Your Guide to Funeral Planning | 02.23.2023

How To Make A DIY Pet Urn?

How To Make A DIY Pet Urn?

Reviewed By: Joshua Siegel

Cross Checked By: William Prout

DIY Cremation Urns - Give Yourself The Closure You Deserve 

The death of a beloved pet usually brings about unimaginable levels of grief. Many pet owners find it tough to bounce back from such a loss and are often left to deal with it themselves. However, there are many ways through which you can lessen the pain and grief. One of them is by crafting a DIY pet cremation urn for your deceased pet.  

When you make your own urn to safely store the cremated remains of your pet, you get the satisfaction of doing something meaningful for your pet. In addition to helping you heal from the loss, creating DIY wooden pet urns is the best farewell gift that you can ever give your pets. 

One of the things about making your own urn is that it doesn’t have to be perfect or look stunning. It is the effort that you put into the process that matters. In fact, the imperfections in the urn are what make it a great farewell gift for your pet. 

Crafting A DIY Cremation Urn - The Process 

Contrary to popular opinion, making your own personalized pet urns is not as hard as it may seem. With just a little bit of effort and time on your part, you can get the perfect cremation urn ready in no time. Let’s take a look at the step-by-step process that you would have to follow to craft wooden pet urns

Step 1 - Getting The Wooden Box Ready 

Start by purchasing six wooden planks of equal measurements. You can either cut them yourself or get them pre-cut from a store that sells wooden planks. Line the edges up perfectly and arrange them in the shape of a box. 

Then, use wood screws and a drill driver to drive screws along the edges of the box. If you don’t have a drill driver, you can resort to nailing the planks together with a hammer to form the box. Now, keep in mind to not nail or screw in the top plank of the box since it would completely seal the box in.

Step 2 - Sanding The Box Down 

Using fine-grit store-bought sandpaper, sand the inside and outside of the box thoroughly to remove rough edges. Stop once the surface becomes smooth to the touch. Once you’re done, blow away the wood shavings. 

Step 3 - Apply Stain 

Using a paintbrush apply a coat of wood stain all over the box. Make sure to cover the insides and the hard-to-reach corners as well. Let the first coat of wood stain dry for about an hour. Once it is completely dry, proceed to apply a second coat. 

Step 4 - Personalize The Urn 

Once the second coat of wood stain is dry, proceed to personalize the urn. You can paste pictures of your pet or carve their name onto the wood using a wood carving pen. If you’re planning on pasting pictures, make sure to apply only the right amount of glue to avoid smudging or smears. 

Step 5 - Apply A Coat Of Clear Acrylic Sealer

Spray the entire box with clear acrylic sealer. Make sure to cover both the inside and the outside of the box thoroughly. Let the first coat dry completely, which should take about an hour. Apply three more coats of the clear acrylic sealer to seal the entire box completely. 

Step 6 - Fill The Box With Your Pet’s Ashes 

Since the box is now sealed, you can fill it by pouring the ashes directly into it. Alternatively, you can also put the ashes inside a clear plastic container or a zip-loc bag before placing them inside the box.

Step 7 - Seal The Box

Once you’ve filled the box with your pet’s ashes, seal it by screwing on or nailing the top plank to complete the box. You now have a DIY pet cremation urn, which you can either bury under the ground or keep with you as a keepsake. 

Affordable Cremation Urns For Your Pet - An Alternative To DIY Urns 

Now that you’ve seen how to craft your own DIY pet cremation urn, what if you lack the woodworking skills or the tools necessary to create one? In that case, you can always opt to purchase a customized pet urn that accurately reflects your beloved pet’s personality or the life they lived. 

Many cremation urn manufacturers allow you to infuse a personal touch to an urn by way of laser etching or engraving your pet’s name, paw print, or even the face. Some of them create uniquely shaped urns in the shape of your pet’s paw or their nose. However, keep in mind that the more personalized urns for pets are more expensive they tend to be. 

At Titan Casket, we’re experts at creating unique, exquisitely hand-crafted cremation urns for pets. You can find urns in different sizes, capable of holding the remains of small and large pets, alike. Our urns are shipped for free and are guaranteed to be delivered on time for your funeral service.