The story of HGH Granite originated all the way back in 1929 when an experienced and talented stone mason by the name of Henry George Hardwick moved to Ontario from England and began producing unparallelled memorials from a small workspace on Ottawa Street. Though our granite company in Ontario has significantly evolved since then, and we’ve become the leading suppliers of granite to the landscape, art, and architectural communities, we still proudly fulfill all the needs of cemeteries, memorial retailers, and municipalities.
As the old adage goes, “You can’t know where you are going unless you know where you have been.” We’re extremely proud of our origins, and even more proud of the granite we have been supplying for memorials, mausoleums, columbaria, and monuments for nearly 90 years. We consider it a noble service to provide material for families and friends to honor their loved ones. It’s truly terrible to lose someone you care about, and while we’re often unable to say a final goodbye, the best we can do is honor them with a beautiful marking of their final resting place that will last for centuries.
When walking through a cemetery you might notice a few old headstones or memorials made of deteriorating marble, but a high majority will be granite. There is a reason why granite has become the obvious choice of material when choosing l to memorialize a dear friend or family member. In this post, we’ll discuss what makes this stone the ideal material for a fitting and beautiful tribute, and why we are the best choice to supply it.
Incredible Durability
You don’t want the memorial of your loved one to crack or discolor with time. Like your memories of them, you never want it to fade or disintegrate. According to the MOHS (Measures of Hardness Scale), where diamonds are rated as the hardest material on earth at a 10, granite falls somewhere in between a 6 and a 7. It’s also extremely dense, with its molecules extremely packed in together. This makes it hard to carve, cut and polish without the proper tools, experience, and stonemasonry skill. Being family owned and operated, HGH Granite is now in its fifth generation of stone workers, so our knowledge and expertise is never questioned.
Natural Beauty
It’s hard to deny the beauty of granite. The actual stone is comprised of a mixture of different minerals such as mica, silica, quartz, and more, and this combination creates a wide array of colour schemes. From dark blues to deep reds, all mixed with multiple other hues, granite’s allure resembles the artistry of a mosaic. With so many options, you’re certain to find a colour that will make a beautiful memorial that also reflects the personality of your lost loved one. Be sure to browse through our vast selection of colours.
The Problem With Marble
It’s likely that you’ll view multiple marble monuments when visiting an old cemetery. This is because from the 1850s all the way through the 1940s, it was common practice to use marble due to how affordable it was to carve, polish and cut with the tools available to them. Yet, this is the reason why many of these memorials have deteriorated and are illegible today. Made of a calcite structure, marble decomposes under many conditions and especially over time. Yet, it was used almost exclusively until advancements in stonemason tools and techniques in the 20s (around when Henry George Hardwick began producing high-quality memorials).
In modern times, granite has become the clear choice when choosing material for a memorial. Some go with bronze, but this lacks the customization, natural beauty, and colour that granite offers.
HGH Granite
Our work in the memorial industry has been a foundation for us to show our abilities and expertise in custom granite and that’s why we continue our services today. Our extremely experienced staff will be able to guide you in choosing the perfect stone for your needs. We have countless options and are sure to meet your requirements. Importing, exporting, and globally sourcing granite is what we do best, and our stone craftsmen are experts in laser etching, repair work, installation, and sandblasting, so be sure to contact us today for any of your granite needs. Again, we provide granite services, including memorial granite sculpting, for folks throughout Ontario.
