Whenever I hear about untrained people going into a cemetery to clean it or to repair the gravestones I think back to all to damage done to gravestones in the past by well intentioned people who inadvertantly do damage to gravestones with amateur repairs. (see the stones in Ancient Littleneck Cemetery in East Providence that have been destroyed by being encased in cement. See the marble stones in North Burial Ground in Providence that were repaired with iron straps whose bolts have now grown with rust and exploded out the stone. See the small family cemeteries where Boy Scouts have clipped off bushes over the years to a point where now the roots are so robust that they have toppled gravestones. See the colonial slate stones in the Common Burial Ground in Newport that have been permanantly stained by untrained gravestone rubbers.) I have visited over 2000 cemeteries and burial grounds in Rhode Island since 1987 and have seen significant damage to gravestones. Very little of this damage was done by vandals surprisingly. Of the repairs I have seen I would estimate 35% are well done, 35% are marginal and could have looked better with more training, and 30% have done significant damage to the gravestones they were trying to repair. The best place to go for information on gravestone repair is the Association for Gravestone Studies (AGS) web site: www.gravestonestudies.org At the very least if you have not read A Graveyard Preservation Primer by Lynette Strangstad you should not attempt a gravestone repair. Below I have copied some of the information from the AGS site. Please go to the site for more information. Where can I get the best information about fixing cemeteries? A Graveyard Preservation Primer by Lynette Strangstad This is the very best source in print for finding information on cemetery preservation. You will find here understandable instruction oriented primarily to non-professionals and also useful for professional stone conservators. The subject matter covers the entire spectrum from surveying a cemetery to determine what most needs to be repaired or restored, preparing a plan for a restoration project, documenting data from and about the stones, cleaning, repairing, and resetting stones. See Preservation in the Store Directory to purchase this book. What happens at an AGS Conference Conservation Workshop? This is a full day program including brief lectures on basic conservation procedures, followed by "hands on" application in a local cemetery. Small groups of conferees, each with a staff person to instruct and supervise, are assigned stones needing cleaning and poulticing, resetting, and simple adhesive repairs. Instructive handouts are provided including lists of tools, materials, and sources of products used in conserving stones. We have many stones encased in cement. Is it possible to remove the cement without damaging the stone? Stones that are "encased" in cement whether in a vertical or horizontal position are best left alone. Attempts to remove encasement are rarely successful and should only be attempted by trained professionals with appropriate equipment. Why can't I use shaving cream to highlight inscriptions on difficult to read stones? Our professional conservators tell us it is definitely not a good idea to use shaving cream on porous gravestones because there are chemicals, greasy emollients, in shaving cream that are sticky and very difficult to remove from the stone with a simple washing. Indeed, even with vigorous scrubbing and lots of rinsing, the cream fills in the pores of a porous stone and cannot all be removed. The result of leaving it there is that in time it may discolor or damage the stone. Instead, use a mirror to shine sunlight across the face of a stone, making the lettering stand out. For an explanatory leaflet on this technique, see Store Directory, Field Guides, "Photographing Gravestones." Always prefer a non-invasive method on gravestones just as we do on medical tests on our own bodies. Is it possible to remove graffiti left by vandals? This is probably best done by professional conservators. The type of paint and the method of application requires skilled assessment to determine which products are appropriate to remove graffiti without harming the stone. Time is of the essence. The longer the graffiti remains on the stone the more difficult it is to remove it successfully. The stone has broken at the base. The old base is either broken itself or we can't get the stub out of the recess. How can we make a new base? How To Cast a New Base for a Stone In the early 1930's WPA workers restored many gravestone using the best-known material available, sand cement. Tablet stones were often placed directly into bottomless forms filled with cement, or holes dug in the earth were filled with cement and the stone thrust directly into the "puddle". Many stones treated with this method have subsequently broken at the point where the stone enters the surface of the cement. A recommended treatment for this situation is to cast a base of concrete (pre-mixed works well) with a recess for the stone of sufficient length, width, and depth to permit using a high mortar mix to secure the stone in the base. Step 1. The first step in this process is measuring the stone to be reset (see fig.1) and then preparing a form of sufficient dimensions based on the measurements. Measure its height, width, and thickness. Particular care must be taken when measuring the width and thickness of that part of the stone that will be inserted into the formed recess in the cast base. Irregularities such as curvature, shoulders, and varying thickness must be taken into consideration. Also, the end to be inserted into the recess in the base must be at right angle (or nearly so) to the vertical edge of the stone. A particularly "ragged" bottom may be "trimmed" using a masonry blade in a circular saw. The safest method is employing a monument dealer to do the "trimming". (Fig. 1) Stone dimensions Step 2. A "box" form should be constructed that is 7 inches greater than the measured width and 7 inches thicker than the stone measurements. The height of the "box" form should be at least 6 inches plus an additional ½ inch for each 8-12 inches of the measured height of the stone. For example, for a 42-48" height the box depth would be 6-1/2". (Fig. 2) Box for casting a new base Step 3. Construct a block to form a recess in the box. The width and length of the block forming the recess should be at least 1 inch greater on both dimensions than the stone, depth at least 3 inches plus 1/2 inch deeper for each 8-12 inches of measured height of the stone above 36". (Fig. 3) Side view of recess block Step 4. Thoroughly saturate the interior surfaces of the box and the recess block with linseed oil or similar material to insure the form will "release" the casting when it is cured. Pour in the cement to the point where the recess block makes an indentation. Secure the recess block to the box form and continue filling the remaining space with concrete tamping with a stick to compact the concrete. As soon as the concrete surface becomes dull (about an hour) and a trowel mark holds its shape, remove the recess block carefully. Permit the casting to "cure" for a week, wetting it frequently to assist the "curing” process (see Fig. 4) (Fig. 4) Top view of recess block in box form filled with concrete (the dark-shaded area). If the block has become too firmly embedded in the concrete it can be extracted later using a masonry bit to drill several holes up from the bottom until the drill reaches the block; then drive the block out with a dowel. These holes will be covered when mortar is introduced to set the stone. Step 5. The cast base should be allowed to "cure" for a week or so. Frequent wetting of the cast will aid in the curing process. Step 6. Set the new base into the ground on a bed of pea gravel and sand for drainage. The top of the base should be an inch or so below grade so that it does not show since it could detract from the appearance of the stone. Check that the cast is level lengthwise and crosswise. Step 7. To set the stone in place, a high lime mortar mix (1part #1 Portland cement, 4 parts hydrated lime, 8 parts fine sand) should be prepared. First lay a 1/2 inch layer of mortar in the bottom of the recess, set the stone in place, fill the perimeter with mortar to the top of the cast base and slightly above shaping a "bead" to assist water run-off (see Fig. 5) (Fig. 5) Reset stone mortared into the base and braced. Step 8. Backfill and brace the stone ensuring it to be plumb (vertical) and level. Remove brace after a week or so. More preservation information: See "Tools and Materials for Gravestone Cleaning Projects" and "Selected Brand Name Materials for Cleaning Gravestones" in More Information, FAQs. Also see the Gravestone Preservation Kit that is for sale in our Store Directory, under Kits. --------------------------------- Yahoo! Messenger with Voice. Make PC-to-Phone Calls to the US (and 30+ countries) for 2¢/min or less.