Caskets are made from a variety of materials. Typically, they are made using precious metals, steel or wood. They may also be classified as protective or non-protective.

Precious metals include those caskets made from bronze and copper. The thickness of the metal is measured in ounces. One square inch of the precious metal is weighed. Thus, a 32 ounce copper casket means that one square inch of the metal weighs 32 ounces.

Regular steel caskets are made from common steel and are measured by gauge thickness. The higher the number gauge the thinner the steel. This means that a 16 gauge steel casket is thicker than a 22 gauge steel casket.

Wood is a choice from many families. It offers warm, rich, natural looks and offers a variety of species to choose from. Walnut, maple, oak, cherry, pine and mahogany are the most common.