Casket Styles/Materials

Crushed interior

A form of casket interior created by placing the lining material on a metal form, weights added, the material steamed, and then attached to a suitable upholstery material.

Shirred interior

Style of casket interior in which the material is drawn or gathered in a parallel fashion in a particular sewing process.

Tufted interior

Style of casket interior created by placing a padding material between a lining material and a backing material, with subsequent stitches taken, forming small raised puff.

Tailored interior

Tightly drawn form of casket interior style.

Semi-tailored interior

A combination of tailored interior with one or more other styles of interior for effect.

Specialty head panels

A unique design is created on a removable head panel.

Crepe

Thin crinkled cloth of silk, rayon, cotton or wool.

Satin

Fabric woven to create a smooth, lustrous face and dull back. Made from silk, nylon, or rayon.

Velvet

A fabric of silk, cotton and possibly rayon, with a thick, soft pile or nap.

Linen

A fabric made from flax, noted for its strength, coolness, and luster.

Masselin

Pressed paper in sheet form, used in casket construction as backing or upholstery material.

Excelsior or wood wool

Wood shavings; wood that has been shredded into spaghetti-like strings.

Plastic

Synthetic or natural organic material shaped when soft and then hardened.

Unfinished

Has no stain or protective varnish. Found on Jewish Aron. Bare wood.

Natural finish

May be stained or unstained with an outer protective coating of varnish or polyurethane.

Stained

A color stain is applied.

Unstained

Has no stain but, in some cases, covered with a protective varnish.

Embossed

To ornament with raised work; to raise relief from surface: material having designs raised above the surface.

Polished or gloss finish

Surface made smooth and glossy usually by friction.

Wood grained finish

Simulates the appearance of wood.

Sprayed finish

Paint applied to the surface by an airbrush.

Semi-gloss finish

A low luster finish.

Matte or flat finish

Finish free of gloss or dull.

Satin finish

Smooth, lustrous glossy finish

Laminate

Superimposed layers of different materials.

Broadcloth

Twilled, napped woolen fabric with a smooth lustrous face and dense texture.

Doeskin or moleskin

Heavy durable cotton fabric with a short (1/8th inch or less) velvety nap on one side.

Plush

High pile, woven cloth with nap exceeding 1/8th inch.

Brushed finish

Bare metal is scratched with an abrasive material and then finished until a smooth high gloss is obtained.

Plated finish or deposit

Created when a base metal is coated by another metal in an electrolytic process.

Satin finish

Has less luster than semi-gloss finish.

Crinkled finish

Coated with a substance that wrinkles as it dries.

Hammertone finish

Has the appearance of small indentations in the metal.

Elliptic end

Casket having ends in the shape of a half circle.

Octagon

Casket having eight angles or corners.

Flaring square

Sides and ends of the casket flare out from the bottom to the top.

Vertical side square or state

Body sides at a 90 degree angle to the bottom.

Urnside

Body panel in the shape of an urn.

Gasketed

Flat rubber material is located along the top body molding flange of the casket shell.

Gasket

Singled molded piece of rubber.

Hinges

Connect the cap to the body.

Locking mechanism

Locks the cap to the body.

Latch closure

Simple latch secures the cap to the body after closure.

Threaded fasteners

Screw-type fastener used on hinged cap caskets.

Chemical compounds

Strip of butyl tape seals the cap and body.

Hermetically sealed

Airtight; impervious to external influence; completely sealed by fusion or soldering.

Wood grained, polished or gloss, sprayed

What types of finishes are used for fiberglass, polymer, and plastic caskets?

Transverse gasket

A rubber gasket that seals the space between the head and foot caps on a split-cap or half couch metal casket.

Cast hardware

The most expensive hardware production method n which molten metal is poured into a mold, allowed to cool, and is then removed from the mold.

Stamped hardware

A hardware production method of lesser expense whereby the casket hardware sections are pressed out on a hydraulic press.

Slip panel, slip top, or priest casket

A casket opening style in which the cap or lid at the head of the casket is completely removed for the purpose of viewing; the remains may be viewed from either side of the casket.

Round corner

Curved corner formed by the addition of a rounded corner piece that had been stamped or milled during the manufacturing process. The corner is welded into position.

Square corner

The sides and ends are joined at a 90* angle. Sometimes called the mitered corner, it is less expensive than the round corner because it requires fewer component pieces and fewer hours of labor.

End lock

Slide bar in top body molding, key opening is in end of casket.

Side lock or front lock

Same lock as end lock, but key opening is in the front of the casket.

Lever lock

No key, flip lever to lock.

Perfection full couch

A casket in which the rim, crown, and pie are formed as one unit, and which raises as one piece.

Perfection half couch

A casket in which the rim, crown, and pie are formed as one unit with a transverse cut in the cap, forming a two-piece lid for the casket.

Combination

More than one style used in the interior.

Linen weave

A fabric woven to look like linen used as casket linen material.

Twill weave

A textile weave in which threads are crossed over one another to give an appearance of diagonal lines.