Choosing a cremation urn is tough. There are many questions you'll have about the whole subject, and there are many more you may not even think to ask.
Size of urn Needed
Are you looking for an urn for one or two people?
- One adult - a standard sized urn.
- Two adults - a companion urn
- A child or infant - a child or infant urn
Next, how much much did the individual weigh?
Cremation urns are measured in cubic inches; most urns hold an industry standard of 200 cubic inches. A good rule of thumb is that one pound of body weight will equals one cubic inch of cremated remains.
- 200 lbs or less - Any standard sized urn
- More than 200 lbs - a large urn is needed
How do you want display the cremation urn?
- Display at home - Most cremation urns are designed for home display
- Interment in a niche - the niche itself will determine the size of urn that can be displayed
- Ground burial - Any urn can be buried in the ground. Some cemeteries will require the cremation urn to go into a protective urn vault, though most will allow a cultured marble or ganite urn to be buried without an additional urn vault. Eco-friendly and biodegradable urns can also be used
- Scattering the ashes - You can use any cremation urn to scatter ashes, but some are better than others for this purpose
- Temporary storage or travel - Traveling by air with cremated remains requires passing the urn through security screenings. TSA will not open any urn for any reason and you must plan for this.
- Sharing remains among relatives - Smaller keepsake urns can be used when dividing the remains among relatives.
Urn Materials
- Wood - Wood works well as an urn. It's durable and normally less expensive.
- Ceramic - A lot of ceramic urns are made by hand
- Metal - Metal urns are our must popular and come in brass and aluminum
- Stone - Stone urns are durable and come in marble and granite
- Glass - Hand-blown glass art urns can come in stunning colors
Do you want a cremation urn with a particular theme or style?
Consider the personality of the person when considering an urn. Military? Patriotic? Religious? There are many style of urns and artwork to find that perfect fit.
