Columbarium Niches

Sunset Designs – Where Every Niche Tells a Story

What is a Columbarium Niche?

A columbarium niche is an enclosed space where cremation urns are placed for interment. The columbarium niche design depends on the physical location of the columbarium. For example, outdoor columbaria require specific columbarium niche design features that can withstand the elements, temperature fluctuations and security. In outdoor applications, we offer, 3 distinctly different niche core products: powder coated aluminum, Nylene, or granite.

Outdoor Niches – Learn More

Interior columbarium niches are engineered to address uniquely different conditions as they are installed inside a building, institution, church, or mausoleum. In these locations the niches must be engineered to withstand humidity fluctuation and air flow. Sunset’s interior niches are made with, anodized aluminum (for glass front niches), powder-coated aluminum or Nylene niches (for marble and granite front niches).

At Sunset Memorial & Stone, we build our columbaria employing 4 uniquely different interior niche core styles.

Interior Niches – Learn More

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Outdoor Columbarium Niches

Nylene Niches

Sunset is the first to introduce the Nylene niche materials to the columbarium manufacturing industry. Over the years we have installed thousands of Nylene niches across the continent. Nylene was first developed by the military for use in the M1 Abrams tank and is now being used in the aerospace industry. Sunset’s Nylene niche is engineered to fit within a structurally welded aluminum frame.  As a cost savings alternative to aluminum, -savings we gladly pass onto our customers. Nylene is by far­­­­­­ our top selling columbarium niche core product.

3. Nylene Niche e1667328513715

Nylene ™ Niche

Available Niche Sizes

Standard Aluminum Niche 11⅞” W x 11⅞” H x 15½” D

Smaller Nylene Niche 11⅞”W  x 11⅞”H  x 11⅞” D (available upon request)

Urn sizes in photo 10.6” H x 6.3” W

Urns in a nylene niche

Why choose Nylene?

  • Nylene is revered for its exceptional strength, durability, and thermal resistance.
  • It is inert to the environment.

  • It is lighter in weight than concrete and granite niche cores, thus reducing the weight on the foundations.

  • Pound for pound Nylene is stronger than steel in compression.
  • Nylene niches are mold and mildew resistant and can withstand extreme temperature fluctuations.

Nylene Features

  • The Nylene columbarium niche design has slightly tapered corners.
  • Our standard niche interior is deep and large enough to hold 2 standard upright urns.

Powder Coated Aluminum Niches

Sunset’s powder coated aluminum niche core is renowned for its corrosion resistance, lightweight, and custom niche design flexibility. The combination of our structurally welded aluminum frame and aluminum niche cores allows us to build exciting and innovative columbarium shapes.  The aluminum niche reinforces the overall core strength to support the weight of large domes and gabled rooflines.

*We employ the aluminum niche cores when we build all Estate and Royal Legacy models.

Nylene ™ Niche

Aluminum Niche

Available Niche Sizes

Standard Aluminum Niche 12” W x 12” H x 16” D

Custom Aluminum Niche Sizes Available

Urn sizes in photo 10.6” H x 6.3” W

Urns in an aluminum niche

Additional Niche Size Information

Standard Aluminum Niche

12” W x 12” H x 16” D

For optimal value, our “standard” aluminum columbarium niche size exceeds industry standards. Our customers appreciate this deeper 16” niche size as it easily accommodates two standard upright urns. This generous niche size doubles the columbarium’s capacity and provides a wider variety of urn styles for companion interments.

Custom Aluminum Niche Sizes Available

One of the greatest advantages of the All-Aluminum Niche core is that it gives us the design flexibility to create innovative custom columbaria designs in any niche size desired. If your project requires a custom niche size, call our sales representative, and request a quote for a custom columbarium niche design. We have the engineering and manufacturing capability to accommodate your needs.

Why We Powder Coated Aluminum Niches

Did you know that metal urns can fuse to untreated aluminum surfaces?

At Sunset, we prioritize longevity and functionality. To mitigate the risk of metal urn fusion, we powder coat all the interior aluminum columbarium niche surfaces, including the inner key-locking security door. This additional step not only provides a beautiful finish, but also acts to facilitate the movement of companion urns years after the first interment.

