Section 2.1: Casket and Urn Merchandise Selection

Casket and Urn Merchandise Selection

Casket, urn, and outer burial container selection is a key part of funeral arranging. A funeral professional needs a technical understanding of the materials, construction, and engineering standards of these products.

Wood Caskets: Hardwoods vs. Softwoods

Wood caskets are selected for their warmth and unique grain. The industry classifies wood caskets into two categories: hardwoods and softwoods.

Hardwoods (Angiosperms)

Hardwoods come from deciduous trees (broad-leaved trees that shed leaves annually). Botanically, these are angiosperms, producing seeds enclosed in fruit or nuts. They have complex cellular structures with vessels and pores, making them dense, durable, and premium.

Key hardwood species:

• Mahogany: Premium imported wood with a fine grain and high durability.
• Walnut: Rich, dark domestic wood, representing the top domestic tier.
• Cherry: Fine-grained wood with a reddish-brown hue.
• Oak: Famous for coarse grain, strength, and high durability.
• Maple: Hard, light-colored wood with a tight grain.
• Birch: Close grain, similar to maple; often stained to resemble cherry.
• Pecan: Tough, heavy hardwood with excellent durability.
• Poplar: Rapidly growing, softer hardwood that is easily stained.
• Salix (Select Hardwood): A casket constructed from various hardwood species (willow, poplar) depending on availability, offering a hardwood look at a lower cost.

Softwoods (Gymnosperms)

Softwoods come from coniferous trees (cone-bearing trees with needles, typically evergreen). Botanically, these are gymnosperms, producing exposed seeds on cones. They have a simpler cellular structure containing tracheids and lack pores.

Key softwood species:

• Pine: Light, knotty wood. Often used for simple or Orthodox Jewish caskets (Aaron).
• Cedar: Aromatic wood with natural rot and insect resistance.
• Redwood: Highly water-resistant wood with a reddish-brown color.
• Spruce & Fir: Utility softwoods used primarily for entry-level cloth-covered caskets.

Wood Measurements and Engineered Woods

• Board Foot: Hardwood lumber volume unit equal to 12" x 12" x 1" thick.
• Wood Veneer: A thin layer of premium hardwood glued to a cheaper wood or particle board core.
• Engineered Wood: Products like particle board or MDF made from wood chips bonded with adhesives, usually covered with cloth or laminate.

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Metal Caskets: Ferrous vs. Non-Ferrous Metals

Metal caskets are popular due to durability, finishes, and protective gaskets. They are divided into ferrous and non-ferrous.

Ferrous Metals (Iron-Containing)

Ferrous metals contain iron, are magnetic, and can rust.

• Carbon Steel: Alloy of iron and carbon. Thickness is measured in gauge (number of sheets needed to equal one inch). Lower gauges indicate thicker metal:
  • 16-Gauge: The thickest carbon steel (approx. 0.0598" thick). Premium, with continuous welds.
  • 18-Gauge: Mid-range standard (approx. 0.0478" thick). Good durability and value.
  • 20-Gauge: The thinnest carbon steel (approx. 0.0359" thick). Entry-level, often spot-welded.
• Stainless Steel: Alloy of steel, chromium (min. 11-12%), and nickel. Excellent rust resistance.
  • 300 Series (304): Premium. 18% chromium and 8% nickel. Non-magnetic and highly corrosion-resistant.
  • 400 Series (409): Utility. Contains chromium but little to no nickel. Magnetic and moderately rust-resistant.

Non-Ferrous Metals (Non-Iron-Containing)

Non-ferrous metals contain no iron, are non-magnetic, and do not rust. Measured in ounces per square foot (Brown & Sharpe gauge) rather than sheets per inch:

• Copper: Pure element, non-corrosive. Available as solid or wrought copper.
• Bronze: Alloy of copper (typically 90%) and tin/zinc. The strongest, most durable, and most expensive metal casket available.
• Weights: Specified as 32-ounce (2 lbs/sq ft) or 48-ounce (3 lbs/sq ft) copper or bronze.

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Casket Dimensions and Sizing

• Standard Wood (Interior): 75" long by 22" wide.
• Standard Metal (Interior): 78" long by 23" wide.
• Standard Casket (Exterior): 84" long by 29" wide.
• Oversized Caskets: Indicated by "X". Each "X" represents a 2-inch increase in width and a 3-inch increase in length over standard sizes.

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Urn Materials and Capacity

• Standard Capacity: The industry standard volume for an adult urn is 200 cubic inches (approx. 3.2 liters), based on 1 cubic inch per 1 pound of pre-cremation body weight.
• Materials: Metals (cast/sheet bronze, pewter), woods (oak, walnut), stone (marble, granite), or biodegradable materials (paper, gelatin) for green burials.

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Outer Burial Containers (OBCs)

OBCs support the earth's weight and heavy equipment above the grave.

Vault Loads and Forces

Vaults are engineered to withstand four primary loads:

1. Static Load: Constant weight of soil above the vault and the headstone.
2. Dynamic Load: Temporary weight applied by heavy cemetery machinery driving over the grave.
3. Impact Load: Sudden forces like soil dropped from a backhoe bucket during backfilling.
4. Differential Load: Uneven pressure on the sides when an adjacent grave is excavated.

Sealing Mechanisms

• Top-Seal: A mastic tar-like sealant in a groove in the vault lid seals against the tongue of the vault body under the lid's weight.
• Air-Seal (Dome): A heavy dome-shaped lid lowered onto a base traps air inside, creating a barrier that prevents water from rising (like an inverted glass in water).