I’ve always been super curious about what goes into digging a grave. Since my great-uncle’s funeral, when I was 8 or 9, I’ve been a little fascinated with death. Working in the funeral industry gave me a front-row seat to get answers to all my questions surrounding death and burial. I’m enjoying sharing some of that knowledge with you!
How To Dig A Grave & Prepare It For Burial
Digging a grave and preparing it for burial isn’t as simple as grabbing a shovel on your way out of the shed. Rather, steps include locating the specific grave site within the cemetery; preserving the sod; and digging by hand and machine. Then finally, the site is prepped for the impending burial. Let’s look further into grave digging.
Whether you dig by hand in a remote cemetery or you use a backhoe, there are certain steps that you need to follow in knowing how to dig a grave.
- Locate the correct gravesite. Usually, metal ground markers outline the lot. Four to eight graves can be within a lot. Cemetery caretakers often use metal detectors to find the exact location of the lot. Then they narrow it down to the specific site.
- Weather considerations. Set up a tent to shield from direct sun or rain. Set up a ground warmer to thaw the earth in the winter.
- Set template to layout the burial spot. The template is usually about 90” long and 36” wide in the middle. Many caretakers use boards that are wide enough to define the distance between graves. This precaution lets them know how close other burial vaults might be.
- Define the cutting area and remove the top sod and soil layer. This part is often done with a flat-edged shovel by hand. The sod is removed in strips and saved to lay back down.
- Dig the hole. Move the dirt into another section, sometimes on top of a tarp, sometimes directly into a dump truck. Some of it will return to the hole, while some will be moved to another area of the cemetery.
- Square the corners and sides of the grave. This is actually done throughout the process, as necessary.
- Lower the burial vault into the grave. The lid is set aside for now. And the template boards are removed.
- Prepare for the service. Cover the grave until it’s time for the burial. Then set up chairs, tents, grass turf around the edges of the grave, and the casket-lowering mechanism.
How Deep Are Graves?
Grave dimensions are roughly 36” wide by 8’ long and approximately 4 – 5’ deep. The reason for the depth is to provide a sufficient soil barrier at the top of the grave.
Why are graves dug 6 feet deep?
It is a common notion that graves are 6 feet deep, but that is rarely the case. Instead, “six feet under” is more of a term to acknowledge that someone is dead, rather than a true statement of a grave’s depth.
The 6-foot idea may have come from an average-height man being able to dig a grave by shovel and still be able to toss dirt out. Or it may have come from London’s Black Plague of 1665. The mayor ordered graves to be buried at least 6’ to help contain the disease’s spread. But no one really knows where the 6-foot deep “rule” comes from.
Instead, most states have a legal requirement for the minimum depth of soil over a body, known as a smell barrier. Animals can’t smell something beneath 12” of soil, so having a buffer of at least 18” means no odors could possibly escape.
Simple concrete grave liners are approximately 30” high. And sturdier burial vaults range between 33” to 36” high.
So the depth of the grave = height of the liner or vault + the state’s minimum distance of soil to surface.
How Long Does It Take To Dig A Grave?
Most cemeteries use heavy equipment to dig graves now, so the process involves less manual labor than it used to. However, there is still labor involved!
Two people digging a grave by hand takes about four to five hours. This is an estimate for experienced diggers knowing exactly what to do. It also means that the soil is optimum and not frozen or falling in upon itself.
If you wanted to dig a grave, having never done it before, it will take 8-10 hours. So it’s not exactly as quick and easy as movies make it look.
During the summer, with heavy equipment, it takes about an hour to dig a grave. During the winter, depending on location, it could take 2-3 hours to open one site.
How To Dig Graves In Frozen Ground
I primarily live in the Pacific Northwest, so the frozen ground isn’t as large a problem as the soggy ground from rain. However, many places across North America experience very cold winters. So digging graves during the winter months has its challenges. Some of the tools used to dig graves in the frozen ground may surprise you.
- Ground Thawing Blankets: Essentially these are electric blankets for the ground. And they save plenty of labor time by thawing the top layer of frost and ice. Companies like Powerblanket, suggest installing the blanket several hours before you are ready to dig. The ground then thaws, making the project much easier.
- Jackhammer: I’ve always thought of jackhammers in association with concrete drilling, but they work just as well for ice. Gravediggers use them to outline the grave and then to break up the solid layer of ground ice. Then it’s possible to move in with heavy equipment to dig the soil.
- Frost Teeth or Hydraulic Claw: This tool gets its name because they look like large fangs attached to a backhoe’s bucket. They work by smashing up the top layer of frozen earth so that an excavator can then do the heavy digging.
- Grave Burner / Frost Remover: These propane-operated grave burners remove frost from the ground, leaving it dry. It takes 3-5 hours to thaw the ground one foot deep. And one frost remover burns up to 40 hours with a 100-galloon tank.
How Much Does It Cost To Dig A Grave?
Cemeteries use the term “opening and closing” when describing digging a grave. It means the same thing, but it feels more reverent when talking of burying human remains.
It costs between $1,000 and $1,500 to open and close a gravesite. The price includes
- Digging and refilling the grave
- Associated paperwork to maintain files and records
- Securing permits, if necessary
- Any equipment needed to lower the burial vault and casket into the ground
How Many Bodies Can Be Buried In One Grave?
In general, two caskets/burial vaults can be placed in one companion-style grave. They may be purchased side-by-side, but are more commonly placed double depth with one above the other. The first grave is dug lower than normal so that both caskets will fit into the space and still meet the minimum soil requirement.
Urns containing cremated remains may be buried in plots with caskets. There is no hard rule about how many urns a cemetery allows. So check with your local cemetery caretaker for specific information.
How To Dig A Grave For A Dog
Digging a grave for a dog goes much faster than a cemetery grave site for a human! Here are some general guidelines.
- Only bury animals on a property you own. Otherwise, be sure to have permission first.
- Verify underground power and water line locations before digging.
- Dig about 3’ deep, depending on the dog’s size. It’s worth checking local laws to learn your state’s requirement for the amount of soil needed over the top of your pet.
- Place the animal in a cardboard (or other biodegradable) container, wrap them in a blanket, or simply place them in the ground.
- Cover the grave with dirt. Replace sod or sprinkle seeds. A nice wildflower garden would make a beautiful tribute to your fur friend.
- Make your own headstone. Or simply plant a memorial tree or shrub.
Losing a beloved pet is a sad time, so give yourself plenty of room to grieve.
Conclusion
Digging a grave is a bigger process than movies make it out to be. But I gain a lot of comfort knowing that each grave digger and cemetery caretaker I’ve met has cared greatly about the work they do. Their love for the families they care for shows in their meticulous attention to detail.
You can also rest easy knowing that your loved one is being treated with respect and gentleness during each step of the funeral and burial process. Hopefully, I’ve addressed all your questions about how to dig a grave.
Digging up a grave would take two people between four or five hours. Even assuming a lack of security guards…