Installing a Bonded Marble Statue on a Cemetery Headstone
So, you want to purchase a bonded marble statue for your loved one’s headstone, but cannot find anyone who will install it? Not to worry as this article will help guide you through the process.
Typically a marble statue
is installed with a dowel hole drilled at the bottom of the statue and
on top of the base which it will sit. A pin is then inserted in to help
keep the statue in place before gluing the two. While this method is
widely used it is not necessary especially if you cannot find someone to
install it and drill the base for the pin.
Items You Will Need
If the base cannot be drilled, you can
still install it for a permanent fit. Here is a list of some things you
will need to achieve a proper installation of the
marble statue.
- Epoxy preferably knife grade that cleans up with water
- Putty knife or wooden tongue depressor
- Piece of cardboard
- Masking tape
- Hammer
- Carbide tip chisel
- 2" or wider paint brush or canned air (to clean surface)
- Single edge razor blades
- Paper towels
I would first recommend purchasing an
epoxy adhesive from a hardware store such as Home Depot or Lowe's, or
any local hardware store. Make sure the epoxy can bond natural stone and
is a knife grade type with the consistency of mayonnaise or peanut
butter. You will also want the epoxy to allow at least 10 minutes
working time if not longer. A putty knife or tongue depressor will be
needed as well as a piece of cardboard to mix the contents on.
Installing the Statue
Step 1
If the granite surface has a polished finished, then do the following: Before actually gluing the marble statue
to the granite base, set it in the desired position on the granite
base. Then place strips of tape along the edges of the statue, marking
the outline of the statue base.
Step 2
After removing the statue, use a hammer and chisel (one with
a carbide tip if possible) to roughen the area where the statue will
set staying about 3/4' from the edges of the tape. This will allow the
epoxy to
grab on to the granite surface. If the granite
already has a rough surface, then skip the roughing up part. After this
is done, thoroughly clean the debris off the surface using a dry paint
brush or canned air.
Step 3
Keeping the tape in place, mix the epoxy and apply a thin layer
to both the statue and granite base making sure to stay within an inch from the edge of the base then set it into place. Make sure
not to
over apply the epoxy so that it seeps out from
the bottom of the statue. If this does happen, be sure to have a dry clean rag handy to clean off any excess. Also most water based epoxies will
clean up with soap and water.
Step 4
Once the statue has been set in place, use a couple of strips of tape to hold the statue in its place. This is very important because if the base is even the slightest bit un-level, the statue can slide out of place before the epoxy sets up. Here is an example, but with a vase instead of the statue.
After the epoxy has completely set, you can then remove the
tape. If there is any epoxy residue on the polished granite surface you
can scrape it off with a single edge razor blade.
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