Sandstone Marker Alternative to Granite

3/9/2021

To avoid the high cost of a granite headstone and wait time, a local rock yard is making memorial markers out of sandstone.

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With half a million

people dead from COVID-19,

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the wait for a granite or marble headstone

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can take several months or more.

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And the rock is surprisingly expensive

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but Lillywhite Stone, a

rock yard in Farmington

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is offering a faster,

less costly alternative.

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You're watching The Local News Network

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brought to you by express

employment professionals

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and CMIT solutions.

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I'm Wendy Graham Settle.

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Sandstone, it comes mostly

from Arizona quarries

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in different colors,

sizes, and thicknesses.

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Owner, Ross Lillywhite says

the native population here

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prefers sandstone memorial markers

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over marble or granite

because it's familiar stone

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that's found throughout the reservation.

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Well, a lot of it has to do

with the coloring as well,

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you know, matches the environment

and looks like something

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that come out of that local hills.

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But sandstone is a great choice for anyone

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who's lost a loved one

because of its affordability,

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natural beauty and majesty.

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The wait time for a

headstone at Lillywhites?

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Couple weeks normally.

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Right now we're running into a problem

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and that because Texas,

there's the mass material.

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It's been on back order,

it's been, been crazy so...

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The rubberized mask or

template of lettering

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and designed for the face of the headstone

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is glued to the surface then sandblasted.

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Finally, the headstone is finished

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by inserting rebar on the

bottom for easy installation.

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You can choose to keep

the jacket natural shape

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or have it cut to perfection.

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Lillywhite Stone, a family run business

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since 1969 charges $5 a letter,

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depending on its size,

a medium to large marker

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costs on average $350.

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It's a very inexpensive

way to have something

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that expresses yourself

and your home, whatever

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or your loved one.

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Sandstone may not last as long as granite

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but after so many hundreds of years,

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does it really matter?

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If you'd like to know more

about sandstone memorials

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contact Lillywhite Stone

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at 6401 East Main in Farmington.

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Thanks for watching this edition

of The Local News Network.

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I'm Wendy Graham Settle.

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