Understanding the Importance of Choosing the Right Memorial Urn
Choosing an urn is often one of the most important decisions to make when arranging a cremation for someone who has passed away. Similar to a casket in the case of burial, an urn serves as an eternal memorial. This is a meaningful opportunity to represent the person and honour their legacy in a tangible way.
When purchasing an urn, various aspects must be considered, including the shape, material, and personalization options. We’ve created this simple and comprehensive guide to share key choices to keep in mind.
Where Can I Purchase an Urn for Cremated Remains? Your Options Explored
Your cremation services provider typically offers a variety of urns for purchase, and there’s usually an option to suit everyone.
Choosing an Urn Style: Finding the Perfect Tribute
When choosing an urn to memorialize your loved one, consider the material and shape.
The material is a vital decision when choosing an urn because it informs all of the other options to follow. For example, suppose you’re choosing something delicate, like marble, ceramic, glass, or porcelain. In that case, you’ll want to choose an appropriate place that ensures it’s kept safe and away from heavy foot traffic to avoid shattering.
Your choice of material for the memorial urn is also based on aesthetic preference. How do you want this memorial to look? Do you want something durable? Are you looking for something to be displayed in a glass-front niche for everyone to visit? These are essential questions to think about.
Ceramic urns are one of the most popular options. They’re available in both glossy and matte coatings and can be personalized with painted techniques.
Wood urns are a traditional option that allows for intricate detailing. Hardwoods such as oak, cherry, mahogany, and walnut are elegant options and are usually a higher investment. Urns made of softwood, like pine, cedar, or fir, offer an affordable yet tasteful option.
Glass urns are a unique choice because they’re typically made from handblown glass. Some providers offer handblown glass urns with cremated remains infused in them for a unique keepsake.
Metal urns are incredibly durable and built to last. The most common types include copper, brass, bronze, stainless steel, and pewter. Because of their malleability, metal urns are an excellent option for unique shapes and sculptures.
Biodegradable urns are quickly growing in popularity in eco-friendly households. They’re suitable for both in-ground burials or keepsakes. Biodegradable urns are usually made from natural materials, including, but not limited to, wool fibre, bamboo, and plants.
After you’ve chosen the material, the next step to consider is the shape of the urn. Traditional options like vases and boxes are timeless. Today, urns also come in various shapes that can be subtler and easily pass as regular home decor, but that’s not all–urns can even be shaped into symbols that reflect the individual’s personality, like a treble clef for the music lover or a globe for the world traveller. Choosing an urn can open the doors to creativity and a meaningful tribute.
Customizing Memorial Urns: Adding a Personal Touch
Many thoughtful personalizations are available to make an urn a unique keepsake.
Engraving is a simple yet impactful way to create a custom cremation urn. Typically, an engraved urn will include three lines:
- Name
- Date of birth–Date of death
- A quote/phrase/verse, like something they always said or a line from their favourite poem
Appliques are a great way to create a genuinely one-of-a-kind urn. Medallions and cornerpieces can be added to symbolize important aspects of the person’s life, including their spirituality, hobbies, and major life events. For example, you might consider a medallion with a poppy if they were a veteran or a Ferrari for the sports car fan.
Printed photos offer a unique option for contemplating and remembering the person who had passed away with each glance at the urn. This could be a photo of them or your favourite photo together as a family. Choosing a high-resolution image is essential so it lasts for years to come.
Etched designs depend on the material of the urn, so it’s important to check with your cremation services provider to ensure you’ve chosen a suitable one. Typically done with a laser, these etchings can be anything you choose. Common etchings include hobbies like fishing or designs like trees and flowers.
Selecting the Right Size Urn: Ensuring a Proper Fit
Urns come in several sizes to ensure a proper fit. Sizes range from small keepsake urns, an excellent option for families planning to divide the cremated remains, to companion urns, which can typically hold two people’s cremated remains.
If you’re planning to inter the urn in a cemetery or place it in a niche, you’ll need to confirm the size requirements with the cemetery.
The size of the urn in cubic inches aligns with a person’s weight in pounds. For example, a person weighing 175 lbs will need an urn of at least 175 cubic inches. Here are some of the standard urn sizes:
Keepsake urns: These urns are the smallest available, as they’re not intended to hold all of the cremated remains. They can be anywhere from 3 to 15 cubic inches.
Infant and small children urns: These can typically be up to 80 cubic inches.
Adult or individual urns: The most common type, these urns hold the cremated remains of someone under 6 feet or 250 lbs.
Oversized urns: Larger individual urns are also available for cremated remains that don’t fit in a typical adult-sized urn.
Companion urns: Available in single and dual compartments, companion urns are designed to hold the cremated remains of two people. Often, this is a couple, but it can also be friends or family members.
When choosing the size of the urn, consider if you’d like a bit more space to add anything to it, like a toy, letter, or dried flowers.
Urn Maintenance: Keeping Memories Alive
Taking the time to clean the urn will allow its appearance to be preserved. It may even represent a moment to contemplate that person’s memory.
Today, urns are made from a wide variety of materials. This means that maintenance routines vary from urn to urn. We’ve compiled this list of the most common materials and the best practices for cleaning each.
Wooden Urns
For regular maintenance, a wooden urn should be cleaned with a soft cloth. To give it a continued smooth look, polish it a couple of times per year. Avoid harsh chemicals and water when cleaning. Store it somewhere out of direct sunlight to prevent fading.
Ceramic Urns
Ceramic urns are delicate. When choosing a place to keep the urn, consider somewhere that’s safe to avoid shattering it by accident. To clean it, use a soft, dry cloth. Water isn’t recommended because it can damage the coating and create water spots.
Metal Urns
To best care for a metal urn, you’ll want to wipe it frequently with a soft, dry cloth. Using water is inadvisable, as the water can get trapped in the edges or engravings, forming rust. Give the urn a polish once or twice per year for a sleek shine. Similar to a wooden urn, it’s best to keep it out of direct sunlight.
Glass Urns
Since glass is fragile, keeping a glass urn in a safe place is crucial. You can dust it regularly using a soft, dry cloth. For a thorough cleaning, use a high-quality glass cleaner. Water can be used on glass urns as long as they are completely dried to prevent any streaks.
A Lasting Tribute: Making the Right Choice
Selecting an urn is both personal and meaningful. By informing yourself of each element to consider, you’ll feel better prepared to make a confident choice that honours your loved one’s memory and legacy. To discover options other than urns for cremated remains, please read our blog post, What are some typical things people do with loved one’s cremated remains?
