What Size Urn Should I Get?
If you are planning to use cremation services, it’s important to have a general idea of how much ashes remaining after cremation. The expected volume of the ashes can help you choose an appropriate size urn for your loved one and make plans with family members, such as spreading the ashes, sharing urns for loved one’s, or interment in a columbarium at a cemetery.
How much ashes are left after the cremation?
The average amount of ash left over after the cremation of an adult is about 3 to 3.5 liters or 183 to 213 cubic inches. For a child this will be 0.8 to 2 liters or 54 to 122 cubic inches and for a (premature) baby 0.3 to 0.7 liters or 18 to 43 cubic inches. Your crematorium will always know the exact volume. It is possible to disperse part of the ashes and keep the rest in an urn for ashes, cremation ash keepsake urn or piece of memorial jewelry like an ashes pendant.
What factors influence the amount of ash?
The amount of ash depends on the wood type of the coffin, the size of the coffin, the size (length / width) of the deceased, the bone structure of a deceased person and whether one or more objects such as a soft toy or book has been placed in the coffin.
What size urn do I need?
The industry guide is that for every pound of body weight, allow one cubic inch of cremated remains. Standard size adult urns have approximately 213 cubic inches or 3,5 Liters of internal volume and are suitable for an average adult.
The urn size calculator and the tables below are based on averages. If you are not sure of the exact volume of ash, please contact your crematorium or funeral director. We apologize in advance for this table because it may be inconvenient, but we find it very important to inform you as good as possible.
Urn Size Calculator
General speaking
- 1 cubic inch is 0,0164 litres and 1 litre is 61 cubic inches.
- 1 pound is 1 cubic inch (cu)
Cremation Urn Size Guide for Adults
| Volume (liter) | Volume (cu in) |
|---|---|
| 3.0 - 3.5 | 183 - 213 |
Cremation Urn size Guide for Babies and Infants
| Age | Boy (kg) | Boy (lbs) | Girl (kg) | Girl (lbs) | Volume (liter) | Volume (cu in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 weeks | up to 1 | up to 2 | up to 1 | up to 2 | 0.15 | 10 |
| 40 weeks | up to 8.5 | up to 19 | up to 8.5 | up to 19 | 0.65 | 40 |
| 1 year | 10 | 22 | 10 | 22 | 0.80 | 49 |
| 2 year | 12 | 26 | 12 | 26 | 1.00 | 61 |
| 3 year | 15 | 33 | 15 | 33 | 1.25 | 76 |
| 4 year | 17 | 37 | 17 | 37 | 1.35 | 82 |
| 5 year | 19 | 42 | 18 | 40 | 1.45 | 89 |
| 6 year | 22 | 49 | 21 | 46 | 1.55 | 95 |
| 7 year | 24 | 52 | 24 | 52 | 1.60 | 98 |
| 8 year | 26 | 57 | 26 | 57 | 1.65 | 101 |
| 9 year | 28 | 62 | 28 | 62 | 1.75 | 107 |
| 10 year | 31 | 68 | 35 | 77 | 1.85 | 113 |
| 11 year | 35 | 77 | 39 | 86 | 2.00 | 122 |
| 12 year | 39 | 86 | 43 | 95 | 2.25 | 137 |
| 13 year | 45 | 99 | 48 | 106 | 2.40 | 146 |
| 14 year | 52 | 115 | 52 | 115 | 2.60 | 159 |
| 15 year | 57 | 126 | 55 | 121 | 2.80 | 171 |
| 16 year | 61 | 135 | 57 | 126 | 3.00 | 183 |
Cremation Urn size Guide for Pets
| Weight (kg) | Weight (lbs) | Volume (liter) | Volume (cu in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| up to 1 | up to 2 | 0.15 | 9 |
| up to 8 | up to 17 | 0.5 | 31 |
| up to 12 | up to 26 | 1.0 | 61 |
| up to 20 | up to 44 | 1.5 | 92 |
| up to 40 | up to 88 | 2.0 | 123 |
| up to 60 | up to 132 | 3.0 | 183 |
| > 60 | > 132 | 4.0+ | 244 |
How much do ashes weigh after cremation?
As a general rule, ashes following cremation will weigh between 4 and 6 pounds, or around 3.5% of the person’s original weight. In the case of children, ashes weigh about 2.5% of the original body weight. Fat and muscle do not affect the mass of cremated ashes, which means height and gender (which predict skeletal weight) can be used to accurately predict the weight of the remains. Cremated remains of adult men tend to weigh more, or about six pounds, while the cremated remains of adult women are about 4 pounds on average. For choosing a cremation ash urn you need to concentrate on volume, not on weight.
