Cremation Urns

Since most people are not in the market for urns on a daily basis, it can be very hard to even get started. Sometimes there are more questions than answers and with the emotional turmoil, this only adds more stress.

First off, you can legally keep cremains in almost any container you would like. People have used vases for centuries and more recently we have even heard the stories of coffee cans. You can modify a violin to make an urn if you so pleased. The main question is – Where will this urn be kept?

If you plan on keeping the urn in your home then you have more freedom in the choice than if you want to place it in a niche at a cemetery. Many niches are 11″ x11″ x 11″ limiting your choice to a cremation urn under 11″ in all directions, so the violin is out of the question unless you build a miniature violin. 

When keeping the urn in the home some people don’t want to draw attention to the urn as an urn. This is where the design can fool people. Many of our urns have been mistaken as jewelry chests others we offer are actually clocks.

Castlewood clock urn

 The Castlewood clock urn is a functioning and beautiful hardwood clock, yet it also keeps cremains inside.

The other area of decision is the material of the urn. Some people prefer brass or ceramics and some love the richness of walnut. This is a personal choice which is sometimes predetermined by the deceased (or a known preference.) Let the urn be something that represents your loved one to you, don’t let the salesman sway you by trying to convince you to buy a thousand dollar urn because “he would’ve wanted the quality”, but instead find the most fitting urn to remember them by.

The question that comes up often is “how long will the urn last?”

• If you are keeping the urn in your home, than how long will similar items last? If it is wood, how long does your hardwood furniture last? How old is that antique that has been handed down for generations? The hardwood urns are built from the same wood as those antiques and with the same high quality finishes that are used on cabinets and furniture sold today.
• If you plan on burying the urn, most cemeteries will require a burial vault that can be sealed and are made from high grade polymers or metals.
• For those who will place in a niche within a mortuary, the conditions are usually that which are dry enough and sealed to protect wood or metals from corrosion and rot.

I hope that this will help you in deciding what cremation urn will work best, but always keep in mind that it is your choice. Don’t let anyone make you choose some old ugly looking urn because that is all the crematorium offers. Also, keep things within a budget, by not being forced, even if it is merely by guilt, to buy something that can’t be afforded.