Selecting a Casket: Materials and Price Ranges
The casket is often the single most expensive item in a traditional funeral. Caskets are grouped by material, which dictates their durability, aesthetic, and suitability for burial or cremation.
1. Metal Caskets (Sealed)
- Primary Material: Steel (20 gauge, 18 gauge, or 16 gauge), Stainless Steel, Copper, or Bronze.
- Use: Exclusively for traditional burial.
- Features: Often come with a rubber gasket seal and locking mechanism, marketed to protect the remains (though they do not prevent eventual decomposition). Gauge indicates thickness; 16 gauge is thickest/most expensive.
- Price Range: $2,500 – $15,000+
2. Wood Caskets (Standard or Rental)
- Primary Material: Solid hardwoods (mahogany, cherry, walnut, oak) or cheaper materials (veneer, pine).
- Use: Suitable for both traditional burial and cremation (provided metal components are minimal or removable).
- Features: Often chosen for aesthetics and warmth. Can be sealed or unsealed. Wood caskets for cremation often lack exterior hardware and are 100% combustible.
- Price Range: $1,500 – $10,000+
3. Alternative & Green Containers
- Primary Material: Simple unfinished pine, bamboo, wicker, or heavy cardboard.
- Use: Designed for cremation (required container) or natural/green burial.
- Features: Biodegradable and environmentally sustainable.
- Price Range: $200 – $1,000
Consumer Rights
Under the FTC Funeral Rule, consumers have the right to purchase a casket or container from any source (not just the funeral home) without incurring any extra fees or penalties from the funeral home.