How Do You Know if Lawn Crypts are the Best Burial Option?

Lawn crypts are not as common as other forms of burial but they are rising in popularity. This is in part due to the fact that they can be made to hold families, or shared among strangers in some cases, in a different type of burial. Those who opt for this kind of burial option do so because the interned are farther under the ground in a more secure area than a traditional Earth burial plot.

Lawn Crypts as a Burial Option

Most of us have seen lawn crypts even if we weren't aware of it at the time. These are underground tombs that are often deeper and wider than the traditional grave that is dug into the ground. Often, this is a selection made for a number of reasons. One of the most common reasons is that crypt is built to remain dry and more "open" under the Earth's surface.

Typically, these types of burial grounds are set aside for couples or families, although some cemeteries offer the option of sharing a crypt with strangers in order to divide costs among more people. These tombs are created from tunneling under the ground and creating a void well under the surface.

FUNERAL PLANNING GUIDE: What everyone needs to know about funeral arrangements. This complete guide to saving money on funeral expenses is available for instant PDF download with a bonus funeral planning checklist.

Each state will have different requirements for how the crypt is secured, but it is often reinforced with steel, concrete, and other stiff building materials to prevent the ground from caving in.

How Many Caskets for One Lawn Crypt?

Lawn crypts are most commonly designed to hold one or two caskets. However, there are those that can hold six or more caskets, depending on the available space for its creation as well as the engineer's ability to hold the crypt of safely. If the space is too large there is a risk of the ground caving despite some of the common forms of reinforcement. Usually, these problems are unheard of unless the crypt was designed to hold 12 or more caskets.

Why are Lawn Crypts a Good Choice?

For many, lawn crypts are actually a less expensive option. In some cemeteries you will find that this is the most economical of the choices you have for in ground burial. The reason for this is that it tends to save space, it allows for easier and more convenient transportation of the body to the underground tomb, and those that are designed for numerous people to share are often an expense that can be split between the individuals.

The single greatest drawback for some people is that lawn crypts are marked differently than grave sites. If there are 6 caskets in the tomb, you may have only one marker. You may also find that there are 6 individual markers but it is just as unlikely that the marker will be exactly above the entombed loved one. If the caskets are stacked chances are the marker is above the crypt but not necessarily directly over the individual's casket.

Family Crypts

Family lawn crypts are another alternative to family Earth burial plots. These are underground tombs that are specifically designed for one family.

In many cases, the laws permit the stacking and the side to side internment of individuals who are entombed but not buried. This allows for family members to lay eternally beside their loved ones in a preselected fashion.

Crypt Structure

The structure of the crypt is properly drained, meaning that water will not fill up inside lawn crypts. Graves, one the other hand, are lined but are not drained and thus the rain water and melting snow does tend to seep through the ground. The crypt is designed to prevent excessive water build up and the drainage systems are put into place during construction.

* Lawn crypts are often a more economical and even logical choice for the ground burial of caskets and can be created for a single individual or larger families depending on your preference and budget.