Ashes In Stone - Your Choices

ASHES IN STONE METHOD - We blend the ashes into the sculpture

Our idea of blending ashes into the stone came from the Romans, who used volcanic ash from Mt. Vesuvius in their concrete. It is speculated that their stone lasted as long as it has because of the addition of ash. Today in the concrete industry, it is common to use fly ash, a by-product of the coal-burning industry to strengthen the concrete.

In our process the cremated ash is added into the wet rock, sand, and cement, and blended thoroughly into the mixture. Each piece is made separately and carefully measured to ensure that all the ash is contained in the cast stone sculpture. When the piece is dry and hard, usually in a day, there is no visible or textural evidence of the ash. The ash is an integral part of the sculpture. It is the mind that reminds us that the statue before us has something of our departed friend. In our own home, we find that our old friend Clifford, the cat, is far more often remembered living in a sculpture by our front door than if he were contained in a box, sitting on a shelf and out of sight.

Information on how to ship ashes can be found in our faq's page.

TRADITIONAL URNS - You add ashes to a chamber within the sculpture

Most of our sculptures are available as urns. There is a chamber cast into the piece, accessible from the bottom, into which the ashes may be placed. The chamber is then sealed with a threaded fitting (provided). The capacity of the urn chamber varies with the largest holding up to 3.5 cups of ashes. The quantity of ash that an urn holds is listed on the product page for the piece.

Instructions for filling your urn. Although one person can fill and seal the urn, we find an extra pair of hands makes the job easier.

• Place your urn on a soft surface such as a towel or pillow.
  
  
• Turn it upside down.
  
  
• Carefully pour ashes through the hole on the bottom surface of the urn. A funnel will help with this step.
  
  
• Do not overfill urn. The threads just inside the hole must be exposed so the plug can be screwed in securely. (Any extra ashes can be scattered in the garden or other spot favored by your pet, or left in the original container.)
  
  
• Once the urn is full, wipe the threads with a cloth to make sure they are clean.
  
  
• Following the photo above, use the rod that came with the plug to screw it into the hole of the urn. If the plug does not turn smoothly, do not force. Remove the plug and adjust the angle so that the plug turns freely into the threads. Screw until tight, using a pliers or wrench to get as snug a seal as possible. The white teflon tape on the plug will seal your urn against moisture.
  If at some time in the future you need to open the urn, you can purchase more teflon tape at any hardware or plumbing supply store.
  
  If you need further assistance please call us at 800-897-3405