This full size upright headstone in polished black granite carries a laser etched portrait, names and dates for a grave. You design it online, approve a free proof, and we ship it across Canada.
A portrait that stays at the graveside
Polished black granite is the stone families choose when they want a face, not only a name, on the grave. Our laser etches portraits, names, dates and heartfelt messages directly into the deep black surface, and the polish gives the etched detail strong contrast so it reads clearly from the path. This is a full size upright headstone, meant to stand at the head of a grave as the main memorial for a person or a couple.
You lay it out yourself in our black granite headstone designer: upload a photo, set the names and dates, choose fonts and add artwork. The design tool shows the sizes available, and the written proof shows exactly how the portrait and lettering will sit on the stone before anything is made.
Where an upright black granite headstone fits
An upright stone needs a section that allows one. Many Canadian lawn sections take flat markers only, so check your section before you design. Granite also clears a hurdle that bronze often cannot: several Canadian cemeteries define a marker as granite, Kitchener restricts flush markers to granite, and Les Jardins du Souvenir in Gatineau permits granite monuments only. Bronze, by contrast, usually has to be bolted to a granite or concrete base.
Every cemetery writes its own rules in a by-law, a diocesan regulation or a private rulebook. Ask the office for its written marker specification and expect it to approve a drawing before production; our free written proof is built for that review. In British Columbia, section 41 of the Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services Act says the operator must allow a memorial bought elsewhere if it complies with those rules. Outside the cemetery, the same headstone suits a garden or private memorial space on family land. For other burial options, see our overview of cemetery memorials and markers.
Features of the laser etched headstone
- High resolution laser etching: Portraits, names, dates and messages are etched with fine detail directly into the stone.
- Deep black polished granite: The dark polish gives strong contrast, so faces and lettering are easy to read.
- Your fonts, artwork and layout: The design tool offers various fonts, artwork and layouts so the tribute is clearly your own.
- Unharmed by frost: Granite is not harmed by frost, so Canadian freeze and thaw cycles and months of snow cover do not damage the stone.
- Upright and substantial: As a full size headstone, it serves as the principal marker at a grave rather than an accent piece.
How to order
- Get the cemetery’s written marker specification and confirm that your section permits an upright headstone.
- Design the headstone online, uploading your photo and setting the text, with the price shown in Canadian dollars as you go.
- Check the free written proof we send and pass it to the cemetery office for approval.
- Press Proceed to Purchase to order, or save the design and finish it later from My Account.
Price, setting fees and the season
In the design tool on 22 October 2026, a 600 by 600 mm (about 24 by 24 inch) black granite headstone was $2,677.75 in Canadian dollars, and the price changes as you change the size and options.
The price in the design tool is in Canadian dollars and includes shipping across Canada. It covers the headstone only. The cemetery charges its own fee to set a memorial and may require a foundation, and we do not install headstones or pour bases, so confirm those details with the office. Installation is seasonal in much of the country: Calgary, for example, bars installation from September 30 to May 1, so a headstone ordered in autumn is usually set in spring. We confirm your delivery date with the proof. If the grave is in Ontario, our page on Ontario cemetery rules and memorial fees covers the local details, and the full memorial products range shows every other option.
Frequently asked questions
Can a photo be etched on a black granite headstone?
Yes. Upload a portrait in the design tool and it is laser etched into the stone along with the names and dates. The written proof shows how the portrait will look before we make anything.
How is this different from the black granite mini headstone?
This is a full size upright headstone that stands at a grave as the main memorial. The mini headstone is a compact upright stone for a cremation plot, a garden or a smaller space.
Will my cemetery accept black granite?
Granite is widely accepted, and several Canadian cemeteries define a marker as granite or permit granite monuments only. Rules still differ by section, so send the proof to the office for approval before you order.
Will Canadian winters damage the etching?
Granite is not harmed by frost, so freeze and thaw cycles and long snow cover do not damage the stone or the etched portrait.
Who sets the headstone in the cemetery?
The cemetery or its contractor sets it and charges a setting fee that is separate from our price. We make and ship the headstone but do not install it or pour a base.
