|
At Direct Casket, you will find a wide selection of
caskets to choose from. The the first thing we tell our families is that
all caskets do the same thing; they provide a vehicle to place a loved one
in for a ceremony and an interment. The differences between caskets
reflect the raw materials they are made from and the type of finish,
hardware (handles), and interiors that are used. The more elaborate the
finish and details, along with the use of more expensive wood or metal
species used, the more it will cost to make, and therefore, the more it
will costs to buy.
We suggest our families select a casket based upon their personal
preference regarding its look and cost-not because you believe it will
protect your loved one from the elements. No caskets or vaults protect
human remains from decomposition, no matter how much you spend. Whether
it has a seal to keep water and air out or whether it is made of solid
bronze, there are no assurances that anyone can provide that the deceased
will not decompose. In fact, decomposition is natural when someone passes
away. By spending more, you may delay the inevitable, but you won’t
avoid it indefinitely.
Types of Caskets
Most caskets sold today are made form either steel or hardwood. You can
find caskets made from fiberglass or particleboard with a cloth covering
but most people in the U.S. select either metal or wood.
Metal caskets are stamped from sheets of steel. Different thicknesses
of steel used to stamp the caskets determine its gauge. The higher the
gauge, the thinner the steel. 20 gauge caskets are thinner than an 18
gauge, 18 gauge are thinner than 16 gauge. As you would suspect, the lower
the gauge, the more money it costs to make and therefore purchase.
Besides steel caskets, there are copper and bronze caskets. These
caskets are measured by the ounce, meaning a 32 Oz. Bronze casket contains
32 ounces of bronze for every square foot of casket. The unique
characteristic of bronze or copper is that the casket itself will never
erode. However, there is no evidence that any casket will preserve human
remains.
Metal caskets are most commonly offered with a rubber gasket and
locking mechanism which constitute it being a "sealer". All this
means is that supposedly air and water cannot get in, however there is no
guarantee that this won’t ever happen.
Wood caskets can be made out of poplar, aspen cottonwood, pine, cherry,
oak, maple, walnut, mahogany, and veneer. Some cost more than metal
caskets, some less, depending on the specie of wood, how it is finished,
and the type of interior. Both metal and wood caskets can have different
finishes applied to give them a certain eye appeal. As is the case with a
car, the more attractive the type of finish, the more it will cost. With
wood caskets, a hand- polished finish will cost more than a sprayed on
finish. With metal, a brushed finish will cost more than a sprayed finish.
The material used for the hardware (handles) and interior all factor in
to determine the cost of each casket. The bottom line is always the same
thing. You should base your selection on eye appeal and budget or what
would have appealed to your loved one-not on protection!
Prices
At Direct Casket, our prices are significantly less than what funeral
homes charge. The reasons for this are as follows: First of all, we buy
our caskets directly from manufacturers in large quantities. Funeral homes
usually buy from a distributor and one at a time. Secondly, where funeral
homes tend to triple the cost of their caskets and sometimes a lot more,
we just mark ours up one time. Lastly, funeral homes can succeed with high
markups because most people still buy their caskets from them. They
don’t have incentive to lower their prices because they still
"win" most of the time.
Although Direct Casket and other retailers are slowly changing things,
it will be a long time before most people have the foresight to purchase
their caskets from someplace other than the funeral home.
|
