Standard volume for urns
The industry standard size for an adult cremation urn is 200 cubic inches. This number is reached by figuring that, for every 1 lbs of human body weight, 1 cubic inch of space is needed for cremated remains. Thus, a 180 lbs adult will require an urn with the capacity to hold 180 cubic inches of cremains.
The formula is not perfect; usually, 180 lbs will translate to slightly less than 180 cubic inches, but it is a good rule of thumb to calculate. In the cremation process, body fat is completely incinerated while most of what remains is bone matter, so a larger individual will often require an urn of less than equal capacity to their actual weight. So the standard volume urn of 200 cubic inches works for a large segment of our families, often even for those weighing more than 200 lbs.
Calculating volume needed
If you already have the remains, you can measure the inside of the container to figure out the exact volume you need. Measure the length, width, and depth (in inches) and multiply those numbers together. This will be the total volume of the remains.
Measuring the box to calculate volume:
- The typical plastic or cardboard "temporary urn" you will recieve measures 8.5" x 6.5" x 4.5"
- Take away the the thickness of the box itself and the inside will be (roughly) 8" x 6" x 4"
- Multiply the numbers together: 8 x 6 x 4 = 192 cubic inches
Estimating based on weight:
- Find out the individual's weight
- That is the maximum capacity you will need in cubic inches
Finding large capacity urns
Since you will probably be searching for a funeral urn prior to receiving the remains back from the funeral home, it is often simplest to follow the rule of 1 lbs equals 1 cubic inch. Here are a few tools to help you find large capacity cremation urns:
- Products tagged "large capacity" - most urns that either hold over 200 cubic inches or have the options for larger sizes are tagged "large capacity"
- Companion Urns - companion urns are designed to hold the remains of two people, and generally hold about 375-400 cubic inches
- Ceramic Urns - most of our ceramic urns are available in several sizes: 180, 220, and 375 cubic inches
- Dimensional Art Cremation Urns - most of these gorgeous wood inlay art urns are made to hold 230 cubic inches
- Cultured Marble Urns - our cultured marble urns are made in the USA and hold 242 cubic inches
Questions?
Feel free to contact us at 877-900-5309. We'll be more than happy to help!