What Happens to the Coffin after Cremation?

A popular question people ask cremation services in Scarborough, ME, is what happens to the coffin after cremation. There are several myths about the cremation process, and it is necessary to separate truth from fiction. 

We’ve detailed everything you need to know about the role of coffins during cremation below. 

What Happens to the Coffin after Cremation? 

With the deceased inside, the coffin goes into the cremator and is cremated until the process is complete. 

This is because cremation coffins are built to be incinerated during the cremation process. The process involves a lot of heat and lasts about 90 minutes, ensuring that the coffin (and the body) completely turn to ashes at the end. 

Ashes from the coffin are part of the fragments of bone from the body. Together, they are placed in a separate chamber within the cremator for cooling. 

Next, the cremains is placed in a machine that crushes them into fine ash before being transferred to an individual container designated to the deceased person. 

Do you have to get cremated in a coffin? 

Yes, although it doesn’t have to be a coffin per se. Once the crematory technician has removed all prohibited objects like watches and pacemakers, the body is usually placed in a coffin. 

However, coffins are not legally required for cremation. But in practice, the body has to be placed in a container to make the cremation process safer and easier. 

Instead of a coffin, this could be cardboard or wicker. Placing the body in the container provides a solid flat base that allows technicians to maneuver the body easily and safely. 

However, using a coffin ultimately depends on the cremation provider. Some crematoria are happy to use cardboard, but others prefer a coffin. 

Are coffins reused after cremation? 

No, they are not. As mentioned earlier, the coffin burns alongside the body to form the cremated remains. 

Thus, a new coffin is used for each cremation. 

How do you know it’s the right person? 

A good crematorium takes strict precautions to ensure that the identity of a deceased person is monitored throughout the entire cremation process. 

Part of this is a separate room where an inspector makes sure the nameplate on the coffin matches the deceased’s identity. Once the identification is complete, nothing can be removed from the coffin. 

Also, each cremator is only large enough for one coffin, and there is no chance of a mix-up once the body is in the chamber. 

When cremation is over, the same precautions apply as the remains move from the cooling chamber to the machine that grounds them into fine ash. At this stage, the ashes are then put into a marked container for the deceased person. 

Lastly, if you are worried about the process, you might be allowed into the committal chamber as a witness. 

Feel free to reach out to us for answers to any other questions you might have. As a longtime Scarborough, ME cremation service provider, we understand the need to know what’s going to happen to your loved one’s body before and during cremation. Call us or visit our location today to learn more.