DIY Casket for Pet Ashes

How to memorialize a pet is something many pet owners ponder when their beloved companion passes. The decision to end the pet's suffering is never easy, and when a pet dies from old age, the sadness is the same. Making a personalized keepsake to encase your pet's ashes is a fitting tribute. Following certain steps eases the process of making a casket for a pet's ashes.

Things You'll Need

  • Cigar box or similar hinged box, 8 inches by 10 inches
  • Polyurethane finish
  • Paintbrush
  • Swatch of satin cloth, 12 inches
  • Wood glue, long-lasting
  • Photograph of the pet
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Instructions

    • 1

      Paint the outside of a cigar box, or similar hinged box, with a polyurethane finish. Use broad strokes. The polyurethane finish seals and protects the box's wood from water damage and fingerprints. The box should be completely dry and not tacky to the touch before handling it.

    • 2

      Line the base of the box with a satin swatch.

    • 3

      Tack the material's corners down with wood glue. Ensure that the material is flat and smooth.

    • 4

      Transfer the ashes to the box. The ashes are usually delivered upon cremation in a plastic bag. If you pour the ashes from the bag into the box, remain out of any breezes that could cause the ashes to become airborne.

    • 5

      Attach your favorite photograph of your pet to the top of the box. Affix the photo's corners with wood glue.

    • 6

      Glue the corners of the box. That will help to avoid spills.