Hello, in this video we'll be covering the basic procedures for resetting a stone grave
marker.
Now two important things to remember when doing this is personal safety and also the
object itself.
We want to make sure to do no harm to the marker.
Now grave markers are extremely heavy but also remember they are extremely delicate.
These are pieces of historic fabric that have been weathered for a long period of time.
So exercise caution before proceeding with any treatments.
Now, before we get started, we want to make sure that all of our parts are secured and
stable.
To do this we will probably have to move the headstone away from the base to give use room
to work.
It's always best to have someone on hand to help you move the stone.
Now, that we have separate parts we're first going to focus on the base.
The monuments base is the most important part.
Without a stable and plumb base any repairs done to the stone will run the risk the of
failing in the future.
We can see that this limestone base once had two small bronze pipes inserted to try and
stabilize to headstone.
For what every reason in the past these pins have failed.
Our next task is to remove these old failed pins.
Many times you can remove the old pins with a pair of vise grip pliers.
If this does not work or the pins have severely corroded as with the case of most iron pins,
you may need to drill out the pins.
We will do that with an electric angle grinder fitted with a masonry coring bit.
Masonry coring bits are also available for standard drills.
When choosing the coring bit to use, select the one closest to the size of the original
hole.
There is no reason to remove anymore original material than is necessary.
This procedure will need to be done to both the base and headstone.
Once the pins are removed and the hole is cleaned out we need to measure the depth and
diameter of the hole.
Now we will insert new pins made out of stainless steel all-thread.
Stainless steel will not corrode over time the way bronze and steel pins will.
You want to make sure that your new pins are just slightly shorter and smaller that the
holes.
This helps eliminate movement due to expansion and contraction over time.
The next thing that we notice about our base is the traces of the old failed hard mortar.
We must remove any loose mortar to get a good bond when the stone is reset.
We are going to carefully remove the old mortar with a hammer and chisel.
This procedure will need to be done to both the base and headstone.
Once we have removed all old materials, such as the pins and mortars.
It is time to clean the stone.
Pay particular attention to the two surfaces that we need to bond together during the resetting.
After the stone is washed, it will need to dry out before any more work can be done.
It is a good idea to let the stone dry for a few hours before continuing.
Now that our stone is dry we can prepare the base for the headstone.
It is always a good idea to dry fit the stone before placing any compounds or mortar to
ensure a tight fit.
For this reset we are going to use a monument builders setting compound.
This material will stay flexible to allow the stone to expand and contract overtime
and not break the bond.
Also, the setting compound can easily be removed if needed in the future, this causes minimal
impact to the historic stone.
We start by laying out the compound around the edge of the stone about a half inch away
from the edge of the headstone's base.
Once the stone is set the compound will flatten and push out of the sides slightly.
Now it is time to place the headstone back on the base.
It is important again to lift with two people.
These structures may be surprisingly heavy yet delicate and a great amount of care must
be exercised when moving and handling them.
Once you have checked that the headstone is level and plumb and made any adjustments necessary.
You must remove any extra setting compound.
And that's it.
Now that we have set the marker back on the base the compound will set itself slowly over
time.
Now that you have watched this video about the basic procedures for setting a stone grave
marker keep in mind to exercise personal safety and do no harm to the markers themselves.