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Information about Preservation and Cleaning of Headstones NZ that you Need To Know

Friday 26 May 2017, 11:36PM

By sanctuary memorials

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AUCKLAND

Headstones naturally lose their beauty, colour and even shape with time since they are exposed to cold and hot weather conditions. For this reason, it is important to know the various methods of preserving and cleaning headstones nz in order to increase their lifespan.

Here below is how this can be done -

Use of consolidator:

A consolidator simply some chemical compound which can re-bond in to the stone’s internal structure. It fills the empty voids that could get filled water, mud, diet or dust when the headstone expands due to hot weather and causes flaking or cracking. It should be applied before application of sealer and before it’s installed to the grave site.

Also, the consolidator should only be used on headstones made of limestone, marble or sandstone. Note that the product may go by many different brand names and colours but its purpose remains the same. Just ask for headstone consolidator in your local stores and the same will be availed to you.

Use of sealant:

In most cases, after cleaning of headstones, a sealant is applied in order to maintain its glow and new look. It should only be applied when the headstone is totally dry since it can trap moisture and this may have adverse effects on the durability of the stone.

CLEANING:

Headstones Auckland should only be cleaned using authorized and approved cleaning products. The use of abrasives or the conventional household cleaners may cause a lot of harm to the design and overall beauty and finish of the headstone. To clean sandstone and limestone headstones, cleaning should be done using distilled water mixed with non-iconic water.

Avoid use of pressure washers, acidic cleaners or metallic brushes in the cleaning. To clean marble, mix distilled water with ammonium hydrochloride and apply it without use of pressure washer. Granite headstones can be cleaned with pressure washers abut use of acidic washers and iconic soaps and waters should be avoided.

The general maintenance:

A headstone should be maintained by trimming off the grass growing near it. Leaf fall, birds and animal droppings from the trees may also reduce the lifespan of the headstone. Trimming branches of trees above the headstones will help prolong its life.