Headstones
Designer.com
Learn how to design a custom headstone online, understand cemetery rules and sizes, prepare photos for laser etching, choose materials, and plan installation worldwide.
Watch this short video for a complete overview of the Headstones Designer software. Discover how to utilize its powerful features, including the interactive 3D viewer, real-time text and emblem customization, and our extensive library of granite colors and design elements.
Laser-etched granite is best for photos and fine detail with high contrast and long-term durability. Ideal for portraits and detailed artwork.
Engraved letters are cut into the surface for a timeless look and excellent legibility. Works well with serif fonts and classic layouts.
Create your custom laser-etched black granite headstone online. Upload your image, add inscriptions, and adjust sizes to meet cemetery regulations.
Please upload the highest resolution image you have. The higher the quality of the image, the better the quality of the laser-etching.
Up to two images can be uploaded to your design for free. More than two images attract additional charges.
Engraved lettering offers tactile depth and a timeless aesthetic.
Create your custom traditional engraved granite headstone online. Upload your inscription and select fonts that maintain clarity over time.
Ceramic Image:
Vitreous Enamel:
Before designing, confirm permitted sizes, materials, base types, and approved installers for your cemetery or council. Lawn memorials typically allow smaller upright or flat markers; kerbed graves support larger ledgers.
Check our diverse range of beautifully crafted headstones available in classic and unique designs. Choose from popular styles such as Serpentine, Cropped Peak, Curved Gable, Half Round, Heart, Oval, and Square headstones, as well as creative memorials like Guitar, Wolf, Butterfly, Candle, and more. Each design can be customized online to create a lasting tribute that reflects your loved one’s memory with dignity and care.
Click on any headstone shape to start the design
Flat lawn-level granite: often a few hundred dollars to about one thousand at entry sizes. Larger sizes and extras climb. Single upright granite: about $1,000–$3,000 with mainstream suppliers. Companion upright often $2,000–$5,000.
Traditional engraved (sandblast, V-sunk, or shaped carving). Abrasive blasting cuts letters and designs below the polished face. Deep V-cut letters create shadow that stays readable without added paint, especially when paired with a frosted panel for contrast.
Laser-etched. A CO₂ laser alters or micro-ablates the polished surface. The result excels at fine art and photo portraits. Dark granites, especially black, show the strongest light-on-dark contrast.
Traditional engraved text and emblems are standard on most quotes. Laser-etched portraits or complex scenes add art prep and machine time and often require black granite, which can price higher than standard gray. Manufacturers call out dark granite as the best canvas, which can also affect lead time if not in stock.
Standard jobs often land in 8–16 weeks. Custom colors, specialty art, or slow approvals can extend to several months.
Laser work is part of the same fabrication window, yet photo-grade art and approvals can add time. Traditional carving timelines hinge on stencil cutting, blasting, and any shaped carving steps. Providers that publish schedules show in-stock projects around 8–10 weeks and non-stock or complex work 16–22 weeks.
In-stock gray moves fastest. Black and premium colors may require inbound stock, which extends the clock. Providers cite 8–10 weeks when in stock and 16–22 weeks for non-stock or custom work.
Cutting, polishing, stencil and blasting, any laser art, and finishing. Well-documented ranges run 6–12 weeks for simple work to several months for complex or special shapes.
Headstones ship by freight. As a reference point, the standard upright government headstone measures 42×13×4" and weighs about 230 lb, which hints at handling needs.
| Product | Qty | Price | Item Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product Product ID: 4 - Laser-Etched Black Granite Headstone | Qty1 | Price$2565.95 | Item Total$2565.95 |
| Product Product ID: 42 - Laser Etched Black Granite Headstone Base | Qty1 | Price$848.00 | Item Total$848.00 |
Product ID: 53 - Flower Pot Insert with Gold Lid | 2 | $75.00 | $150.00 |
| Product Product ID: 71 - Black Granite Motif (free) | Qty 1 | Price$0.00 | Item Total$0.00 |
| Product Product ID: 21 - Laser-etched Image (free) | Qty 1 | Price$0.00 | Item Total$0.00 |
| Product Product ID: 16 - Black Granite Inscription (free) | Qty 14 | Price$0.00 | Item Total$0.00 |
| Total | $3563.95 | ||
| Price is in US dollars. Shipping inclusive |
What most cemeteries expect on a headstone?
