Wooden Boxes for Ashes: 5 Designs and How to Choose

Wooden boxes for ashes are one of the quietest ways to keep someone at home. A box sits level on a shelf, looks like a piece of furniture rather than an urn, and suits almost any room. This guide explains what to look for and then describes five box-shaped designs from our wooden urns for ashes, from a full adult size down to a small keepsake.

Every size and detail below comes from the page for that urn, so you can check each one before you decide.

How to choose a wooden box for ashes

Start with the size

Capacity matters more than outside measurements. As a general guide, allow about one cubic inch of capacity for each pound of body weight before cremation. The adult boxes in this guide hold between 3.3 and 4.01 liters (201 to 245 cubic inches). If the ashes are being shared between family members, a smaller box that holds a portion may be all you need. Our urn size guide shows how to work it out.

Wood effect or upcycled wood

The boxes here are made in two ways. Some are MDF, an engineered board made from wood fibers and resin, with an oak or walnut effect finish. This gives a very even surface and crisp edges. Others are built by hand from pieces of upcycled wood, so no two look quite the same. Neither is better. It depends on whether you prefer a clean, uniform look or the variation of natural wood.

How the box opens

Most wooden boxes open underneath. A panel in the base is released with a screw and slides out, the ashes go in, and the panel is fixed back in place. Nothing shows from the front. The upcycled wood designs have a threaded lid that twists off instead.

Whether you want a photograph

Some boxes have a frame built into the front, or panels on the sides, so a photograph sits with the urn. A photograph can make the box feel less like an urn and more like a small memorial. The Oak Wood Effect Photo Frame Adult Urn holds 3.3 liters (about 201 cubic inches) and has a photo frame built in, and the same design comes in a dark wood effect. There are more in our photo frame urns.

5 wooden boxes for ashes

1. Oak Wood Effect Cremation Urn for Adult Ashes

A plain rectangular box with an oak effect finish and a visible woodgrain pattern. It holds 3.5 liters (about 214 cubic inches) and measures 14 cm high, 23 cm wide and 16 cm deep, so it sits low on a shelf or sideboard. It opens through a base panel with a screw-release sliding mechanism, and an ashes bag is included.

Pictured: Oak Wood Effect MDF Cremation Urn for Adult Ashes

2. Eco-friendly Horizontal Wooden Adult Urn

This box is a mosaic of upcycled wood, built by hand from salvaged offcuts rather than newly felled timber. It is Fair Trade certified and finished with a natural beeswax polish. It is also the largest box here at 4.01 liters (about 245 cubic inches), listed as suitable for an adult up to approximately 111 kg (244 lb). The low, wide shape suits a mantel or sideboard, and the threaded lid twists closed. It is biodegradable, so it can be kept at home or buried.

Pictured: Eco-friendly Horizontal Wooden Adult Urn for Ashes

3. Eco-friendly Vertical Wooden Adult Urn

The upright version of the same eco-friendly mosaic design. It stands 22.9 cm tall and holds 3.44 liters (about 210 cubic inches), listed as suitable for an adult up to approximately 95 kg (209 lb). Each panel is fitted individually, so the pattern of grain and tone is different on every urn. Like the horizontal design, it has a threaded lid that twists closed and is biodegradable.

Pictured: Eco-friendly Vertical Wooden Adult Urn for Ashes

4. Walnut Effect Photo Cube Urn

A cube with photo display panels, in a rich brown walnut effect finish. It holds 1.4 liters (about 85 cubic inches), so it is for a portion of the ashes rather than the full amount. It measures 15 cm high and 14.5 cm wide and deep, opens at the base, and comes with an ashes bag. The same cube is available in an oak effect and a mahogany effect.

Pictured: Walnut Effect MDF Photo Cube Cremation Urn for Ashes - Large

5. Oak Wood Effect Small Urn for Ashes

A small keepsake box for when the ashes are being shared, or when most have been scattered and you would like to keep a little at home. It holds 0.4 liters (about 24 cubic inches) and is only 8 cm high and 14 cm wide. It has an oak wood effect finish, like the adult box above. It opens with a screw-fastened sliding panel in the base, and an ashes bag is included. You can see more keepsake sizes in our small urns for ashes.

Pictured: Oak Wood Effect MDF Small Urn for Ashes

Carved wooden urns that are not boxes

Not every wooden urn is a box. The Infinity Wooden Urn in genuine walnut is hand-carved, with an infinity symbol carved into the surface, and holds 3.4 liters. For a small portion of ashes, the Cherry Wood Heart Keepsake Urn is made by woodcarvers from cherry wood. Our guide to the different types of wooden urns for ashes covers these shapes in more detail.

Can a wooden box for ashes be buried?

It depends on the box. The wood effect boxes above are made from MDF, which contains resin, and their product pages describe them as urns for display in the home. The two eco-friendly wooden boxes are biodegradable, so they can be kept on display at home and are also suitable for burial.

If you plan to bury the ashes, choose an urn that is sold as biodegradable. Another option is the Eco Burial Bamboo Biodegradable Urn which is made entirely from bamboo and can be displayed at home first and buried later. There are more in our biodegradable burial urns, and our guide to what type of urn is best for burial explains the options. Cemeteries and natural burial grounds set their own rules about containers, so it is worth asking before you buy.

Looking after a wooden urn

A wooden urn needs very little care. Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from damp. Dust it with a soft, dry cloth, and avoid wet cloths and harsh cleaning products. A level surface away from radiators and steamy rooms is ideal.

Frequently asked questions

What is a wooden box for ashes?

A wooden box for ashes is a box-shaped cremation urn made from wood, upcycled wood or a wood effect board. Most are filled through a panel in the base and are designed to be kept on display at home.

What size wooden box do I need for ashes?

Allow about one cubic inch of capacity for each pound of body weight before cremation. The adult wooden boxes in this guide hold between 201 and 245 cubic inches, and smaller boxes hold a portion of the ashes.

How do you put ashes into a wooden box?

Most wooden boxes open underneath. Release the screw, slide out the base panel, place the ashes inside in the ashes bag, then slide the panel back and fasten it. Some designs have a threaded lid that twists off instead.

Can a wooden box for ashes be buried?

Only if it is biodegradable. The two eco-friendly wooden boxes in this guide are biodegradable and suitable for burial. The wood effect boxes are made for display in the home. Check the rules of the cemetery or burial ground first.

Is a wood effect urn made of real wood?

Partly. A wood effect urn is made from MDF, an engineered board of wood fibers and resin, with an oak, walnut or mahogany effect finish. It looks like wood and has a very even surface, but it is not solid wood.

Should a wooden urn be kept indoors?

Yes, unless it is sold for burial. Keep a wooden urn indoors, out of direct sunlight and away from damp, and dust it with a soft, dry cloth.