COMMON Questions about our CAST Glass Memorials
1. Installing Lundgren Monuments
More often than not, we will assemble your new memorial and ship it complete. This minimizes installation and potential for error in the cemetery. We are involved every step of the way to ensure your memorial arrives safe and is installed properly.
2. How much do they cost?
All of our work is custom and one of a kind and we do not have a catalog of readymade designs to select from. As cast glass is an intensive handmade product, we are the first to admit this is not the least expensive option. On average, memorial costs begin around $10,000.00 USD and range about 15-20K. The last thing we want to do is add more stress and burden to a grieving family, and given a sense of your budget, we are happy to design accordingly.
3. Will my cemetery allow it?
When we first started casting memorials in 2002, we thought that cemeteries would welcome a new alternative to granite. Who wouldn't want another option? Who wouldn't want a little color in this often drab landscape? Well, it turned out, there was a lot of apprehension. It just wasn’t in their rules and regulations. It was too exotic for a lot of them. Eventually, a few progressive cemeteries raised their hands and a whole lot of families became advocates for us. Sure, we still face some opposition, but as our work spreads throughout the world, in all types of cemeteries and environments, that uncertainty is being replaced with enthusiasm. Contact us if you would like us to speak to your local cemetery manager. We are very familiar with the conversation and most often they just need a little reassurance.
4. How long does it take to make?
We typically allow 5-6 months for most memorial projects. This is representative of the industry and often granite takes longer than glass.
5. Won’t glass break?
Our day-to-day experience with glass is associated with windows and wine glasses, light bulbs and sunglasses - all of which are fractions of an inch thick. The truth is, nothing is unbreakable. But glass is non-corrosive, non-porous, stainless, and has survived thousands of years in some of the most unforgiving climates. It is the reason why we store nuclear waste in glass-lined containers and mix chemicals in glass beakers and scientific equipment. Once we start to examine the history of glass, and how it has endured over the centuries, a new portrait of the medium emerges.
6. What about hot and cold climates?
One of the most common concerns we receive is how glass weathers in extreme climates. If cast glass is properly annealed, it behaves no differently than any other glass in your environment. Skyscrapers are wrapped in glass, our homes and cars are constantly exposed to the elements - cast glass memorials respond to hot and cold just like streetlights, headlights and storefront windows in your town.
7. How thick will the glass be?
Depending upon the project, we create cast glass in all different thicknesses. Thicker glass is not necessarily stronger glass, and anything over 1.5” (38mm) will stand up against the test of time and weather.
8. What if we live far away?
Lundgren Monuments works with families and organizations around the world. Once a monument is properly crated, it can be shipped anywhere.
9. Why haven't I seen this before?
Large-scale cast glass is relatively new in art and sculpture. The cooling cycle is so long and precise that it requires 24-hour attention, sometimes for weeks on end. Prior to computer-controlled kilns, this process was monitored by a technician, making large cast pieces very difficult and incredibly costly. Employing computer-controlled kilns has opened up a new world to glass artists everywhere.
10. Can't my local glass artist make one?
You might find someone willing to experiment and try to make one, but we don’t recommend it. This is largely because there is a very steep learning curve regarding material, casting process, design and installation. In retaining our services, you are paying for more than twenty years of experience casting large scale outdoor sculpture. We have seen every problem and bump in the road imaginable. We invented the cast glass memorial, and it wasn’t an easy process to master. If you can find another artist to create something for you, ask a lot of questions and proceed with caution.
11. Do you provide etchings in any language?
Yes, we work with individuals and families around the world to create pieces that feature engravings in other languages. We rely on you to provide vector-based text files so we don’t get it wrong, but can etch anything you can convert for us.
12. Maintenance Issues.
Be warned - your memorial will be covered in fingerprints! This is because friends and strangers alike are drawn to our sun illuminated monuments. You can’t help but reach out and touch them. Luckily, fingerprints are easily wiped away with window cleaner and a cloth.
13. Can you put lights inside them so they glow?
We are often asked if we can design a memorial with LED lighting inside, powered by a solar panel. The answer is yes, we can, but we don’t recommend it. Any technology introduced to memorials is bound to fail over time, be that 10 years or 110 years. Solar panels are often unsightly and are not designed with centuries of intention, being made of plastic, which naturally degrades with time.
A glowing headstone will stand out after cemetery hours and may only attract the wrong kind of activity. Anything is possible, and we are happy to talk to you about it, but it is an expensive option that causes more problems than benefits gained.
14. Bubble management!
No matter what the style, cast glass is going to have bubbles in it. It is this quality that makes glass uniquely handcrafted. There are ways to incorporate more or reduce the number of bubbles, but ultimately it is understood that each glass project is going to look wholly original and unique.