Finding the Perfect Casket for Sale: A Comprehensive Buyer’s Guide

It can be a pretty stressful thing to find the perfect casket for sale especially if it's for someone who was close to you. In addition to this, it's not going to be an easy decision to choose the right kind of casket for them because no one is ever prepared for something as tragic as funeral planning. It’s not uncommon for many people to feel pressured and overwhelmed over the dilemma of choosing the perfect casket.

We understand the pressure of funeral arrangements and hence, have come up with a comprehensive guide that can help you choose the best casket for your near and dear ones as a sign of your last respect to the deceased. Luckily, nowadays, you can find online retailers as well as funeral homes and mortuaries that sell a good variety of caskets to choose from.

A Comprehensive Buyer’s Guide To Finding The Best Caskets

Find Out The Different Types Of Caskets:

Of all the different types of caskets you can find in the market, the two most distinct choices fall under these:

Cremation Caskets

Cremation caskets as the name suggests are the type of casket that you use in the crematorium. The most common material used for a cremation casket is wood such as plywood or even cardboard. Keep in mind that if you're planning on a cremation casket, you cannot use a coffin that has any metal hardware on it since the coffin that goes into the crematorium needs to be 100% combustible.

Burial Caskets

A Burial casket is a coffin or a box that is buried along with the dead person’s body in it. Depending on the type funeral you are hosting, visitors might be able to view the deceased person in their burial coffins before the actual burial takes place. These coffins are typically made of wood or metal, depending on the family’s preferences. This is the most common coffins used in Jewish burial services since it is forbidden to do a cremation under this religion.

What Material Should You Choose For The Coffin?

Metal Caskets

If your main priority is durability, choosing metal caskets might be a good option for you. there are also so many varieties and options to choose from when you go for metal caskets such as stainless steel, steel, caskets bronze, and copper caskets.

Steel caskets are also a popular choice under metal caskets because of its durability and its resistance to rust and corrosion. These work as great burial coffins or caskets.

Furthermore, under the umbrella of metal caskets, you'll also find that there are subcategories based on the thickness of the material such as 18-gauge or 20-gauge caskets. A good reason to choose a metal casket is if you wish for your coffin to be sealed or have a gasket.

Wood Caskets

One of the most popular materials for coffins is wood. You’ll find this material to be the most widely used as well as the most preferred just because of the versatility and wide range of options.

For wooden caskets, you have a variety of raw materials such as oak, poplar, walnut, mahogany, maple, willow, birch, pine, and cherry among many others. Wood caskets are the most common as well as the "traditional casket" material in most cases.

If you want your wooden casket to be a step above the traditional caskets, you can go for hardwood caskets which are more high-end and might have a higher price point as well. A hardwood casket is typically made of oak, mahogany or walnut which gives the coffin a very rich and luxurious look and feel.

Biodegradable Caskets

If the deceased was an ardent lover of nature, you might do well by choosing biodegradable caskets as a sign of respect for the last time. Most caskets that are eco-friendly are made from willow, sea grass, bamboo grass, or even cardboard.

And unlike your typical coffins, they do not come with metal fasteners or any other hardware that are not biodegradable materials. These caskets are designed to decompose and break down quickly and naturally as opposed to your regular caskets.

Funeral Expenses

When you visit funeral homes for buying a casket, make sure that you know your FTC funeral rule detailed by the federal trade commission. This gives all rights to the bereaved family members to compare and check prices of funeral caskets from different funeral homes and compare them.

Most of the time, funeral homes might hide their lower priced caskets in order to make a quick buck from the higher end products on display but remember that it is the duty of the funeral home service provider to let you in on all the casket costs, the options and alternatives you have before you make your choice.

so, always make sure to check the written casket price list before you check out the actual caskets or commit to one. This is a fool proof way to get the best casket prices and save some money.

What Casket Size Do You Need?