Granite Columbarium  Niches

Sunset Memorial & Stone prioritizes structural integrity and engineering excellence, which is why we focus on utilizing structurally welded aluminum frames to provide the backbone of our columbarium structures. Compared to granite niche cores, our aluminum frame columbarium niches are three times lighter than all granite niche cores and offer superior columbarium design versatility and durability.

While our primary focus is on aluminum frames, we understand the need for a wide variety of customer choice and flexibility. On occasion, we can design granite interior niche columbaria to match existing models.

In our Family Heritage line of columbaria, we do incorporate granite niches. However, even within these granite interiors, Sunset’s commitment to quality, and our focus on security shines through with our powder-coated aluminum niche inner security doors. The family columbaria’s interior granite niche sizes are customizable to suit the desired niche configurations and niche dimensions.

Granite Columbaria Niches

Key Locking Inner Security Doors

Sunset’s powder-coated Aluminum interior-locking door system is by far one of our most appreciated columbarium features. Not only does it provide families with peace of mind that their loved ones are safely secured, but it also provides cemetery management with that second level of security as granite face plates are swapped out and replaced for inscription.

The concealed inner Aluminum door locking system is corrosion resistant and the perfect choice for our North American climate. The grey powder-coated finish adds a beautiful soft textured appearance to the surface. Our key locking inner security door is a standard feature in all our commercial and family columbarium niches.

Columbarium Key Lockable inner door

Columbaria Niche Shutters

Rosettes

The Rosette niche front is a classic granite shutter style, secured to the columbarium frame with either bronze or aluminum rosettes. These metal rosettes add a striking contrast to the granite niche shutters and are affixed with a screw that requires a key-specific screwdriver. Our rosettes are placed in all four corners of the niche door, ensuring a secure and attractive closure.

Niche Shutter Rosettes

The Allura – Rosetteless System

For those seeking a seamless and modern look, the Allura rosette-less system is an ideal choice. Designed for simple elegance and refined lines, this system uses concealed hardware to maintain a sleek and uninterrupted facade. The Allura system is particularly popular among architects and cemetery managers aiming for a contemporary design in columbarium gardens. Our Allura system is crafted with our industry leading Nylene Niche.

Allura Niche Shutter

Reliquary Ledge

The Reliquary Ledge is a custom architectural feature that enhances the functionality and aesthetic of a columbarium. This ledge provides a dedicated space to place flowers or memorabilia, allowing visitors to personalize their loved one’s resting place.
At Sunset Memorial & Stones, we are committed to offering diverse and customizable options to meet your needs. For more details on our shutter options and how we can meet your design needs, please click the button below.

Relequart Ledges Niche Shutter

Interior Columbarium Niches

Interior Niche Designs

Interior columbarium niche designs focus on different engineering and manufacturing techniques. Interior niches are protected by the elements as they are installed in a mausoleum, institution, church, or designated room.

The design of an interior niche is based on the room access, application, and overall desired impact. The style of the doors will determine the direction of the columbarium niche design. Glass front niches allow for visitors to view the urns.

Other interior settings lend more towards privacy and continuity. In these spaces, marble or granite front columbarium niches are preferred.

Interior Niches

Interior Glass Front Niches

Our Sunset glass front niches and extrusions are made of an anodized aluminum. Clients appreciate the beauty of the reflective champagne colored finish.  Bronze rosettes hold the beveled glass front niche securely in place. The interior niche strip lighting location is set in a more central location of the niche to better highlight the urn. The placement of the interior columbarium niche designed lighting is flexible.

Columbaria glass front niches

Interior Marble or Granite Front Niches

At Sunset, we specialize in the artful integration of interior niche walls and freestanding islands using a diverse selection of marble, stone, or granite shutters., ensuring a seamless integration with your unique columbarium niche design needs.

In certain indoor columbarium niche spaces where privacy and aesthetic continuity are paramount, our marble or granite niche shutters offer a perfect solution. Depending on your preferred niche sizes, we offer the flexibility to design columbarium niches using either our Nylene niche core or powder-coated Aluminum niche core. Aluminum cores provide the versatility to accommodate any custom niche dimensions you require.

Experience the artistry of Sunset’s Designs and transform your columbarium niche into a sanctuary of beauty and reverence. Contact us today to explore how our solutions can elevate your space to new heights of elegance and functionality.

