Can I Choose Where the Ambulance Takes You
What's a Casket?
A casket is a box that a loved one is buried in after death. It goes directly in the ground or in a burial vault. Sometimes the casket is cremated with the body rather than being buried. The word "casket" replaced the word "coffin" in the early 20th century as a way to dignify the burial process. The term "burial casket" was taken from the term "jewelry casket," a small box in which people stored precious and expensive jewels.
Burial caskets today can be almost as ornate as jewelry caskets. In its basic form, a casket is a long rectangle with a top that opens and closes on hinges. A memorial service may include the casket, either partially or fully open or closed, with the deceased body inside as family and friends pay their respects.
The casket industry has a unique history that goes back centuries. Local furniture artisans and cabinetmakers designed and produced caskets before the Civil War. During the war, so many coffins were needed that the industry began, and continued making, mass-produced caskets.
When deciding on a casket, there's more to think about than simply the material and cost. The industry offers rental caskets, rental inserts to lower costs, green caskets, urns and vaults to meet a number of different burial needs.
Caskets come in wood and metal materials that fit all budgets. For lower budgets, opt for pine, poplar, willow, oak, birch or maple. Higher-quality woods include mahogany, walnut and cherry. Eco-friendly products (such as wicker) or sustainably sourced wood (including waste wood and FSC-certified wood with biodegradable cotton linings) are options.
Metal caskets are priced based on their gauge, or thickness. The lowest-cost options include standard steel in 20-, 18- and 16-gauge thicknesses. The lower the gauge number, the thicker the metal is. Stainless steel is costlier and more durable than standard steel. Copper and bronze caskets are at the highest end of the price range. They're measured by weight, not gauge. You may hear the term "gasket" when shopping for a metal casket. A gasketed casket is sealed with a rubber gasket to better protect the deceased's body.
Rental Caskets
If the term "rental caskets" caught your eye, you're not alone. The rental industry is embracing the funeral industry. It makes sense to rent an expensive item like a casket that funeral guests only see once. Here's how renting a casket works.
If you rent a casket, you typically rent two caskets. Inside the more ornate casket is a simple wood box that holds the body. The body never touches the rented casket. After the services, the funeral directors and staff remove the inner shell from the rented casket and bury that shell with the body.
Families who choose to cremate the deceased's body can also rent a casket for a visitation or memorial service. The funeral home places an inner cremation container into the rental casket. They remove this cremation container after the memorial or funeral and transport it to the crematory. Rental caskets look as beautiful as any purchased casket.
Personalized Caskets
Many families choose to personalize caskets for their loved ones. You may have the option to customize the exterior of a casket with photos and images of loved ones, special verses and combinations of personal memories. Other designs include floral designs, a loved one's favorite colors and military themes to honor those who served.
Caskets look quite comfortable inside. The cushioning is a psychological element to make it appear that your loved one is relaxed and at peace. The cushioning, however, takes a long time to break down in the ground.
Caskets come in all sizes, from infant to adult large and tall sizes that are longer than traditional lengths. Today's average casket is about 84 inches long, 28 inches wide and 23 inches tall. Bodies have become wider over time because of modern diets. Larger-width caskets are now available to accommodate larger people. The average size of an oversize casket is about 52 inches wide.
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Can I Choose Where the Ambulance Takes You
Source: https://www.smarter.com/article/guide-to-choosing-the-right-casket?utm_content=params%3Ao%3D740011%26ad%3DdirN%26qo%3DserpIndex
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