A pet memorial in concrete.

How do you make a pet memorial stone with a name?

Build a form larger than the stamp, fill it with a standard bagged or ready mix, and press the stamp in when the surface is thumbprint-firm.

We make the stamp; the concrete is yours. Mix it the way the bag says, fill the form, then level and finish the top.

Wait for the bleed water to go, typically 30 to 90 minutes after finishing, then test with your thumb near the middle of the stone. Its edges and thin spots set first, so don't test there. When your thumb leaves a clean 1/4-inch print without pulling up paste, the stone is ready.

Coat the stamp with a release agent made for stamped concrete. A liquid leaves no color behind, and a powder can tint the letters slightly. Press straight down until the border seats, lift straight up, and let the stone cure in the form.

How do you add a real paw print?

Press the paw beside the name at the same firmness, straight down and straight up.

Have someone steady your pet, and keep a bucket of clean water beside you. Wet concrete is caustic, so rinse the paw right away, between the toes too.

If your pet has already gone, a paw can still go on the stone as art. Upload a paw outline as an SVG in the designer and set it beside the words. The designer takes SVG files only, not photos.

What should a pet memorial say?

A name, the years and a short line is usually enough.

Short reads best and costs least. The name you called them every day matters more than the one on the paperwork, and a line can be as plain as GOOD DOG.

Check the years before you order, and say the words out loud once. The ideas below open in the designer, so you can change them until they sound right.

Can a pet memorial stay outside through winter?

Yes. A concrete stone is built for the outdoors, so it can stay out all year.

In freeze-thaw country, an air-entrained mix is the normal choice for outdoor concrete. Ask for one at the ready-mix plant, or check the label on a bagged mix.

The words are part of the stone, so there's nothing to peel off, and 20-year-old stamped concrete is still going strong.

How big should a pet memorial stone be?

Start from the words, because they set the stamp's size, and the stamp sets the stone's.

A stamp is at least 6 inches in each direction, and that already includes a 1-inch border around the words. The designer shows the exact size as you type.

Leave room around the stamp in the form, so the border seats on flat concrete rather than at the very edge of the stone.

The price follows the stamp's size: 60¢ a square inch, with a $100 minimum.

Can one stamp be used for more than one stone?

Yes. The same words can go into as many stones as you like.

That helps when more than one person in the family wants a stone, or when you'd like one for the garden and one for the back step. Rinse the stamp before the paste hardens, and it's ready for the next. We can point to the record: stamps we cut 20 years ago are still in use in the field.

A second pet needs a second stamp, because the words are cut into the plate.