Timeless beauty

Stone is a material that embodies the permanence of memories. Timeless, natural stone from Finland suits its environment and can withstand seasonal changes. Kivilähde’s gravestone range contains several tones featuring delightful variation in the colours and patterns of the natural stone. The shape, text and decoration of the stone can be personalised and adapted to produce a monument to a life well lived.

Kivilähde has over 30 years of design experience to help you choose a gravestone. Our inspiring range has grown over the years and now covers to a large number of options. Almost all of our gravestones can be modified with regard to size, decoration, type of stone, surface finish and base. If you can’t find a model from our pre-made gravestone range, or you would like to customise one of our models, we and our representatives are happy to help you with your design.

Learn more about our gravestones below and be inspired by our wide range of options!

Timeless beauty
Back to previous page

Procuring a gravestone

Parish guidelines and regulations
Your own wishes
A suitable model
Changes
Installation

Parish guidelines and regulations

It is a good idea to find out about your parish’s guidelines and regulations for gravestones. What size of gravestone is permitted? If necessary, we can check the guidelines and regulations on your behalf.

Your own wishes

What kind of elements would you like to include on the gravestone, and how many names do you intend to put on the gravestone? Is there a suitable model in our range of pre-made gravestones, or would you like to make some changes?

A suitable model

If you find a suitable model in our range of gravestones, you can order it on our online store or through one of our representatives.

Changes

If you would like to make changes to a gravestone, please talk to us or one of our representatives about the changes you would like to make. We will draw up a draft of a suitable model based on your wishes, accounting for parish guidelines and regulations. Once you are satisfied with the draft, an order will be placed.

Installation

We obtain the required permits from the parish and then deliver and install the gravestone at the cemetery.

Tips on designing a gravestone

Gravestone text
Decorations and symbols
Lantern gravestones
Base stones

Gravestone text

Engraving is the most common method of putting text on a gravestone; other methods include bronze lettering and plates. There are several different types of text, the style of which varies according to the overall appearance of the stone. Learn more about different types of text and plates in the Gravestone Guide.

Decorations and symbols

A life well-lived can be described using various symbols. Read our tips on how different decorations are added to gravestones.

Lantern gravestones

A lantern adds atmosphere to a gravestone. Browse our range of lovely lanterns.

Base stones

A base stone adds the finishing touch to a gravestone. Whether you’re looking for a stylish or low-maintenance gravestone, you’re sure to find a suitable model in our range.

Stone options

Silver Green
Diamond-brushed Silver Green
Diamond-brushed White Pearl
Lilac Pearl
Diamond-brushed Lilac Pearl
Aarni
Spectrolite
Dark Labrador
Light Labrador
Red gneiss
Vehmaa red
Taivassalo red
Black granite
Ristijärvi grey
Kuru grey

Silver Green

Medium grey, flaring rock species. The flare is highly variable. The rock is extracted from Varpaisjärvi.

Diamond-brushed Silver Green

Diamond-brushing gives Silver Green a beautiful matte, natural finish and a slightly uneven surface structure. The variable flecked pattern means that each gravestone has a unique appearance. Silver text and decorations are an excellent match for diamond-brushed Silver Green, but gold also goes well with this stone.

Diamond-brushed White Pearl

A light-coloured and beautifully veined quartzite. Diamond-brushing and stone-flaming are great options for surface treatment. The stone is quarried from Varpaisjärvi.

Lilac Pearl

Dark, wine-red, patterned rock species. Light quartz stripes sometimes occur. Lilac Pearl is extracted from Rautavaara.

Diamond-brushed Lilac Pearl

Diamond-brushing creates a beautiful matte, natural and slightly uneven texture on the surface of Lilac Pearl stone. The overall colour of patterned Lilac Pearl is dark burgundy. Light quartz stripes occur in places in the stone.

Aarni

Aarni combines dark green and brown tones with shiny, bluish flecks in between. The pattern is largely even, so the overall appearance of the stone is calm. Aarni is quarried from Kiuruvesi.

Spectrolite

Rough-structured, dark grey or black gabbro, with characteristic single blue/green crystals of different size. A domestic rock species.

