Do-It-Yourself Wood Pet Urn

It is an inevitable part of owning a pet: eventually the pet--whether it be a dog, a cat or a goldfish--will pass away. The passing of a pet can be a difficult and traumatizing experience, especially for children. Constructing an urn can be a great way to pay tribute to Fido, Fluffy or any other beloved family pet.

  1. Wooden Pet Urns

    • To start, you'll need to know how much ash the pet urn will need to accommodate. For every pound that your pet weighed, you will need one cubic inch. For example, a 65-pound Labrador will require an urn that can hold a minimum of 65 cubic inches. Meanwhile, a 10-pound cat will only require enough space for 10 cubic inches. You may want to add a few cubic inches for leeway to ensure that the ashes fit and you have room to close the urn without accidentally blowing ash everywhere.

      Once you know the approximate size of your urn, you can begin designing it. Using your pet's weight, you can estimate the approximate size of the urn. For example, the 65-pound Labrador would require an urn that is 4.4 inches long by 4 inches wide by 4 inches high. This creates an urn that will accommodate approximately 70 cubic inches of ashes. To determine your own needs, you may need to play around with the numbers until you find the right combination.

      After you've determined the right size, you can purchase the wood for your pet urn. You can use nearly any wood including cherry, oak, maple and even teak or bamboo. Along with the chosen wood, you will also need nails, wood glue, sandpaper, stain and sealant.

      To start, you will cut your wood pieces down to the appropriate size. Once the pieces are cut, you can either stain the pieces and allow them to dry, or you can begin assembling the project. Staining can be done at any point, but doing it prior to assembly can help ensure a seamless finish. Be sure to use the nails accompanied by wood glue to create a solid, fully sealed urn. Once the urn has been assembled and stained, you must seal the wood. Otherwise, the wood can potentially rot or the finish can become damaged. Allow everything to dry prior to placing your pet's ashes inside and sealing the top panel onto the urn.