with all appropriate documents signed by the customer, as well as the check for the foundation/installation.
III. Make Sure the Design is Perfect
The sales person submits the proof to the manufacturing company, signaling that they can begin on the stone and the cemetery has been paid for.
IV. From Stone to Memorial
The manufacturing facility cuts the stencil and submits the order, stencil and proof to the shop. The master craftsman coordinates which stones will be sandblasted depending on age of order, inventory and delivery timeline. Then the shop applies the stencil to the correct stone size and color and does 1st and 2nd cuts with Monumental Art Works four step verification. Once the stone is sandblasted, the shop washes it carefully with special granite solution to get off all residue from the stencil and any built up granite debris.
V. Add a Personal Touch
If there are any portrait etchings, then the stone is wheeled into another location of the shop where the etching artist puts it on the Diamond Etching machine and sets up the etching to be done. The process of etching is done weeks beforehand with picking out a good quality photo and editing the said photo to the specifics of the granite size, color variations and customer requests. This is only an optional step in the headstone buying process.
VI. Delivery
The stone awaits for the manager to coordinate delivery to the cemetery. At this point, the manager calls on the cemetery to double check that the stone can be delivered and when (some cemeteries have certain days/times that stones can be dropped off or set).
VII. The Memorial is Now Forever
Once the delivery has been done, the driver brings back the copy of the order. This confirms it has been properly set or dropped off (whatever the cemetery requires). The sales person then notifies the customer and the customer then has the option of writing a review of their experience. That's it! The Headstone Buying Process is Complete.
Call us or stop by the shop
Because we are family owned we communicate with EVERY customer directly.
- Phone: 708-389-3038
- Location: All of our work is done at our Justice, IL production shop located conveniently off of I-55 and 294 on Archer Road.
- Hours: Open Monday through Saturday, 9AM - 4PM