The Piqua Granite and Marble Co., Inc.

Since 1882

From Quarry to Cemetery

The creation of a granite monument begins here.

1) Classic Monument Counselors help customers design a fitting monument that will reflect the life story of the loved one being memorialized.

This Personalization makes each memorial special and a reflection of the one the memorial is created for. With the design legacy of creating memorials since 1882, Classic Monuments has an unsurpassed selection of designs.

2) Huge blocks of granite, some weighing as much as 20,000 lbs are split from the quarry by drilling or jet piercing. 

3) The granite is then inspected for quality. As gentle as the jet piercing and drilling methods are, most quarries still must discard more than half the stone as unusable for monuments.

4) The finest granite blocks are cut into slabs using saws equipped with silicon carbide and diamond-tipped teeth. The saws leave the granite with a smooth finish.

5) Some stone slabs are polished further, this is done with various disks and grades of abrasive materials. The final polish is done with a compound similar to jeweler’s paste which leaves the monument with a mirror like finish.

6) To fashion a specific monument form, stonecutters cut the slab into smaller sizes. The individual pieces are then cut into shapes.  The shaping process often requires the cutters to use chisel and mallet to create the desired form that meets our customers needs. Contour diamond wire saws are also used to shape the stone into a memorial.

7) The last step in the process, and perhaps the most important, is the carving of the inscription and surface art. THIS CARVING IS DONE WITH PNEUMATIC CHISELS AND SANDBLASTING EQUIPTMENT.

8) In sandblasting, a rubber stencil, with the design chosen by the customer, is placed over the monument surface for its protection. Portions of the stencil are cut and removed to expose the stone areas to be personalized. The sandblasting creates the desired design and personalization, then the stencil is removed and the monument is ready for installation in the cemetery.

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 1.800.338.3340

e-mail:  classic@classicmonuments.com