How to Choose the Right Urn

What to Think About When Choosing an Urn

Choosing an urn is as individual a choice as the person it will eventually hold. After losing a loved one and coping with all of the questions and decisions after a death, it can be difficult to make a choice.

But we’re here to help. We’ll explain how to choose based on whether you plan to display an urn, bury it, or use it for scattering.

We’ll also help you decide whether you need a temporary urn or a permanent one.

Selecting Display vs. Temporary Urns

If you plan to hold your loved ones' ashes in your home for an extended time, you will need to choose a display urn. A temporary urn, like the ones provided by most funeral homes, is not meant to be a lasting final resting place for your loved one. These temporary urns, made of cardboard or plastic, are more vulnerable to changes in temperature and humidity, so they are not an appropriate long-term solution.

However, a temporary urn is fine if you plan to scatter ashes, place in memorial items like jewelry or keepsakes, or eventually move them into another vessel or location. For some, choosing a biodegradable urn has the added benefit of knowing that you are making an eco-friendly decision, but it is not a choice that’s suitable for a permanent display.

According to the Cremation Association of North America (CANA), some of the options for a permanent location for your urn in a cemetery setting include a family or ground plot, a columbarium, an ossuary, a cremation garden, or a scattering garden. Your funeral provider can help you determine which material will be best once you choose your setting.

Selecting a Material for Your Urn

Urns come in many materials. Some are ceramic, made primarily of clay, others are made from plastic, cardboard, paper, glass, wood, or metal. Some urn makers give you the option of using a portion of ashes to be mixed with the material, as in a glass urn.

Once you know where the urn will be placed, you’ll better know whether it needs to be resilient to the elements or whether something more delicate will work on your mantle or another place of honor in your home. Do you have pets or children that might require something more sturdy? Do you have a decor choice or love of art that might influence your choice? Plastic, paper, and cardboard urns are made to be temporary. Some urns will quickly decompose in soil or water.

Afterall offers the Solstice Urns collection of one-of-a-kind urns made by makers working in glass and ceramic mediums. We also offer urns that come in many materials and designs to reflect the life of the person being memorialized.

Selecting a Size for Your Urn

Many urns come in a standard size of 200 cubic inches, suitable for an adult weighing 200 pounds. But there are many options available depending on your needs. Because cremated remains can be divided among family members, families have the option to scatter some remains or place them in a keepsake, while keeping a portion in a smaller urn, for example.

Choosing the right urn size depends on the type of urn and the weight of the individual or pet. Here’s a breakdown to help you purchase an urn or keepsake based on size and purpose: 

Standard Urns for Adults

Size: Approximately 200 cubic inches

Formula: 1 cubic inch per pound of body weight

Cremation Jewelry

Size: Ranges from 0.25 to 50 cubic inches

Typically designed to hold a small amount of material

Companion Urns

Size: 380 to 500 cubic inches

Meant to hold the remains of two adults

Urns for Children

Size: 20 to 80 cubic inches

Urns for Pets

Size: 20 to 150 cubic inches

Available in various sizes depending on the pet's weight

Personalizing Your Urn

Many urns offer options for personalization, allowing you to create a tribute that reflects both your loved one’s spirit and your own style. For example, you may want to recognize the branch of the military a loved one served in. Some will allow you to add pictures, symbols, or photos. You can choose a meaningful design or color. You might pick a symbol from nature, like a butterfly or a dragonfly. You can ask your funeral provider to help you choose an urn, but under the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule, you are allowed to shop for your urn online or at a retailer.

Ways to Save on an Urn

If saving money is a concern, you can consider several options as you select your urn. You can choose a biodegradable urn for just over $100. You might also consider a simple wooden urn. If you have a household item that was meaningful, it can be repurposed as an urn, like a vase, ceramic teapot, or other antique. Just be sure to retain the identifying tags when you transfer the remains into whatever container you choose. If you plan to scatter ashes, choose a scattering tube or make your own. The Cake planning website has a number of tips to consider as you plan to scatter.

Where to Buy an Urn

You can buy an urn online on many websites including the Afterall Memorial Store or familiar retail or craft-oriented websites. You can also work with a local artisan maker (potter, glass blower, etc.) to create a special urn using glass, clay, or other materials. Our Afterall store also has one-of-a-kind urns made by artisans. Your chosen funeral provider can also steer you toward an urn, but you are not obligated to purchase an urn from a funeral home. As with most business transactions, checking reviews and getting recommendations from friends and family is always good.

We hope these tips help you find a suitable urn for your loved one that provides a meaningful representation of their life and their relationship to you.

To portion your cremated remains or “ashes” into an urn or other keepsake, see these tips on dividing remains from Afterall.