Headstone Restoration

A headstone is the one thing that stays behind. Decades of rain, sprinklers, sun and hard water take the lettering down to a shadow, bronze goes green, and a marker that once read clearly from the path becomes hard to find at all. Headstone restoration brings it back — and in most cases the stone that looks beyond saving is the one that changes the most.

Glory Roses has restored grave markers across Southern California since the early 1990s. We come to the gravesite, so you don't have to be there. We photograph every job and send you the pictures when it's done.

Two ways to start, both quick: send a text to 818-639-3993 with a photo of the marker, or fill out the free online headstone restoration quote form. Either one reaches us seven days a week, and we answer fast.

Free Headstone Restoration Quote Form

Before and after

Weathered granite headstone before restoration, lettering obscured by soil, moss and hard water staining — Before

The same granite headstone after restoration, with clean stone and re-highlighted white lettering and engraving — After

The same marker, one visit apart. No harsh acids, no wire wheels — nothing that damages the stone.

What headstone restoration includes

Restoration isn't one service. Which of these a marker needs depends on its material, its age and how it has weathered — and most stones need two or three of them together.

The Glory Roses Treatment — cleaning and calcium removal

The foundation of every restoration. Biological growth, soil, moss, sprinkler calcium and hard water stains are lifted from the stone, the vase is cleaned, the plot is trimmed back, and the marker gets a light hand polish. On many stones this alone is the whole restoration.

Re-highlighting and re-painting

Faded letters, graphics and borders are re-painted with high-quality monument paint so the inscription reads clearly again. This is what makes the difference visible from ten feet away rather than two.

On-site bronze restoration

Bronze markers oxidize to a dull green-brown and the raised lettering disappears into the background. We restore the finish at the gravesite — no removal, no shipping the marker away.

Bronze re-gold and seal

Re-gilding the letters and graphics on a bronze marker, then sealing the surface to slow the next round of oxidation. The step that keeps a bronze plaque looking cared-for rather than merely cleaned.

Ceramic picture installation and replacement

Porcelain and ceramic portraits crack, fade or come loose over the years. We install new ones and replace damaged ones, matched to the marker.

Etched laser picture restoration

Laser-etched portraits and scenes lose contrast as the stone weathers. Restoring the etching brings the image back out of the granite.

Markers we restore

Granite, marble, slab and bronze — flat markers, slant markers, upright monuments, bevel markers, ledgers and companion stones. If you aren't sure what yours is made of, send a photo and we'll tell you.

How it works

Send a photo. Either text it to 818-639-3993 or use the free online headstone restoration quote form — whichever is easier. We need the cemetery name and the name on the marker so we can find it.
We quote it. An accurate price for exactly what that marker needs — not a package you don't. We answer quickly.
We go to the gravesite. You don't need to be present. When the work is finished we send you the photos.

Where we work

Los Angeles County, Orange County, Ventura County, Riverside County and San Bernardino County. We work at more than twenty-five cemeteries across the Southland — see the full list of cemeteries we serve.

Questions families ask

How much does headstone restoration cost?

It depends on the size of the marker, its material and how far it has weathered — which is why we quote from a photograph rather than a price list. Quotes are free, and a cleaning-only restoration costs considerably less than a full re-highlight and bronze restoration.

Do I have to be at the cemetery?

No. We work directly at the gravesite and send you photographs when the work is complete. Most of our clients never meet us in person.

Can a headstone that looks ruined actually be saved?

Usually, yes. Stone that appears permanently darkened is almost always covered in biological growth and mineral deposit rather than damaged. The markers that look worst are the ones that change most.

Will cleaning damage the stone?

Not the way we do it. We don't use harsh acids, pressure washers at damaging settings, or wire wheels. Monument stone outlives us; the treatment should respect that.

How long does re-highlighting last?

We use high-quality monument paint, but a headstone lives outdoors. Sun, rain, sprinklers and temperature swings all affect how long a finish holds, so we can't guarantee a duration. Most families have their marker re-highlighted every few years.

Do I need permission from the cemetery?

Most cemeteries permit families to have their markers professionally cleaned and restored, and we work within each cemetery's own rules. If a particular cemetery requires notice, we'll tell you when we quote.

When is the best time to have it done?

Families most often book before an anniversary of passing, a birthday, or a holiday visit. If you'd like a reminder two weeks before those dates each year, you can register your loved one's dates and we'll write to you in time to schedule.

Start with a photograph

You don't need to know what the marker needs, or what it's made of. Send us a picture and we'll tell you what can be done and what it costs.

Either send a text to 818-639-3993 with the photo, or use the free online headstone restoration quote form. You can also email orders@gloryroses.com. We respond quickly, seven days a week.