Spring has officially sprung, and people are starting to look forward to yard projects. Whether you are needing residency or just looking for a better way to display your address, Kenworthy Monuments & Cedar Memorials have a great solution. We can engrave your address directly into your landscaping rock. If you do not have a rock already, we have plenty of options at our St. George location that you can choose from.
What to look for when choosing a rock
While the shape of the stone certainly matters (it is good to have a relatively flat side where the engraving is going), what the rock is made of can play a more important role in choosing which stone to engrave. It may come as a surprise to learn that certain rocks work better than others.
Below are some rock examples and how well they hold up over time.
Sandstone
Sandstone is the most popular choice for Southern Utah. It matches the red rock in the mountains and looks great in most yards. It is, however one of the softest stones and can flake or erode over time. Especially if getting hit by a sprinkler or sitting next to a drip system. The alkaline in the hard water in Southern Utah soaks into the stone and breaks it down. The edges of the engraving wears away which can also cause the paint to flake out.
To get around this, we stock a different type of sandstone. The sandstone we have is high in quartz which makes it incredibly strong and will last many years.
Limestone
Limestone ranges in color from white/yellow to gray and is four times stronger than concrete. Many buildings are made from limestone which shows that it is a perfect stone for engraving and will last a very long time.
Basalt
Basalt is a black lava rock that is prevalent here in Southern Utah. Some basalt works great to engrave while the Swiss cheese looking stuff, known as vesicular basalt, does not work at all. Instead of smoothing out the surface, sandblasting only makes the holes deeper.
Quartzite
Quartzite is a more glittery stone that, in most cases, can be stronger than granite. We have even made a few headstones from it. It’s also a little harder to find in Southern Utah than the previously mentioned stones.
Design on the rock
As you can see by the examples on our website and pictures below, you are not limited to simple numbers on your address rock. We can do all kinds of designs and images to make your address rock personal to you.
Engraving on the stone
Once you have your stone picked out, there are two options for getting it engraved. You can bring it in to our Saint George location, or, if you already have the stone incorporated into your landscape, we can come to you. Our experienced sandblasters can come to your location and engrave the stone onsite.
Whether you need a 7-foot-tall stone sign for your business or housing development or just three small numbers on a rock, Kenworthy Monuments and Cedar Memorials can do it. If you have any questions regarding the type of stone or for design and pricing, give us a call or stop on by at either of our locations. You can also email us at office@kmonuments.com or office@cedarmemorials.com. We are here to help.