Dark Labrador

A Norwegian rock species. Dark, somewhat greenish, contains crystals glittering under light.

Light Labrador

A Norwegian rock species. Bluish grey rock containing crystals glittering under light.

Red gneiss

Red and black-striped, patterned, very often used in tombstones. The striping varies; each tombstone will have a different texture.

Vehmaa red

An even-grained, medium-red rock species. The grain is slightly denser than that of Taivassalo red granite.

Taivassalo red

An even-grained rock species of red colour.

Black granite

A small-grained rock species of black colour, uniform quality.

Ristijärvi grey

A grey, even-grained rock species. The grain is slightly larger and contrasts more pronounced as compared to the Kuru grey granite.

Kuru grey

An even-grained, grey rock species. Smaller grain and less varied overall impression as compared to the Ristijärvi grey granite.

Frequently asked questions

Parish guidelines and regulations
Headstone installation and delivery time
Invoicing
Terms of delivery and vandalism warranty

Parish guidelines and regulations

Each parish has its own separate guidelines and regulations concerning gravestones, usually with regard to the maximum permitted dimensions. The main requirement is that the gravestone must fit within the burial area. In some areas, there guidelines also specify the colour and shape of the stone.

We at Kivilähde will help you to find a suitable gravestone, check the parish’s dimension restrictions and obtain the necessary permits from the parish before delivering and installing the gravestone.

Headstone installation and delivery time

Headstones are primarily installed when the ground is workable between May and October, taking parish guidelines into consideration. The average delivery period for a gravestone during the summer is around 2 months.

We will send a letter to notify the customer of the date of installation in advance.

The parish will mark the burial place and the location of the gravestone for the installer so that the friend or relative does not need to be present for installation.

Our gravestones come with a two-year adjustment warranty.

Invoicing

We invoice for the order once the gravestone has been installed. If necessary, we can send an invoice in advance before installation.

Terms of delivery and vandalism warranty

We comply with the general terms of delivery of gravestones approved by the Consumer Ombudsman and the Finnish Natural Stone Association.

It is possible to take out a vandalism warranty for gravestones purchased from Kivilähde. The vandalism warranty is subject to a fee and is valid for 5 years from the date on which the gravestone was installed.

Ask us more of our terms of delivery and warranty.

Personal service all over Finland

Take the time to choose and design a gravestone in store with one of our professional representatives. You can choose from a range of colours, shapes and decorations, as well as other customisable details. Our representatives use the Designer program to help with gravestone design, which makes it easier to see what different options will look like.

Our gravestone representatives are an important part of our range’s visibility and service. If you would like personal service and tips on choosing a gravestone, our representatives are happy to answer any questions you have about buying a gravestone.

Our network of skilled, professional representatives covers all of Finland!

Find your closest representative

Kivilähde’s stores

We are also at your service in Kivilähde’s stores in Kaavi, Ylöjärvi and Helsinki. In our stores you can explore our gravestone displays, which feature an extensive range of various gravestone options. We are happy to help with any questions you have about buying a gravestone, and we can design a gravestone according to your personal wishes. We also provide additional engraving and restoration services for old gravestones in our stores. Welcome!

Store contact information

The Gravestone Guide contains lots of tips on choosing and maintaining a gravestone. It explains the history of gravestones in more detail and describes the types of stones and their features. The Gravestone Guide also features a collection of topical articles and news.

Maintenance instructions

Maintenance instructions

Stone is a beautiful, valuable material that lasts almost forever. The stones used for funeral monuments have significant sentimental value, for which reason certain representativeness is required. Regular stone maintenance procedures should be carried out on each visit to the grave.
Read more
Parish guidelines and regulations

Parish guidelines and regulations

We at Kivilähde will help you to find a suitable gravestone, and we will obtain the necessary permits from the parish before delivering and installing the gravestone.
Read more
Decorations and symbols

Decorations and symbols

A life well-lived can be described using various symbols. Read our tips on how different decorations are added to gravestones.
Read more
Lantern gravestones

Lantern gravestones

A lantern adds atmosphere to a gravestone. Browse our range of lovely lanterns.
Read more
Back to previous page