Should You Repair or Replace a Damaged Headstone?

When repair is the right call

• **The break is clean.** A stone snapped in one or two pieces with sound edges rejoins well with conservation adhesives and pinning.
• **The stone has history.** Original stones carry period carving, craftsmanship, and authenticity a replacement cannot reproduce.
• **The material is sound.** If the stone rings solid and is not crumbling, repair will last.

Typical repair costs run $150–$1,200 depending on complexity.

When replacement makes sense

• **The stone is failing throughout** — sugaring marble, delaminating slate, or crumbling concrete.
• **Previous repairs have failed repeatedly**, especially old concrete or hardware-store epoxy jobs.
• **The inscription is already lost** and the family wants legibility restored.

New markers range from a few hundred dollars for flat granite markers to many thousands for upright monuments.

A middle path

Some families keep the original stone lying flat or re-set at the grave and add a small modern companion marker for legibility — preserving history while restoring readability. Ask whether your cemetery permits it.

Get an honest assessment

A reputable repair professional will tell you when a stone is not worth repairing — and a reputable monument dealer will tell you when the original can be saved. Getting one of each opinion is a reasonable way to decide.