Tips on Choosing an Appropriate Urn for Your Loved One’s Ashes

After a loved one has been cremated, one of the next important decisions is choosing an urn to house their remains. Families today have many options available, ranging from simple and practical designs to highly decorative and personalized urns.

In today’s blog, we’ll offer some helpful tips for choosing an urn that best suits your loved one and your family’s needs.

Consider the Urn’s Purpose

One of the first things to consider is what you intend to do with the ashes. The purpose of the urn will often determine the most appropriate style and material.

• For scattering ashes, you may prefer a temporary urn made from paper or plastic, or a specially designed scattering urn.
• For home display or placement in a columbarium, many families choose a more decorative urn that complements the surrounding space.
• For burial, you may choose either a durable stone or metal urn for permanence or a biodegradable urn designed to return naturally to the earth.

Thinking about how the urn will ultimately be used can help narrow down your options.

Choose the Right Size

Selecting the correct size is also important. The urn should be large enough to properly hold all of the cremated remains, typically 200 cubic inches or more.

You should also consider where the urn will be placed. If it will be displayed at home or interred in a columbarium niche, make sure the dimensions fit the intended space.

Choose the Right Material

Urns are available in a wide variety of materials, each with its own appearance, durability, and purpose.

Metal Urns

Metal urns are one of the most popular choices due to the wide variety of colours, finishes, and artistic designs available. They are also highly durable, making them a versatile option for both display and burial.

Wooden Urns

Wood urns offer a warm and natural appearance that many families appreciate. They come in both solid woods or manufactured woods with veneers. Oak, cherry, mahogany and many other popular woods are available.

Stone Urns

Stone urns provide a strong sense of permanence and are the most durable options available. They are well suited for burial or long-term display.

Ceramic Urns

Ceramic urns come in a wide variety of colours, finishes, and artistic designs. There are handcrafted pottery, porcelain, and Raku-fired urns in dozens of shapes, glazes, and sizes. However, they can be fragile and should stored accordingly.

Paper/Cardboard Urns

These urns are typically used for scattering on land or water. For water scattering, the urns are biodegradable, dissolving quickly when placed in water. Other scattering urns, make it easier to scatter with an easy to remove top for pouring the ashes.

Plastic Urns

Plastic urns are generally intended for temporary use, such as transporting or storing ashes prior to scattering or transferring them to a permanent urn.

Choose Something Meaningful

Beyond practicality, many families choose an urn that reflects the personality, values, or interests of their loved one. Whether through colour, shape, material, or design, a thoughtfully chosen urn can become a meaningful tribute to a life well lived.

We hope this guide has provided helpful tips for choosing the right urn for your loved one’s ashes. If you have any questions about cremation services or available urn options, please feel free to contact us.

We believe every family deserves respect, reverence, and compassion. If you have any questions about this article or would like to talk to us about cremation services, please call or text (604) 809-2006.