Marble or Granite front columbariua niches

Frequently Asked Questions About Columbarium Niches

A:

  • Above-Ground Interment: The columbarium offers an ideal above-ground interment option for families who prefer not to have in-ground burials.
  • Weather Resistance: Weather conditions do not affect the ability to open and close the niche, unlike graves during frozen winter days.
  • Flexible Scheduling: The columbarium interment service allows families the flexibility to arrange services according to their preferred schedules.
  • Memorial Design: Families appreciate the columbarium niche design as the structure and doors serve both as a memorial and a final resting place.
  • Personalization: The granite shutters provide space for personalized inscriptions, epitaphs, artwork, bronze plaques, bud vases, or porcelain photography.

A:

A columbarium is a stacked cremation niche structure designed for either outdoor or indoor purposes. It is used to securely house cremation urns for interment on church, institution, or cemetery properties. Unlike traditional memorial options, a columbarium provides an above-ground urn interment option. Cremation urns are placed inside an interior compartment called a “niche.”

The alternative to a columbarium niche interment is to either bury the urn in a cemetery plot, marked by a cemetery monument, or to scatter the cremation remains in a specific garden or a meaningful place in nature. Some cemeteries, churches or institutions offer memorial plaques, stones, or memorial walls for commemorating an individual.

Columbarium niches can be custom designed in various shapes and sizes to enhance any cemetery or institutional setting.
An outdoor columbarium can be built in various shapes, including modest rectangular, round, hexagonal, or gentle curves. They can feature custom pagoda rooflines, graceful, curved rooflines, elaborate round domes, or gabled rooftops. The doors or shutters of these columbaria are made of granite and can be inscribed or adorned with bronze plaques to memorialize a loved one. A Sunset Memorial & Stone Columbarium offers an added level of security by including a key-locking inner security door in all of their products.

Indoor columbarium niches are built within a church or building and are sometimes referred to as a mausoleum (singular) or mausolea (plural). The engineering and manufacturing of an interior niche differ from an exterior columbarium. Interior niches can either reveal the urns with a beautiful glass front niche shutter or hide the urns behind a granite or marble front niche shutters.

A:

If you choose a Sunset Memorial & Stone columbarium niche, families and cemetery management can rest assure that the urns are secured behind a key-locking inner security door. Our powder-coated aluminum door can withstand temperature fluctuation and is corrosion resistant. The inner security door is covered with a ¾” granite shutter that is held in place by a rosette that requires a tool specific screwdriver to open. Our Allura granite shutters are a rosette-less system that requires a specific tool for opening and closing the niche.

Videos for revealing how to open and close a niche are available upon request. Call our sales representative if you wish to see how the process works.

A:

Columbarium niche designs are engineered to address 2 distinctly different installation locations, exterior and interior.

Sunset has developed 4 uniquely different types of columbarium niche designs. The first is a powder coated aluminum niche core, the second a Nylene niche core, the third is an all-granite niche core and the fourth is an anodized aluminum niche for indoor glass front columbarium walls.

Exterior columbarium niches

Exterior Columbarium niches are designed to withstand the elements. The type of niche selected will depend on the style of the desired columbarium, budget and the desired niche size. The aluminum, Nylene and granite niches are employed in exterior applications.

  • Aluminum niches are revered for their light weight and flexibility to create custom niche sizes. At Sunset, we powder coat our columbarium niches to create a beautiful clean surface as well as prevent metal urns from fusing to the aluminum.
  • The Nylene niche core provides cost efficiency as aluminum can be more expensive. In addition, Nylene has excellent properties related to strength, mold resistance and inert ability to withstand extreme temperature fluctuations.
  • Granite niches have design limitations, Sunset does employ an all-granite niche core of some of our smaller family columbaria. Learn More (Hyperlink to Family niches)

Interior columbarium niches

Indoor columbarium niches are designed for interior spaces within a church, or building. These are sometimes referred to as a mausoleum (singular) or mausolea (plural). The engineering and manufacturing of an interior niche differs from the engineering required for an exterior columbarium. Interior niches can either reveal the urns with a beautiful glass front niche shutter or hide the urns behind a granite or marble front niche. The niches can be built of anodized aluminum for interior glass front niche applications.

