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Resource Guide
Planning
Funeral Planning Check List, Vital Statistics Form,
Floral Selection Guide, Vaults and Mausoleums,
Funeral Etiquette, Memorial Cards, Legal Issues
Planning Resources Main Menu
Vaults and Mausoleums
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Burial Vaults
Caskets are the most commonly known final resting bed of a loved one. However, few people are aware that caskets alone are not designed to support the weight of the surrounding soil. |
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The burial vault is a permanent outer enclosure designed to support the weight of the soil and cemetery equipment. A burial vault should offer the family of the deceased peace of mind by protecting
their loved one's casket against water and weight damage.
Vaults are constructed of durable, high-strength concrete. The interior can vary from a seamless epoxy-bonded liner to a copper lining. All are designed to be sealed with a compound that insures an airtight
and watertight environment in the casket. State laws do not require a vault or liner, and funeral providers may not tell you otherwise. However, keep in mind that many cemeteries do require some type of outer burial container to prevent the grave
from sinking in the future.
Before showing you any outer burial containers, a funeral provider is required to give you a list of prices and descriptions. It may be less expensive to buy an outer burial container from a third-party
dealer than from a funeral home or cemetery. Compare prices from several sources before you select a model.
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| Mausoleums |
| Ancient Halicarnassus, the birthplace of the famous historian Herodotus, is also known for being the site of one of the seven wonders of the world, the Mausoleum, a gigantic tomb erected
for King Mausolus in the 4th century BC. |
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Today, mausoleum still means "a large stately tomb". Mausoleums are above ground structures designed to hold one or more caskets or cremation receptacles. The individual receptacles in a
mausoleum are called crypts. Interment can be in public, family or individual/companion mausoleums. |
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Public Mausoleum
Space in public mausoleums can be purchased in the same way as cemetery plots--individually, or in groups.
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Family Mausoleum
Family mausoleums or garden crypt structures may be used for an individual or a family. Space for this structure is purchased from the cemetery and a monument company usually builds the structure itself to specifications.
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Individual/companion Mausoleum
The individual/companion mausoleum is simply an above ground structure that houses one or more crypts. They require the same amount of space as underground burial. |
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