Child: You can find child or infant-sized caskets
Standard Casket: These are the most commonly available coffins which are designed to fit an average-sized adult.
Oversized Caskets: An oversized casket is comparatively bigger and hence, more expensive than standard coffins. An oversized casket can typically hold person with shoulders width more that 24 inches.

How Will You Customize Your Casket?

In case you weren't aware, you can get a personalized casket just the way you want them to look like. From the interior colors to the exterior materials, the hardware, and all other personalization options, you can consult with your online retailers or any other salesperson and get your customized casket online or offline.

If you have a knack for building things, you can even build your own casket. However, keep in mind that it should still follow state as well as the rules of the funeral home you are using.

The Different Casket Features You Can Customize:

Gaskets

You’ll find that almost all metal caskets are gasketed or in other words, sealed. Typically, it is a Rubber gasket that surrounds the lid of the coffin which ensures that nothing can get into the coffin once it is closed and “sealed.”

Other than this Metal gaskets can also be used which are best performing under very high pressure environments, which means it is a good option for a burial casket.

Casket Corners And Handles

You can find tons of designs and materials of casket corners and handles such as steel, plastic, metal, and masonite. Depending on how you want your coffin or casket to look like, you can choose any design, color, and size you see fit.

Funeral Casket Finishes

These are generally for wooden caskets which can come in different finishes like highly polished to a natural satin finish, all of which makes your coffin look more put together and beautiful.

Funeral Casket Liners

Liners are what you line the inside of the coffin with. The most popular choices of fabric are velvet, polyester, and satin. The color depends entirely on what you want it to be or perhaps, you can choose a color that was the deceased's favorite color as a personalized tribute. If not, you can go for more neutral colors like white or even match the liner with the clothes that the deceased is wearing for the funeral.

Half Couch Casket Lids

These types of coffins feature a half-door lid. This means that the casket is basically divided into two parts and you can keep one part of the coffin open at all times during the memorial of the funeral. This is a great option if you're having a wake or an open casket funeral.

Full Couch Casket Lids

This is the opposite of a half couch which means that the coffin can be opened only as a whole and is not divided into two halves. This is a good choice for those who want to have a closed-casket funeral.

Casket’s Interior Customization

These are also called commemorative panels and can be added to the lid of your coffin. It can be pictures, words, drawings, or any other image you wish to commemorate your beloved deceased with. For example, some people choose to add a collage of family photos while others might like to add prayer hands or simple, words like "father" or "mother."

Should You Buy Your Casket Online Or At A Shop?

This choice is completely up to you and what your preferences are. You might find a good choice at your local casket retailer but the same casket might be selling at a lower price online from companies like Trusted Caskets. So it’s always a good idea to weigh in your differences and see which one suits your needs the best. check below to see which option might work out best for you:

Buying A Casket Online Is Good If-

You want to save a few bucks on the casket prices
You are looking for specific types of caskets that are customized or unavailable at your nearest funeral home.
There is no rush for time for the casket delivery or they have an overnight caskets delivery service.
You find a good deal with free shipping.

Buying A Casket Offline Is Good If-

You want to know the feel of the casket before making a purchase
You are in too much of a rush to get a coffin online
The local funeral home already has what you are looking for
You like the convenience of paying your funeral home to take care of everything from the service to the funeral caskets.

In Conclusion

High-quality caskets are always a must on your priority list when planning a funeral. While this is essential, you should also keep the casket cost in mind so you don't go over your budget when making arrangements for the funeral. It's also a good thing to note the FTC's funeral rule so that you are always aware of the choices you are making when it comes to coffin prices and your overall funeral costs.

Once you know you've got your perfect casket, you should turn your attention to choosing a good funeral service provider.

Here are some Tips On Choosing The Right Funeral Provider:

Have a consultation with the funeral providers about the services they provide as well as the total funeral expenses so that you’re not in for a shock when they bill you at the end of the day
Make sure that the funeral home that you choose accepts caskets of your choice
Get a funeral director that understands your needs and is mindful about how you want the service to be conducted.