Casket Interior and Exterior Styles and Materials

Formula to order caskets

"X"= 2 inches in width/3 inches length

4 Casket Shell Designs

*Elliptical* *Octagon* *Round Corner* *Square Corner*

Threaded Fastener

*Screw Type Fastener* achieved by tightening screws that secure the cap to the body used to close hinged-cap caskets

Types of cloth finish

*Smooth*-no distinct pattern or raised finish *Embossed*-raised design above the surface

Wood Casket Size

*Standard* 6¼ftx22in (75inx22in), interior height 16-22in. *slightly smaller interior dimensions than metal*

Metal Casket Size

*Standard* 78 inches(6½ft)x23in, interior height 16-24 in

Hermetically sealed

*airtight* impervious to external influence completely sealed by fusion or soldering *rarely seen today*

Gasketed closure contains:

*almost always of metal or plastic polymer construction with rubber gasket* one piece if rubber molding found along the perimeter of the body ledge flange on full-couch or on the transverse gasket channel on the half couch

Square Corner Shell Design

*one of the easiest and least costly to produce* side and body panels are joined at a 90-degree angle (*miter*) corner seams concealed by hardware

Style of any casket is result of combining 2 elements:

*style of cap opening* *basic design of casket shell*

How do you measure for a casket?

*width* at widest part of body (elbow to elbow) *height* anterior to posterior thickness

Exterior Casket Dimensions (WOOD AND METAL)

84 inches long x 29 inches wide

Standard interior dimensions for burial vault

86 inches long x 30 inches wide

Threaded Fasteners

A threaded screw-type fastener used on a hinged cap-style casket tightens screws that secure the cap to the body

Satin finish

A type of semi-luster or semi-gloss finish that is smooth with well defined fine lines

Methods of Cap Closure

Gasketed Non-gasketed

Non-Gasketed Closure Methods

Latch closure Threaded fastener Chemical compounds or epoxies Hermetically sealed

4 cap opening styles

Perfection *full-couch* Perfection *half-couch* Single hinged panel Slip panel *PERFECTION IS NOT USED IN TODAY'S DEATH CARE INDUSTRY*

Locking mechanisms for gasketed caskets

Sliding Lock Lever Lock Threaded Fastener (Screw type fastener)

Sliding lock bar

a bar usually of stamped steel designed to incorporated wedges and is attached to an assembly that allows the bar to travel back and forth *the process of closing the casket is accomplished by means of a "key"*

Single Hinged Panel/Single Hinged Cap Casket

a casket in which the cap is in two pieces *the rim(ogee) and foot panel is one piece which is hinged to the top body molding* and the *head panel being the second piece which is hinged to the rim*(ogee)*

Half Couch Casket

a casket in which the rim(ogee), crown, and pies are formed as one unit with a transverse cut in the cap forming a two-piece lid for the casket *displays deceased from the waist up*

Full Couch Casket

a casket in which the rim, crown, and pies are formed as one unit and which raises in one piece. *displays deceased from head to toe*

Slip Panel Casket

a casket opening style in which the cap at the head end of the casket is *completely removed* from the casket for the purpose of viewing the remains may be viewed from either side of casket *commonly used in the orthodox Jewish aaron almost exclusively in wood caskets*

Octagon Shell Design

a casket with 8 angles of corners and therefore has 8 sides or body panels *vast majority seen among inexpensive cloth-covered units*

Canvas

a firm, closely woven cotton fabric

Matte finish

a flat finish, no shine or gloss

Doeskin (Moleskin)

a heavy, durable fabric with a short (1/8th inch or less), thick, velvety nap on one side; woven cloth with a suede-like appearance with a nap of less than 1/8th inch.

Semi-gloss finish

a low luster finish

Fiberglass

a material consisting of extremely fine filaments of glass embedded in various resins *some have faux-marble pattern while others may have wood grained finish*

Polished finish

a surface made smooth and glossy usually by friction brought to a highly developed, finished, or refined state; burnished

Broadcloth

a twill, napped, woolen or worsted fabric with a smooth lustrous face and dense texture; a fabric usually made of cotton, silk, or rayon, woven in a plain or rib weave with a soft, semi-gloss finish.

Plush

a woven cloth with a nap exceeding 1/8th inch "high profile fabric" *embossed* *commonly used as covering for children's cloth-covered caskets*

Crinkled finish

an exterior casket finish in which the metal is coated with a substance that wrinkles as it dries;*not aesthetically pleasing*` *usually used on less expensive caskets*

Brushed finish

bare metal is scratched with an abrasive material and then finished until a smooth high gloss is obtained aka *scratched* finish *cost more to produce*

Plated finish

base metal is coated by another metal via an *electrolytic* (electroplating) process often found on casket hardware in casket construction is identified by the term "deposit" as in "copper deposit"

Vertical Side Square

body sides at a 90-degree angle to the bottom

Materials used in cloth covered caskets

broadcloth doeskin canvas plush felt

List the different metal finishes

brushed plated crinkled/hammertone

Chemical compounds

butyl tape-excellent adhesive qualities epoxies-used with tongue in groove design commonly seen to close 2-piece infant caskets/burial vaults

Urnside casket

casket design in which the body panel display the shape of an urn

State casket

casket in which the body panels are at a 90-degree angle to the bottom and the corners form 90 degree angle *aka Vertical Side Square Casket*

Flaring Square Design

casket shell design in which sides and ends of the casket body flare out from the bottom to the top *narrower and shorter and the bottom than the opening at the top*

Round Corner Shell Design

curved corners *expensive to produce due to workmanship involved* *typically* no corner hardware to conceal defects

Elliptical Shell Design

ends in shape of a half circle aka "tub" due to resemblance of antique bathtub *almost exclusively a feminine casket*

Infant and children's caskets

from 12 inches to 5'6" *units increase in length in 6 in increments*

Polymer/Plastic

high molecular weight creates an extremely durable substance *have color component intrinsic to the base material itself*

Lever lock

is a less expensive method by which the cap is drawn tightly to the body it pivots, engages an eye or aperture on the ogee flange, and like the sliding bar, pulls the cap downward is rather bulky and can reduce aesthetic appeal of any casket so equipped

Felt

made mostly of cotton or polyester, originally made from wool mixed with horse hair

Finishes for fiberglass and plastic/polymer caskets

much the same as metal *except for brushing*

Basic categories of finishes for wood caskets

unfinished natural finish painted laminated cloth-covered

Latch Closure

uses a simple spring-loaded latching mechanism similar to that found in a jewelry box *used on wood caskets and inexpensive metal caskets*