Cremains Containers: Find the Best Cremation Urn for Your Loved One

In this post, we are going to talk about cremains containers. This is a term many people search when looking for a cremation urn. In other words, a “container” for the “cremated remains.”

The fact that you’re looking for cremains containers means that you have experienced or anticipate the loss of a loved one. So let us first express our sincere condolences to you and your family. It is our hope and prayer that in this article you find the answers to your questions.

Cremation, Containers, and Urns

In the United States, traditional burials are slowly and steadily becoming a thing of the past. Embalming and cemetery interment, which have been the norm for so long, are quickly becoming less mainstream. Cremation, which is much more economical as well as environmentally-friendly, is on the rise. Today, more than half of all final dispositions in America are cremations.

With the rise of the cremation funeral service (which can include a formal funeral and burial or inurnment, just like a traditional service) comes the market for cremation and everything surrounding the process. Included in this market are urns, urn burial vaults, and other means by which we may carefully keep and memorialize forever the cremated remains (sometimes referred to as ashes or cremains) of our loved ones.

There are many options out there when it comes to selecting a cremains container, and many people seek guidance in choosing the right one.

If this is you, welcome! You’ve come to the right place.

In this article, we hope to provide you with the information you need to make an educated decision on the best cremation urn for your loved one.

For simplicity’s sake, whenever we refer to ashes or cremains in this article, more often than not we’ll use the more industry-typical term cremated remains. We will also use cremation urn as well as the term cremains container.

What is a Cremains Container?

A cremains container is an urn. This is a container specially fashioned to hold the cremated remains of someone who has died. Also known as a cremation urn, these containers are meant for temporary or permanent use.

It doesn’t matter whether you are burying the urn, keeping it for the foreseeable future, or scattering the ashes. The container which holds the remains of your loved one deserves to be treated with the utmost respect, the same respect that would be shown to casketed remains.

This is why many people choose a beautiful and unique urn to hold the remains of their loved one.

More: The 5-Minute Guide to Choosing a Cremation Urn

Will the Cremated Remains Fill the Container?

Usually, the answer is yes.

Cremation urns made for adults are generally, at a minimum, 200 cubic inches. With the standard equation being about 1 pound for every 1 cubic inch, a standard adult cremains container will hold the ashes of an approximately 200-pound individual.

For most people and most typical adult urns, the ashes will fill about 3/4 or more of the cremains container.

If your loved one was of greater stature and/or weight, there are still many options available to you.

For additional details, see What Size Urn Should I Get?

Cremains Containers: Temporary Urns

What is a temporary urn?

This is the plastic or cardboard container you received from the funeral home or crematory following cremation. It temporarily holds your loved one’s remains until you scatter, bury, or place them in a permanent urn.

You may be wondering, will this temporary urn fit inside a regular adult urn? Unfortunately, this is usually not the case. Most urns have about the same interior capacity as the inside of the temporary urn. This means that while most standard adult cremation urns will hold the remains that are inside the temporary urn, they are not designed to fit the whole container inside. So you (or a family member, or the funeral director) will need to transfer the remains from the temporary to the permanent urn.

However, there are urns available that allow for permanent placement of the temporary vessel.

To see a selection of these urns, and to learn more about temporary urns and transferring cremated remains, see our article on Using a Temporary Urn.

Cremains Containers: Permanent Urns

A permanent urn is the container that you use to permanently store the remains.

Known by various name, including cremation urn, urns for ashes, funeral urns, memorial urns, and cremains containers, these are typically elegant vessels that represent your loved one in some way. This can be, for instance, an urn decorated with a fishing scene for the avid fisherman. Or it can simply be an elegant wood box that lends dignity to your loved one’s remains.

Urns come in many styles and themes. You can get wood, ceramic, marble, metal, or glass urns. Many designs include themes like the fisherman mentioned above, or other popular pastimes like bicycles, motorcycles, lighthouses, golfing, horses, music, flower gardening, and much more.

We represent some of the most enduring and beloved themes in our flagship line of 3-dimensional wood inlay art cremation urns. These urns feature real wood carvings set into the wood box in layers, giving it depth and a lifelike appearance. You can see them here.

Urn Vaults: Containers to Hold the Urn

Are you planning to have your loved one’s cremated remains buried in a cemetery? Be advised that you will most likely be required to purchase an urn burial vault in addition to the urn.

A burial vault is an extremely durable container designed to hold the weight of the earth around it, and to protect the urn and remains within. It is usually made of steel or a high-grade polymer (or sometimes installed with cement). It is able to withstand against the elements to prevent decay for as long as possible.

The urn vault also serves to keep the ground above the grave site level. For these reasons, burial vaults are usually mandatory for interment or inurnment in a cemetery.

Are you in search of a high-quality burial vault? See our first-rate vault selection here.

More: Using Burial Vaults to Bury and Protect Your Cremation Urn

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As you prepare to say good-bye to your loved one, we sincerely hope that you found this information on cremains containers helpful. We strive to provide not only quality products to our valued customers, but also helpful articles such as this one that are applicable in real life.

If you’re ready to choose the memorial urn for your loved one, start by browsing our selection of premium cremation urns.

Shop Cremation Urns

Here are a few of our popular collections of cremains containers.

Wall Mounted Plaque Urns

Wood Inlay Art Urns

Ceramic Cremation Urns

Classic Wooden Urns

Read Next: Keeping Cremated Remains at Home