There’s something powerful about making something with your own hands, especially when it’s for someone you love. Building a casket becomes more than just assembling wood. It’s a way to take part in the farewell. Quietly, piece by piece, it gives space to reflect, remember, and honour. You’re not just preparing for a funeral; you’re creating a vessel for someone’s final rest, and that’s something real.

Some people choose to build their own casket ahead of time. It’s not about being morbid. It’s about being present with the reality of life and death, and deciding to approach it with intention. Making your own casket is a personal act. It invites you to slow down and think about how you want to leave, and what matters most. It can be practical, it can also be freeing.

A handcrafted casket has a different weight to it; not just in wood, but in meaning. It carries the mark of the maker. Every joint, screw, and pass of the sandpaper holds a little of the person who made it. Whether it's for a friend, a family member, or yourself, it reflects care and thought. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be yours.

Being part of the process matters. We often step back and let professionals handle everything around death, but there is value in doing it differently. Taking part, building, painting, writing on the timber, can be a way to process grief or prepare for what's to come. Creation invites connection. It makes space for something honest.