Identity line.
Given name, middle initial or name, surname.
Life dates.
Full dates or years only. Inscription work often must be complete before the stone is set, so plan text early.
Cemetery approvals.
Many cemeteries require a drawing that shows the planned text and any symbol before fabrication. Some boards must sign off.
These are starter lines you can edit to taste. Keep each line brief.
Private or municipal cemeteries
Rules vary. Many require a sketch that shows the symbol with the text and location on the stone. Some faith-run cemeteries restrict symbols to those of the faith and may require a cross or other sacred image to be primary. Jewish cemeteries often limit symbols to Jewish iconography. Check the specific rule set before you design.
Government-furnished veterans headstones
The VA permits approved emblems of belief on government headstones and niche covers. The program keeps an official list and a process to request a new emblem when needed. Families can add only what the program allows.
Get the rule sheet from your cemetery.
Look for permit steps, symbol policy, and any section codes required on the stone.
Submit a scaled drawing.
Include text, line breaks, and symbol position. Many boards want this before fabrication.
Keep lines short.
Treat 66 characters as a practical ceiling for any single epitaph line. It supports larger letters and faster reading.
Use these mix-and-match sets to speed approvals.
Confirm cemetery rules, choose material, add names/dates/epitaph, upload a high-contrast photo, approve your proof, then schedule installation.
Rules vary. Lawn memorials are smaller; kerbed graves allow ledgers. Check width/height/base requirements first.
Laser-etched granite excels at photo detail; traditional engraved provides classic letter depth.
Use 300 DPI+, clear lighting, minimal background. Provide the original image when possible.
Full name, dates, and a short epitaph (e.g., “Forever Loved”). You can add faith symbols or bilingual lines.
Often yes, if your cemetery allows it and the drawing shows placement. Photo-grade art usually looks best on black granite with laser etching.
Many cemeteries review text for suitability. Faith-run sites may restrict symbols and wording to match the faith. Check the rules for your section.
Only emblems from the VA’s approved list, or a new emblem approved through the VA request process.
Plan for strong legibility without paint. Federal policy scaled back lithochrome use after reports of fading and inconsistent appearance.
With approvals complete and granite in stock, many projects finish in about 6 to 12 weeks. Non-stock colors or complex art often run 16 to 22 weeks or longer.
After the foundation is in and ground conditions allow safe setting. Many city cemeteries pause foundation work during months with frost in the ground.
Many cemeteries require a permit and a scaled drawing that shows the text and any symbol. Secure written approval before fabrication.
In many municipal cemeteries the cemetery department installs foundations on a schedule and will not pour during freeze periods. Ask for the current foundation calendar.
Fees vary. Some cities price foundations per square inch of base, with a posted minimum charge. Use the current fee sheet for your budget.
Published retail examples place single uprights near $1,000 to $3,000 and companion uprights near $2,000 to $5,000, with flat granite markers starting lower. Art, color, and size change the total.
Rules vary, yet many rule sheets and retailers reference flats around 24 × 12 inches for a single grave. Always match the cemetery’s specification first.
Yes. Monument companies offer on-site lettering to add a date or short line after the second burial on a companion stone. Ask your cemetery about any approval step before scheduling.
Use water, a soft brush, and a small amount of non-ionic detergent. Avoid bleach, power washers, and harsh acids. NPS and VA publish clear guidance on gentle methods.
Many require range or lot identifiers to appear on the base or back corner. Your drawing should show that location.
Yes. Many post order deadlines for foundations ahead of Memorial Day. Submit early so crews can schedule pours.
