For a Lasting Memory - Advise on Commemorative Wording Options For a Memorial Bench

Memorial Benches are a wonderful way to commemorate a happy event, or to celebrate the life of a loved one now departed. Adding a special message makes a Bench a very personal gift.

Wood Carving

Wood carving by hand involves using a variety of different chisels and gouges in order to meticulously carve out text. The text is first printed on to paper then etched on to the timber. The process is lengthy and time consuming but when done by a professional, looks outstanding. Standard fonts are Aerial & Times Roman and for best results, should only be done in capital letters; Lower case lettering can look childlike at best.

Hand carving can be done in places that a CNC router cannot reach such as curved rails. As the inscription will not deteriorate over time it provides an anti-theft deterrent, as it cannot be removed. A very traditional and elegant method but due to intensive manual labour, this format is the most expensive.

CNC

The latest way to carve into wood uses a CNC router. The abbreviation CNC stands for Computer Numerical Control, and refers specifically to a computer "controller" that reads computer instructions and drives a machine tool to selectively remove material, in this case wood.

3D text, lower case lettering and unusual logos can easily be engraved into the wood. The size of the machine dictates the panels that can be engraved on, so if you are after an inscription on a long bench, always enquire before hand. Costs can vary but are usually cheaper than hand carving where CNC routing is available.

Plaques / Plates

Most commemorative plaques that are placed on Memorial Benches are either Brass or Stainless steel.

Brass Plaques

Brass is a yellowish alloy of copper and zinc, sometimes including small amounts of other metals, but usually 67 percent copper and 33 percent zinc. Text is computer etched into the Brass then in-filled and stove enamelled in black. This is a very traditional method and the technology allows many types of fonts, many charachters of text in a small area and some offer images too.

If left outside, the brass will gracefully fade to a light brown. Use Brasso to bring aged Brass back to life, however you may want to put some masking tape around the outer edges of the plaque to protect the Teak whilst cleaning. Generally speaking, this is the most cost effective way of providing commemorative text.

Stainless Steel Plaques

Stainless Steel is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 11% chromium content by mass. Stainless steel does not stain, corrode, or rust as easily as ordinary steel. It stains less, but it is not stain-proof. There is no after care. The colour should stay fast for life and has all the same benefits as Brass Plaques when it comes to text engraving technology.

The price for stainless steel plates are generally speaking 30% higher than a Brass Plate when budgeting.

Decorative Switch Plates - There Are Many Fine Options Available

Did you know that you can purchase decorative switch plates for your home? It's true, no longer are you limited to ones that are plain and boring anymore. In fact, there are actually a slew of different decorative switch plates to choose from. However, before we get into that, let's talk a little bit about why these fixtures are so important. You see, they came about because of the all the wires that are needed to run an outlet or light. They are used to cover up those wires and keep them in place so you or your family don't accidentally hit them and get a shock.

Now that you know about what makes them practical, it's time to talk about what makes decorative switch plates so pleasing to the eye. You see, they can actually be crafted from all sorts of eye-catching materials and then finished in a number of stylish ways. For instance, you can get ones that are crafted from metal that, like brass, and are then polished to create one shiny selection. Or, you can get one that is made out of leather, yes leather, that is elegantly patterned as different colored pieces are sewn together and even have delightful carvings and accents in them.

These are just a few of the decorative switch plates that are available too because there are actually many, many more to choose from as well. Like, there are others made from metal as well including those crafted from stainless steel that has a forged design in it while having a brushed finish. There are also ones crafted from ceramic that can feature a variety of hand painted designs from flowers, to birds, and even kitchen scenes. You can also get ones that are crafted from wood that have different stains applied to them and there are even ones that are made from plastic that are covered in a decoupages design.

With all the choices, it is pretty easy to find the perfect decorative switch plates to really enhance the overall look of your space. Like, maybe you have a very modern looking space, then the ones that were crafted from stainless steel with the forged design would be the way to go. Or, if you have a bathroom that has a fun theme to it, then some made from ceramic that have bathroom themes to them, like scrubbing bubbles or rubber ducks, would be the way to go.

One way to check out all the choices is to bypass the trip to the local hardware store and instead flip on that computer of yours for some online shopping. Just by doing a keyword search of decorative switch plates will allow you to browse everything that is available and what's great is that if you do make a purchase, it will be shipped right to your home.

In the end, decorative switch plates are just a great option for adding some personality to your home. Get yours today so you can start admiring them tomorrow.