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Are the wood urns proper for burial? Meaning do they break down and how long before the urn would break down? Trying to choose the right one. THank you in advance. Sharon Carlson
At Oaktree Memorials, we have an eight step process for creating our modern Italian urns.
Our urns are handcrafted by a team of artisans using sustainably-sourced, FSC-certified woods and are elegantly designed as an accent to your home without alluding to its actual purpose. Below we’ve outlined what the production process looks like before your urn arrives at your home to serve as a beautiful memorial for your loved one.
Step One: Cutting and Adhering the Veneer
To begin, the artisan cuts a thin, decorative covering from fine wood, called veneer. It’s critical for the artisan to pay close attention to the design in order for the veneer to match on each corner of the urn. This is especially important with our Bleecker urn, which is made up of eight sides. Matching each side ensures that the final product has a sleek appearance.
After the veneer is cut, the artisan then glues it to a thicker, coarser piece of wood for stability.
Step Two: Securing the Veneer in the Press
After the veneer is secured to the thicker piece of wood, it’s moved to a machine called a pressa. The pressa is set up to use just the right amount of pressure to ensure that all air bubbles are pushed out and the veneers are securely attached.
Step Three: The First Sanding
When the urn comes out of the pressa, it is then sanded to remove any loose fibers or excess glue. This course sanding is a vital step in the preparation process that allows the varnish to later set properly.
Step Four: Varnish
After this initial sanding, the urn is ready for varnish. It’s first covered with an isolating varnish, then allowed to dry. Next, it’s sprayed again with another layer of varnish. This process is repeated several times.
The top of the urn gets five coats of varnish, while the lateral facades get seven. This step takes the longest, as it’s important to ensure that each layer of varnish dries completely. After several layers and several days of drying, the urn is ready for the next step.
Step Five: Round Two of Sanding
Next, the urn is sanded once more. This will create an extremely smooth surface. This fine sanding is one of the most crucial steps when it comes to creating a finish that is as close to perfect as possible. After the ideal finish is achieved, the urn is ready to be polished.
Step Six: Polish
Before the polishing process can begin, the artisan cleans the polishing machine to eliminate the risk of contamination to the urn’s finish.
Once the cleaning process is complete, the urn is polished three times to achieve a “mirrored effect”. This shiny, sleek mirror effect is a staple of all of our Oaktree urns.
Step Seven: Accessorizing
After the polishing is complete, some urns are immediately ready for purchase, while some have additional details added such as a Florentine velvet lining or a removable tray.
The Completed Product
Each of our urns undergoes this meticulous production process to produce only the best memorial for your loved one.
Oaktree urns are manufactured in the United States and in Europe. We offer urns in ceramic, marble and wood in several different sizes to ensure the right fit. Our urns can also be engraved to add the perfect, personal touch to your loved one’s final resting place.
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