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Concrete Headstones / Gravestones

2025-Sep-29:	3rd set of headstones are finished. 3 big ones and 2 small ones, Photos below.
2025-Sep-01:	2nd set of headstones are now in the cemetery. 1 big, 3 small, Photos below.
2025-Aug-08:	1st headstone is in the cemetery.  Photos below.

Concrete, sealer, and the flower pipe are calculated per headstone.
The fixed costs for things like the typeset & tools are divided by 10 and added to each headstone.  So I'm hoping that at least 10 will be made and paid for.
Not currently included is gas money for a return trip to Calgary where the concrete mix is sold.  I may have to add that later if necessary.  So far, the purchases have been brought to Empress by friends making the trip from Calgary or Edmonton anyway, and I thank them very much.

A friend in Empress lends me a concrete mixer & wheelbarrow.  He probably won't see this, but I thank him also.

• The concrete mix is Flowcrete.  It is high quality, denser, and more durable than regular concrete.  It contains superplasticizers to make it high-strength and reduce the amount of water used.
• Inside the concrete are short pieces of rebar to strengthen the headstone.  I knew all those mangled white rebar crosses could be put to use.
• Letters, numbers, etc. are pressed into the top of the gravestone before the concrete sets.
• Each gravestone has a short length of metal pipe embedded for flowers.  See Flower Pipes/Holders for Graveside.
• All six sides have sealer applied which penetrates and protects the concrete.  Sealing happens 4-5 days after the casting.  The sealer also makes the concrete surface have a slightly wet look.

The third set of headstones:
Big ones: 69 x 35 x 10 cm (27.2 x 13.8 x 3.9")
Small ones: 46.5 x 26 x 10 cm (18.3 x 10.3 x 3.9")

The second set of headstones:
Big one: 69 x 35 x 10 cm (27.2 x 13.8 x 3.9")
Small ones: 46.5 x 26 x 10 cm (18.3 x 10.3 x 3.9")

The first concrete headstone.
55.5 x 29 x 15 cm (21.7 x 11.4 x 5.9")

Thanks go to Papa's Wood Shoppe (Mark Watts), in Medicine Hat. He made the letters & numbers that I press into the concrete gravestones, using a CNC machine.

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