Not necessarily. There are various ways of refurbishing an old headstone depending upon the condition of it and the material that it is made from.
A headstone that is uneven or unsteady may require removal and a new foundation. Often, the surface of the headstone may be discoloured, dirty or faded. It may be possible for a memorial mason to clean it in situ. If more intensive cleaning is required then it may have to be removed and done at the memorial mason’s workshop. In the worst case scenario, the headstone may have to be refaced which involves skimming the surface off it to reveal new stone underneath.
If the lettering is faded or damaged through weathering or cleaning, then this can also be redone. Often lettering is created by sandblasting the shape of the letter into the headstone and either painting it or gilding, which is the process of laying gold leaf into the recess. Once the headstone is cleaned or refaced then the letters may be repainting or regilded.
Some headstones have lead hammered into the recess and over time, the lead comes loose or falls out. In such cases, the lead may be replaced, although this is a labour intensive process which costs more than repainting or regilding.
When another person is buried in a grave with an existing headstone, a new inscription is necessary, which can often look different to the original inscription due to the older inscription having faded. In such cases, it is advisable to have the old inscription redone so that it matches the new wording.
For more information visit: jaynepriorfunerals.co.uk/headstones
