To answer the title question in a word, no. It only matters if it matters to you.
Now, having said that, there are some considerations. First, do not confuse color with quality. We will talk about quality in a future blog but for now let’s talk color. The first question to ask is, How will a particular color contrast with the lettering? Some colors do not contrast well with lettering. It is important that your color choice contrasts well with lettering. We try to only carry colors that make a great contrast. In the past we have had customers insist on a certain color that does not work well and afterward have been unhappy.
Secondly, if you are shopping online and find a color that you really like, don’t get your heart set on it. Just because it looks good in a pic, please realize that it may have been enhanced with paint. At North Country Memorials, Inc., we use only colors that we have found to contrast well.
Some colors fade. True or False? …….. circle one. Lets think about it. Everything under the sun fades. In time your gravestone will fade. You may notice a change in the first 5 years but after that, in my experience the change is so gradual that you may not notice it at all. We have found that many of Irish decent like green, and ask for it. We do not recommend it at all as it turns brown within the first ten years. Blacks, grays and many reds seem to hold their color better. That does not mean that they do not fade; it just means they will take longer for you to see a difference. If a monument is not in the direct sunlight, but rather under a tree, they will hold their color longer. In the southern states where there is more sunshine than where I live in northern New York, you will see memorials fade more quickly. Constant wind, and freezing and thawing temperatures in the winter will cause the grave stone to break down quicker.
You may be thinking, what colors are available that we recommend? Here is my incomplete list, starting with the most common. Gray (three shades), Mt. Rose, Jet Black, Mist Black, Galaxy Black, India Red, Blue Pearl, Mahogany (brown) and Pink name only a few. To get a more complete list go to our website.
So, when shopping don’t be afraid to ask questions and be informed .