We learn a lot of new vocabulary after the loss of a loved one. Cemetery vocabulary is some of the oddest. You may wonder why the cemetery requires you to buy a burial vault. It seems just like a casket for your casket. So what is it all about?
What Is A Burial Vault?
A burial vault is a container made from concrete or metal that helps keep a casket from sinking in its grave site. You may also hear the terms burial liner, grave liner, or a grave vault. The purpose of a burial vault is to protect the casket and the cemetery grounds from sinking graves as the soil around them settles.
Why Did We Start Using Vaults?
Burial vaults or liners became popular as a way of deterring grave robbers. They were made of wood and called “rough boxes”. These boxes primarily served to keep robbers from stealing jewelry buried with the deceased but also to keep them from stealing the bodies.
By the late 1800s, fewer people buried jewels with their dead, so grave robbing became less rampant. But cemeteries noticed the value of the vaults in keeping the graves from sinking, so the use of burial vaults continued.
In the late 1880s, a cemetery in Illinois realized they could increase sales by adding vaults as a cemetery requirement. And thus an industry was born.
Why Use A Burial Vault Today?
Due to the use of heavy equipment in cemeteries today, many of them require a vault or concrete liner for burial. Vaults make it easy for the equipment operator to locate graves so as not to disturb them when digging an adjacent site. They also protect caskets from the downward soil pressure of mowers and backhoes.
There is no federal law requiring burial vaults, but some individual states do require them. As with all things funeral related, your funeral director is your best advisor on vaults. They usually are familiar with most cemeteries in your area and are on good terms with cemetery staff. So they know regulations and can point you in the right direction for who to speak with.
Generally, burial vaults are sold by the cemetery, so your funeral director has no monetary incentive in selling them. I mention this, so you know they “aren’t just trying to get more money” but are guiding you as best they can.
Types Of Burial Vaults
Burial vaults are lined and sealed containers that house and protect the casket. They are generally made from reinforced concrete and lined with plastic or metal. State-of-the-art adhesives provide an added layer of protection against the elements. But these heavy-duty options are not all that is available to your family.
- Concrete grave liner: There is no inner plastic or metal lining. Instead, a simple concrete box protects the casket. Liners are the most affordable option and meet most cemetery requirements.
- Reinforced concrete burial vault lined with plastic: Reinforced, painted concrete protects the casket while the inner lining provides a secure environment. There is often a tongue and groove seal between the box and the lid for added protection.
- Reinforced concrete burial vault lined with metal: These vaults are very secure, but they are also the most expensive option. They usually have three layers of protection: reinforced concrete; copper, steel, or bronze lining; and a polymer liner.
- Polymer burial vault: These high-impact plastic vaults offer an alternative to concrete-based vaults. They are water resistant and non-biodegradable, offering up to 100 years of protection to vault contents. Because they are lighter than traditional vaults, they are easier to install.
- Urn vault: These smaller vaults protect your loved one’s urn in the same way as casket vaults. Since urns aren’t fully sealed against the elements, an urn vault will help preserve their integrity. It also will keep the earth from settling and creating a depression.
Grave Liner Vs Vault
A concrete grave liner meets the minimum requirement of most cemeteries. There are two types of grave liners: fully enclosed or top and sides only.
A fully-enclosed liner is a simple concrete box that is lowered into the grave. After the casket is lowered, a concrete lid sits atop the liner before returning the soil.
A top- and sides-only grave liner works a little differently. The casket is lowered into the grave. Then a bottomless concrete box lowers over the top. Because there is no bottom, the casket remains exposed to nature’s elements. But the top protection prevents heavy equipment damage.
Grave liners disperse the soil load and help even out the soil settling process. But since concrete is porous, liners do not keep ground waters from entering the area. There are often drainage holes in the bottom of the fully-enclosed liner to allow water to seep back out, but the casket is still exposed to nature in a liner.
Burial vaults are sealed containers with a polymer/polypropylene (plastic) or metal lining, so they do a better job of protecting the casket from the elements. This offers peace of mind to family members since they know the casket won’t be compromised by insects, water, or other natural elements.
Lined burial vaults are usually warranted to protect the casket and your loved one’s body, whereas grave liners offer no such warranty. Furthermore, burial vaults are often fully customizable to offer your family the most personalized graveside committal service possible.
| Concrete Grave Liner | Burial Vault |
| ✘ No inner plastic liner | ✔ Secure seal & polymer liner |
| ✘ No clean, dry space for casket | ✔ Clean, dry space for casket |
| ✔ Protects against soil collapse | ✔ Protects against soil collapse |
| ✘ Drain holes to allow water seepage | ✔ Fully protected against water damage |
| ✘ Concrete disintegrates over time | ✔ Polymer liner reinforces concrete |
| ✘ No customization | ✔ Fully customizable |
| ✔ Lower cost | ✘ Higher cost |
Do Burial Vaults Stop Decomposition?
It’s sometimes hard for us to imagine what happens to our loved one’s body after burial. We picture them as they were in life and don’t want to acknowledge nature’s pull. Although embalming and burial vaults do aid in slowing the natural processes, they do not stop decomposition.
Burial vaults protect the casket and therefore the body from some natural elements. They also protect it from soil damage when heavy equipment is driven over the top of graves. But burial vaults do not stop decomposition. Instead, they slow it by keeping dirt and water from enhancing the process.
Cost Of A Burial Vault
The cost of burial vaults varies greatly and depends upon freight cost from the manufacturer, the level of protection selected, and the personalization that is chosen.
Grave liners range from $700 to $1,500, which makes them an affordable option for most families.
Burial vault costs range from $900 to $10,000, maybe even a little more if you opt for the most expensive metals and top-of-the-line personalization options.
What Does A Burial Vault Look Like?
There are many customization options to personalize the vault you choose for your loved one. From a simple concrete or plastic box to highly decorated vaults, your budget becomes the limiter of what is available.
Add military emblems, words, symbols, and images to get just the right vault for your loved one. Choose from paint colors and metal finishes to further personalize the vault. Even add a full-sized photo gallery to the top of the vault, if money is no object.
Your choices to personalize a vault are almost limitless, as long as you have the budget for it.
How Long Does A Burial Vault Last?
Some manufacturers warrant burial vaults for 50 to 100 years against the entrance of water or soil, provided it was properly sealed. Vault lids are secure onto the base with a tongue and groove channel that is filled with a rubberized sealant for tight adhesion.
Are Burial Vaults Waterproof?
Yes, burial vaults are virtually waterproof. Some are constructed with either reinforced concrete and have approximately 2” thick walls. In addition, these vaults are lined or covered with high-impact plastics or metals, which further protect against water damage.
Other vaults are constructed from polymers which are three times more substantial by weight than steel and have far more tensile strength than concrete.
Vaults help resist water. However, over time, nature’s elements will degrade the materials so water can eventually seep in.
Conclusion
Grave liners and burial vaults protect your loved one’s body and casket from nature’s elements. In addition, they more evenly disperse the cemetery’s soil to help limit settling and depressions in the ground. This is important because of the heavy equipment used for maintenance and burial.
Choose a grave liner or burial vault which best suits your budget and meets your style. After meeting the cemetery’s requirements, there are no wrong choices.
- Concrete grave liner
- Reinforced concrete burial vault lined with plastic
- Reinforced concrete burial vault lined with metal
- Polymer burial vault
