Dimensions Guide

A casket is different from a coffin; this can come as a bit of an FYI to some people. If you’re fond of watching old vampire movies then you definitely have seen a coffin. Coffins are six sided boxes that have a greater width on the shoulders and they kind of taper down as you get to the feet. Caskets on the other hand are four sided boxes that are rectangular in shape. Coffins are still in use today, however occasionally. Caskets are the things we use for modern burials. We’ll now go over average casket dimensions.

One Size Can’t Fit All

Casket sizes are surely a concern for anyone who is looking to purchase one. The average casket dimensions are 84 inches by 28 inches and 23 inches in height. You should mind the casket dimensions in order to be sure you are getting the right one. There was once this horrific incident in Cincinnati that made its own headlines. There was a family there who ordered a casket for a woman that weighed over 500 pounds.

The family expressed their concerns that perhaps she wouldn’t even fit the very large caskets provided by the funeral home. However, they were assured that the casket dimensions of the one that was to be sent to them would fit her just fine. It was a huge shock to the family when she was uncomfortably squeezed into the casket by the funeral homes’ staff.

Of course, the funeral home staff denied any allegation of the matter. They even insisted that nothing wrong was done during the entire affair. However, it is alleged by a family member that they saw the huge struggle when staff members tried to put the woman inside. It is also alleged that a member of the staff even sat on top of the casket before the burial. It was also observed that they were never able to close the lid completely and that the woman was buried with the lid partially open.

That was a lesson indeed that not all caskets will fit every individual. The average length of a human body is about 60 inches long or something around six feet. The average width of a person is at 18 inches. Given these body measurements the average casket dimensions can fit the average individual.

Issue with the Width

The big issue with the average casket dimensions is that of its width. It is true that there are a variety of sizes to choose from. However, do take note that the 28-inch width of the average casket was set during the late 19th century. It is noted by one official from the American Heart Association that large body masses resulting from today’s diet have contributed to larger average body widths.

Oversized casket widths nowadays are 52 inches wide. One of the important casket dimensions you should pay attention to is its width. You might have to double-check the width of a casket before approving a certain choice.