Vaults
A burial vault is a protective outer container that the casketed remains are placed in at the grave and sealed closed. They protect the casketed remains, keep the grave intact, and add beauty to the funeral committal setting.
The vault is usually made of two pieces of molded concrete with a liner bonded to the inside of the top and bottom. Some variations of vaults have been in use throughout the 20th century. Cemeteries started requesting them for functional and economic reasons, primarily to reduce maintenance costs. Other reasons for their use are to reduce the disturbances of existing graves by heavy machinery the cemeteries now use and to have the use of a grave for double- and triple-deep burials.
In most areas of the country, state or local law does not require that you buy a container to surround the casket in the grave. However, many cemeteries require that you have such a container so that the grave will not sink in. Either a burial vault or a grave liner will satisfy these requirements.
About Vaults
Advances in vault technology have yielded protective liners that are bonded to the cement and made of asphalt and, more recently, polystyrene plastic. Modern vaults also use much stronger concrete than in the past, such as tongue and groove designs, with butyl sealing compounds to better set and seal the top and bottom pieces of the vault together, and wire mesh or fibers added to the concrete for additional strength. Vaults are so well made that they can carry warranties of up to 200 years, depending on the quality of the vault.
Premium vaults are the finest vaults made. They are usually triple-walled with an outer concrete wall, an inner re-enforced plastic liner, and a metal liner. The plastic liner is often made of an ABS fiber-filled plastic. The metal liner is made from bronze, copper, or stainless steel. The metal and plastic liners add strength, beauty, and shock absorption qualities to the vault. Premium-grade vaults normally carry a 200-year warranty.
Mid range vaults are double-walled with an outer concrete wall and a plastic inner liner. The liner in the standard-range vault is usually non-fiber filled, ABS plastic. These vaults often carry a 100-year warranty. They may also have an inner, polystyrene-plastic liner. This liner is thinner and not as technologically advanced, or as visually appealing, as the ABS liners.
Basic vault models often come with a 50-75 year warranty. These are plain, unlined, minimum vaults or unsealed grave liners. If a minimum vault that meets the requirements of the cemetery is all that is desired, this can be a satisfactory option.
Chandler Funeral Homes & Crematory provides a selection of burial vaults to meet your needs or the needs of your family. To learn more about our services and the other merchandise we offer, please do not hesitate to contact us at 302-478-7100, or by email.