Size Guide for Urns
What Size Urn Do I Need?
Choosing the right size urn is one of the most important decisions when selecting a piece. This guide will help you understand how urn capacity works and how to choose the right size with confidence.
The Most Accurate Way to Choose a Size
The most reliable way to ensure your chosen urn will hold your loved one's ashes is to know the actual volume of the ashes — measured in litres or millilitres.
How to find out the volume of the ashes
- Ask the crematorium. Most crematoriums record the volume of ashes before they are returned to the family and are happy to share this figure if you ask.
- Ask your funeral director. Funeral directors routinely deal with urn sizing and can usually confirm the volume directly or check with the crematorium on your behalf.
- Check the container the ashes came in. If the ashes were returned to you in a temporary container with a known capacity — often stated on the container itself or available from the crematorium — you can estimate the volume by looking at how full it is. For example, if the container holds 3 litres and it's filled roughly four-fifths of the way, the volume is approximately 2.4 litres. This is often the simplest approach if the container capacity is known.
- Measure the ashes yourself. If the ashes are already with you and the container's capacity isn't known, the volume can be measured by gently transferring them into a measuring jug. Please take care and do this in a calm, unhurried setting.
Once you have the volume in litres, you can match it directly against the capacity listed on each of our urn product pages. Every urn we sell has its capacity clearly stated in litres, so you can be certain the piece will fit before you order.
Body Weight Estimator
If you don't yet have the volume of ashes to hand, you can use the calculator below as an approximate guide based on the body weight of your loved one. This is a general estimation only — the final volume of ashes varies from person to person, so we always recommend confirming the actual volume wherever possible.
Rule of thumb used here: 1 lb of body weight ≈ 1 cubic inch of ash capacity. This is an industry estimation and will not be exact for every individual.
A Quick Guide to Urn Capacity
To help you orient yourself, here is a general overview of the urn size categories we offer:
- Adult urns (full size): typically 3.0 to 4.0 litres. Suitable for the full ashes of an adult. Most crematoriums produce around 3.0 to 3.5 litres of ashes for an average adult.
- Medium / small adult urns: typically 1.5 to 2.5 litres. These are not usually suitable for the full ashes of an adult — they are designed for sharing between family members, partial scatterings, or individuals of smaller stature.
- Keepsake or token urns: typically 0.05 to 0.3 litres. Designed to hold a small, symbolic portion of ashes — often used alongside a larger urn when multiple family members want to keep a piece close.
- Pet urns: sizing varies widely depending on the pet. Each pet urn product page lists its capacity in litres.
If you are still unsure which size is right for you, please get in touch with us — we are always happy to help guide you to the right choice.