Custom Handcrafted Wood Cremation Urns, Burial Boxes and Containers

While there’s a wide variety of cremation urns and burial boxes available - from hundreds to several thousand dollars, this may not be a viable option for many people.

VanEss Expressions is a very small family woodworking company - creating original and custom handcrafted wood gifts & home decor. Wooden Burial Boxes, Ash Containers and Cremation Urns are not part of our normal product lines; but from the requests received, it appears there is a lack of affordable containers to house a loved one’s ashes.

Handmade Wooden Cremation Burial Boxes/Containers

Human cremated ashes typically come from the funeral home or crematory in cardboard or hard plastic containers or boxes. Our handmade wood Burial Boxes are meant to house these containers in a tasteful and decorative, yet affordable, way. Since these cremated ash containers come in a variety of sizes - we individually handcraft our wooden Burial Boxes for the specific dimensions of the ash containers.

Our standard woods are Oak, Maple, Walnut, Ash, Hickory and Cherry. Other types of wood may be available. Our handcrafted, wooden Burial Boxes have decorative box-joint corners and are finished with 3+ coats of a very hard polyurethane varnish. (If desired, we can custom make Cremation Boxes from unfinished pine.)

Typically there are three destinations for cremated ashes: 1) ashes to be entombed in a burial vault; 2) ashes to be 'scattered'; or 3) ashes to be kept by a surviving loved one.

1) Burial Vault - The Cremation Burial Box shown was custom made to hold the ash container, and to fit the burial vault dimensions. This Cremation Box was handmade of American Walnut with Maple accent. The slightly tapered sides and contrasting wood gives this box a more formal, refined appearance. (even though the outside is tapered, the inside is perpendicular) The lid has a nice router detail to highlight the contrasting Maple.

2) Cremation Ashes to be Scattered - Even if the cremated ashes are to be scattered, many people want a nice (but economical) cremation urn or box for the memorial service or as an attractive, temporary container until the ashes can be scattered. In these cases, the lid is made to fit very snuggly - but easily removed when the time comes to spread the ashes.


3) Cremation Boxes to be kept at home - This cremation burial box was handcrafted out of Hickory for a more casual feel, and its meaning to the family. The wood was carefully selected for the unique coloring and grain. The darker color symbolizing the physical earth, and the lighter - the spiritual heavens. Custom made for the cremation containers’ dimensions and showing the decorative box-joint corners.
The sides taper slightly outward, then back in at the base. Thick felt pads/feet were added to the bottom of the box.

Custom Handcrafted Decorative Wood Pet Cremation Urns

We have not had any requests for 'non-box' type urns to hold human cremated ashes but have had requests for Pet Cremation Urns along with Pet Memorial Boxes. Whereas our Cremation Burial Boxes are meant to house the hard plastic or cardboard containers, pet cremated ashes usually come in plastic bags which can conform to the interior shape of the Cremation Urn, allowing more design flexibility. Most lidded vases or urns can be used for pet cremated ashes - depending on the size of the pet. Our Pet Cremation Urns have lids that rest on a lip inside the urn to allow them to be permanently attached with glue after the cremated ashes are placed inside.

Decorative Multi-Wood Pet Cremation Urns - This large wood urn combined Cherry, Maple and Walnut. The urn and lid were hand-turned as one piece so that the unique color pattern continued into the lid. Multi-wood urns can be a decorative accent without making it obvious as to what they contain

Small Pet Urns -
This small cremation urn was handmade from solid stock
(not glued up board lumber) spalted Maple. It had very unique coloring and graining, and lots of character - which reminded the purchaser of their beloved pet. Many times the coloring or texture of the wood is as important as the shape or style of the urn.

VanEss Expressions is not in the memorial services business. We do not 'stock' cremation urns
or burial boxes/containers; and are not equipped for the multitude of burial, cremation or memorial products or services. We are woodworkers, creating original and custom handcrafted wooden containers. boxes, vases and urns - and offering a beautiful, yet affordable, alternative to the cremation urns and burial boxes currently available.

VanEss Expressions is a very small woodworking company. All wooden Burial Boxes and Cremation Urns are personally handcrafted by us in our Minnesota workshop. Each is custom made to the size, shape, type of wood, completion time and price. If the order is accepted (depending on our current workload), we would need a minimum of 3 weeks (after the specifics are worked out) to custom make your Handcrafted Wood Burial Box or Cremation Urn.