The Funeral.com Journal

Resources to help you create tributes as unique as the people (and pets) you love. Learn how engraving, photos, colors, and symbols add meaning; discover scattering rituals and at-home memorial ideas. We focus on the details that matter—because small choices can carry a lifetime of comfort.

Open vs Closed Casket: How to Decide, What to Expect, and How to Tell Family - Funeral.com, Inc.

Open vs Closed Casket: How to Decide, What to Expect, and How to Tell Family

Most families do not start funeral planning expecting to weigh something as intimate as open casket vs closed casket. It can feel like you are choosing between two different kinds of...

What Is a Cremation Casket (Cremation Casket vs Funeral Casket) - Funeral.com, Inc.

What Is a Cremation Casket (Cremation Casket vs Funeral Casket)

For many families, the decision for cremation feels like it should simplify things—until someone asks, “What kind of casket will you be using?” If you’re grieving, that question can sound...

Plus-Size Caskets: Dimensions, Weight Handling, and Planning for Dignified Transport - Funeral.com, Inc.

Plus-Size Caskets: Dimensions, Weight Handling, and Planning for Dignified Transport

If you are researching plus size casket dimensions, you are probably trying to do something deeply loving under pressure: make sure a funeral or graveside moment is safe, respectful, and...

3D-Printed Caskets and Eco-Coffins: Sustainability Claims, Materials, and Regulations - Funeral.com, Inc.

3D-Printed Caskets and Eco-Coffins: Sustainability Claims, Materials, and Regulations

When families start searching for an eco coffin or a 3D printed casket, they are usually doing two things at once. They are trying to honor someone well, and they...

Viewing Etiquette: Is It OK to Touch the Body? What to Do at the Casket - Funeral.com, Inc.

Viewing Etiquette: Is It OK to Touch the Body? What to Do at the Casket

A viewing can feel like a moment that’s both ordinary and surreal. The room looks calm. People speak softly. There may be flowers, music, a guestbook, and a line that...

Open Casket Etiquette: How Long to Stand, Where to Pause, and When to Move On - Funeral.com, Inc.

Open Casket Etiquette: How Long to Stand, Where to Pause, and When to Move On

If you have ever walked into a visitation and immediately felt your stomach drop—because there is an open casket, a line forming, and you suddenly cannot remember how people are...

Closed Casket Funeral Etiquette: Where to Stand, Where to Look, and How to Pay Respects - Funeral.com, Inc.

Closed Casket Funeral Etiquette: Where to Stand, Where to Look, and How to Pay Respects

A closed casket funeral etiquette question usually starts the same way: you want to show up with respect, but you do not want to do the wrong thing when there...

Renting a Casket for a Home Vigil: Is It Possible, and When It Makes Sense - Funeral.com, Inc.

Renting a Casket for a Home Vigil: Is It Possible, and When It Makes Sense

In the first quiet hours after a death, families often discover that grief and logistics arrive together. Someone says, “We want a vigil at home,” and another person asks, “Does...

Do Caskets Have Warranties? What’s Usually Covered (and Why “Sealer” Claims Matter) - Funeral.com, Inc.

Do Caskets Have Warranties? What’s Usually Covered (and Why “Sealer” Claims Matter)

When someone dies, families often find themselves making choices that feel both deeply personal and unexpectedly technical. A casket can look like a simple decision—wood or metal, classic or modern,...

Casket Delivery Inspection Checklist: How to Check for Damage Before You Accept It - Funeral.com, Inc.

Casket Delivery Inspection Checklist: How to Check for Damage Before You Accept It

A casket delivery can feel like a small detail in the middle of a very big week. But when a casket arrives with a dented corner, a scraped finish, or...

Casket Kits: What to Look For in Pre‑Cut DIY Options (Fit, Fasteners, and Compliance) - Funeral.com, Inc.

Casket Kits: What to Look For in Pre‑Cut DIY Options (Fit, Fasteners, and Compliance)

There’s a particular kind of quiet that settles in when you’re responsible for arrangements. Even if your family has talked about wishes for years, the moment you need to make...

Painting a Casket Safely: Low-VOC, Non-Toxic Paints and Finishes for Funeral Use - Funeral.com, Inc.

Painting a Casket Safely: Low-VOC, Non-Toxic Paints and Finishes for Funeral Use

There are moments in grief when “personal” stops being a vague idea and becomes a practical question. Someone you love is gone—or you’re planning ahead so your family won’t have...

How to Line a Casket: Fabric Choices, Padding Options, and Simple, Dignified Finishes - Funeral.com, Inc.

How to Line a Casket: Fabric Choices, Padding Options, and Simple, Dignified Finishes

There is a particular kind of quiet that comes with preparing a final resting place. Even when a family has help from a funeral home, there is often a moment...

DIY Pine Box Casket Plans: Common Dimensions, Materials List, and What to Confirm First - Funeral.com, Inc.

DIY Pine Box Casket Plans: Common Dimensions, Materials List, and What to Confirm First

There are moments in funeral planning when a family’s needs are simple and profoundly human: keep it respectful, keep it safe, keep it within budget, and don’t make a hard...

Rope Handles for a Casket: Safe Load Basics, Handle Placement, and Reliable Knots - Funeral.com, Inc.

Rope Handles for a Casket: Safe Load Basics, Handle Placement, and Reliable Knots

Rope handles can look simple—almost too simple—until you picture the moment they matter most: a small group of people stepping in close, lifting together, and carrying someone they love through...

Plywood vs Solid Wood for DIY Caskets: Strength, Cost, Appearance, and Eco Tradeoffs - Funeral.com, Inc.

Plywood vs Solid Wood for DIY Caskets: Strength, Cost, Appearance, and Eco Tradeoffs

Building a coffin or casket yourself can feel like one of the most personal things a family can do. Sometimes it comes from deep tradition. Sometimes it comes from a...