Designing a Single Memorial Upright Headstone

Single Memorial Upright Headstones

Marking the grave of a single individual is a burial practice that dates back to our prehistoric ancestors. We understand that if you are seeking advice on a single memorial upright headstone then you may have suffered a loss recently, and if so we mourn with you. We hope our staff here at Bras and Mattos Monuments can help make you feel at home enough to celebrate your loved one’s story with us.

In this article, we are going to go over the basic design elements of some of the most popular and beautiful single-person upright headstones that we have had the pleasure of carving in stone.

Schedule time to meet with our design staff today.

Table of Contents

Traditional Single Memorial Uprights
Choosing your material
Sizes
Flat top, Serpentine top, and Rock Pitching
Granite Color Options
What Does A Single Memorial Upright Headstone Cost?

Traditional Single Memorial Upright Headstones

Of all of the memorial styles, we offer the traditional single-person upright memorial is by far the most recognizable. A common and honorable memorial, these polished granite pieces make.

So popular in fact, a single memorial upright headstone is maybe the most common headstone seen all over North America and into Northern Europe. The tradition of placing an upright headstone can be seen in many religious burial rituals from Muslim, Jewish, and Christian faiths and is widely celebrated even more today.

The single memorial upright typically encompasses the whole story of the deceased. Full Name, date of birth and passing, a message, prayer, verse, and favorite saying are all traditionally engraved on the headstone.

When it comes time to tell a specific story, we have the technology to craft nearly any image in stone, or in a beautifully colorful porcelain portrait inlay. The amount of detail we can pack into these large headstone memorials is purely astounding.

Single Memorial Upright Sizes

When it comes to the size of the single person memorial, we must first check the size of their burial plot. Most private cemeteries like Lone Tree or Chapel of The Chimes, have very strict rules regarding the maximum size permitted.

Traditionally, Upright Headstones typically stand between 3-4 feet once complete. The upright is placed on a base that is likely to be 6 inches to 1 foot wider on either side of the memorial. Thus, centering the upright in the middle. Some monuments have 2-5 inches on either side if you will not be incorporating flower vases.

Single upright headstones typically range between 1.5-3 feet wide. For Companion Upright Headstones, they would likely exceed 3 feet depending on the design.

Choosing Your Material

If you or your family is ready to begin actually designing a memorial than this is always a good place to start.

Throughout North America, the most chosen material to build these types of memorials is granite. Granite is a natural stone mined from select portions of the world. It is chosen most because it is long lasting and tough.

With proper engraving techniques, you can expect your chosen memorial to last for an industry average of 7 lifetimes. Bras & Mattos has made it a tradition of crafting beautiful upright headstones for people throughout the bay area.

Other but far less common materials used for uprights are sandstone, limestone, and other natural stones. Being less common, you will likely pay a pretty penny to build your chosen memorial in anything other than granite.

Choosing Your Single Memorial Upright Top Style

Flat top

Flat top upright monuments are most commonly used in conjunction with other memorial designs like pagodas and mausoleums. If you are looking to make an attractive modern statement with your loved one’s upright, then a flat top may be your edge. Typically smooth and polished, this design style adds the touch of class your clean-cut loved one always had.

Serpentine top

The serpentine top is “THE” headstone topper for 85% of all upright memorials. Typically incorporated with a rock pitch finish, the serpentine is a centered and tapered design element. Almost all serpentine tops start from the top middle of the headstone and taper down 1.5-2 inches at the outer edge of the headstone. The serpentine style is shown in the Paine Cross Memorial Design.

Rock Pitching

This is the name for the “natural finish” incorporated in many an upright headstone design. Natural and longest living, a rock pitched side of a memorial is one that has been set and literally broken away with hammer and chisel.

To craft this design element, the monument builder must set a precise line and break the stone by tapping each point one after another until the stone naturally cracks. View our behind-the-scenes videos here to get a better idea of what we mean by rock pitching. No two rock pitches are the same, thus adding a level of uniqueness to each stone.

Granite Colors

The color of the stone is what we call the headstone’s “Body Language”. By this, we mean that the color is the first thing that anyone will notice about the stone, and lends itself very well to representing your loved ones personality. The color of the granite typically corresponds to the price point, much like what we spoke on in the materials section. Most of the “colorful” granite used for upright headstones come from outside of the United States. (I.e Black from India, Blue Pearl from Norway)

The most common colors of granite are white and gray, both are typically mined in the hills the Sierra Nevada mountains as well as parts of Minnesota and the North East United States. China and India both supply similar white and gray granites.

Available Granite Colors

Sierra White

Georgia Grey

Mountain Grey

Maple Rose

Paradiso

Blue Lagoon

Tropical Green

Regal Black

India Red

India Black

India Mahogany

Gold Star

Emerald Pearl

Blue Pearl

Pearl White

Prices for Traditional Single Memorial Upright Headstones

As far as traditional single memorial upright headstones go, you can expect to pay somewhere between $2000 – $5000+ depending on size, shape, color, and amount or personalization. As mentioned before, color plays a huge factor in how expensive a single memorial upright headstone might be. Grey and White will likely be the most cost-effective while Blue Pearl and Emerald Pearl, with their iridescent flakes, can potentially increase the price of the same single-person memorial design 4 fold.

In Conclusion

When we say “you can design to your heart’s content” know that the price for such designs will reflect the amount of work and materials that will be needed to accomplish your vision. A completely custom memorial design and granite shape typically starts at the $5000 mark and could cost as much as $100,000 for the most elaborate of upright setups.

If you are serious about using every inch of the stone to celebrate your loved one’s life then we highly recommend you give us a call so that one of our expert memorial designers can cater the stone and design experience to your loved one’s unique story.

We at Bras & Mattos are here to help. We believe that every life has a story tell and each should be celebrated in beautiful granite stone. We hope we helped you understand the basics of single memorial upright headstones and if you are willing, we would love to set a meeting to design the story of your loved one in stone. Please fill out the quote request below or select a time in our appointment manager.

"A quality Single Memorial Upright Headstone Design requires a quality Monument Builder"

At Bras & Mattos monuments, we pride ourselves on delivering Upright Headstones at affordable prices. No matter the monument or memorial, you can be sure that with your help on the design, your loved one will be remembered with the perfect headstone for their memorial plot. Thus allowing future generations to remember the legacy and story through their quality memorial. To learn more and see our full memorial design process, please view our Youtube Channel.

We Are Open Monday - Friday 8am - 4:30pm, Saturday 9am - 4pm | Masks are required for in-person meetings, with no more than 3 people per meeting