Category — Stones & Bricks

Cleaning a headstone can be fun and also profitable. Fun in regards to the peace & pleasure one will receive from working to clean up the memorial of a loved one. Profitable in the way of making good money offering this service once this skill is learned. The good news is that the skill of cleaning headstones can be learned real quickly.

How to clean a headstone…

First you must determine what type of material the headstone is made of. Just because we call them a “headstone” doesn’t necessarily mean they are made of stone although generally they are. Headstones can be made from metals (typically bronze) or out of just about any other type of long lasting material. This information however will only cover metal and stone types of grave makers.

To find out the type of stone or metal we can look at a few things. Number one appearance. Using your basic knowledge what does the stone look like? Color and textures will tell you a lot. Second, you can also tell the type of stone by the date. Certain types of stones or metal were more popular depending on the era of burial. Finally, if you aren’t confidant with your previous judgments, you can ask a cemetery caretaker their opinion and chances are they will be spot on. Whatever you do, nail down the type of headstone before you begin the cleaning as different materials require different methods.

Next, you will want to know what you want to clean. Is the stone just a few years old and slightly dull due to dirt, debris or hard water? Or is the stone several years old and in need of several different treatments to remove perhaps moss and lichens or other naturals stains? Is the material faded and in need of a deep cleaning and polish? Determining what you need done will help you know what supplies are need and what processes to use.

When it comes to the work itself don’t be bashful. Most of these markers are not as delicate as they seem; however, here are a few warnings and suggestions.

Be sure the stone is stable. You do not want to knock it over or break off any pieces. If a stone is crumbling chances are you will not be able to clean it with out causing further damage. Also, be sure to test out any type of chemical or cleaning solvent on a small area before covering the more visible parts of the headstone. Look for any type of reaction or color change before you continue. If using chemical based products, always keep nearby vegetation safe by wiping up and away said chemicals before they hit the ground, and always follow product instructions using the proper safety equipment as called for.

Your knowledge of headstone cleaning will grow as you work with the different types of materials including marble, granite, bronze, and limestone. As you become well first in grave tending, you can offer your services and make a handsome profit.

Limestone is very durable and is an extremely good choice for a fireplace!

However, limestone is also rather soft and relatively porous, so it does require care from the householder to prevent stains and grubby marks spoiling the surface – especially for new limestone fireplaces!

A few important points for first time buyers!

Your limestone fireplace should be chemically sealed with a good quality sealant. The better sealants do not change the colour of the limestone to any degree, but prevent easy penetration of possible stains from getting into the stone. Your fireplace supplier should either seal your fireplace for you, (probably at extra cost) or provide a tin of liquid sealant for you to paint over the surface yourself (also probably at extra cost). These sealants cost around £20 or more per tin, so if you see one for much less, don’t use it, as it may not be good enough, and could darken your limestone fireplace colour!

If you have a limestone hearth, this should be sealed twice. Leave the first coat to completely dry and then add the second. Make sure you do not apply too much sealer, as this could cause a change to the surface if soaked!

You may have to repeat the complete sealing process after about six months or a year, especially if the fireplace is for solid fuel. After that, your limestone fireplace will probably not require any further chemical sealing.

Cleaning Limestone Fireplaces

The best way to clean off a grubby mark from your limestone fireplace is simply to use a clean cotton cloth dampened with very dilute washing up liquid. Do not soak the stone though!

If you have coffee or wine etc, spill onto your limestone fireplace surface don’t panic, just clean it off thoroughly with a dampened cloth and everything should be fine.

A number of things not to do:

1. Never use wax or spray polishes on a limestone fireplace, as these products can darken the surface of the limestone and create patches.
2. Never use kitchen or bathroom cleaners, as they could react with the limestone surface.
3. Never allow cigarettes to be placed on the stone surface, the heat could cause a brown scar.
4. Never stand vases with flowers directly on the limestone surface, as this could cause a permanent ring mark!
5. Never stand red wine, tea or coffee etc, directly on your limestone fireplace -stains and ring marks could result!
6. Never stand coal or logs directly on the fireplace surface – damage and stains may result!
7. Never plaster down to, or on to a limestone fireplace – the stone will take up colour from the plaster.

The above list of “don’t do’s” for limestone, can also be found here on the Money Saving Expert Forum, as I posted it there in the first instance, prior to writing this article!

Real Fires, Limestone Fireplaces and Cracking caused by heat!It is important to be aware that limestone can crack from the heat of a real fire!

A limestone hearth section, which is close to a real fire can become extremely hot, whilst the edges of the hearth can stay relatively cool. Given the right length of time, a limestone hearth, is virtually guaranteed to crack!

There are things you can do to overcome this type of problem… One of the most common, is to have a limestone hearth cut / sectioned and re-sealed for real fire use!

To achieve this, the hearth is cut into a number of sections, and then reassembled with joins… These joins act as expansion joints. In addition to this, the hearth is normally then backed by high temperature cement, for extra protection!

The joints in the hearth should now prevent the stress spreading across the surface and therefore prevent the hearth from cracking – a heat plate could also be used, to assist in protecting the limestone from the heat and scratches.