*All aluminum and Nylene niche cores employed in interior columbarium applications when a marble or granite shutter are required.
Learn More

A:

When selecting a columbarium niche, there are a few key factors to keep in mind:

Columbarium Style: The style of the columbarium can dictate the type of niche core required. For example, some models like Sunset’s Estate or Royal Legacy columbaria, which feature grand heavy domes or large gabled roofs, require an all-aluminum niche core. This is essential to evenly transfer the weight of the heavy granite roof, making an all-aluminum niche core the only viable option for these styles.

Cost Efficiency: If you are looking for a more cost-effective option, we offer designs that use a Nylene niche core. This material helps reduce the columbarium niche cost associated with using additional aluminum, providing a more budget-friendly alternative without compromising on quality. Learn more about the Nylene Advantage Hyperlink to Nylene niche details.

Custom Niche Sizes: For those requiring a custom niche size, we will build the niche interior to match your requirements using our all-aluminum niche interior. The all-aluminum niche interior allows for columbarium niche design flexibility.

A:

Yes, there are several important factors to consider:

  • Niche Interior Size: It’s essential to check the interior size of the niche to ensure it can accommodate a second companion urn if needed. Typically, decisions about urn size are made at the funeral home, where families can make personalized choices. Standard Sunset columbarium niches are designed to hold two standard upright urns. Our niches are 12″ x 12″ x 16″ deep to allow for double or companion urn interment.
  • Shutter Inscription and Design:  Ask the cemetery about their shutter inscription protocol and template design. Inquire if a bud vase or porcelain photography can be added to the niche shutter. It’s also important to ask about regulations concerning flowers and memorabilia. Some cemeteries have strict bylaws they enforce. It is better to know in advance.
  • Niche Location:   The location of the niche on the columbarium can be significantly different in price. Some cemeteries charge more for upper niches and less for lower ones. In effect the columbarium niche cost can vary on a columbarium based on the location of the niche. If there is a bench near the columbarium, it can provide a pleasant way to view niches on the lower tiers.
  • Additional Fees:  Always ask if there are additional fees for opening and closing the columbarium niche for services. Also ask about the columbarium niche cost for inscriptions.

A:

When it comes to customizing columbarium niches, we offer several options:

  • Exterior Columbarium Niches: For exterior columbarium niches, Sunset’s primary customization capability lies in the flexibility of our structurally welded aluminum frame and our powder-coated aluminum or Nylene niche. This manufacturing strength enables us to build niche sizes to any desired scale. The flexibility of our aluminum frame allows us to engineer any columbarium shape desired. Architects appreciate our collaborative skillset to create a unique custom design that will enhance the setting.
  • Interior Columbarium Niches: For interior niches, we offer engineering capabilities to add customized niche sizes. Additionally, we can provide curved, angled, or rectangular glass fronts, whether they are part of walls or custom island designs. This flexibility ensures that each columbarium can be tailored to meet specific aesthetic and functional requirements. We can customize the niche walls or islands with wood trim detail or granite or marble trim finishes.

A:

Generally, exterior columbarium niches require minimal maintenance. However, you might occasionally want to clean and wash the columbarium to remove any accumulated dirt or dust. Here are some guidelines to follow:

Cleaning Outdoor Granite Surfaces:

  • Do’s: Use clean water and a soft microfiber cloth for cleaning. After cleaning, dry the surface thoroughly to prevent water spot residue from adhering to the granite.
  • Don’ts: Avoid using soaps or chemicals on granite surfaces. Granite is porous, and these substances can discolor it.
  • Do’s: For polished granite surfaces ONLY. You can use household spray foam glass cleaners (purchased at the grocery store) and industrial blue paper towels to clean and dry the granite shutters and polished granite surfaces. Make sure not to leave any residue behind.

  Cleaning indoor Glass

  • Do’s: Use clean water to remove dust build up and a final touch of window cleaner on the glass fronts and polish with an industrial blue paper towel you can purchase from a hardware store.
  • Do’s: Work with a buddy when removing the glass niche doors for cleaning, having an extra pair of hands supporting you with this job can be helpful. Especially if you are working on ladders and wanting to clean the interior side of the glass surface.
    By adhering to these simple maintenance steps, you can keep the columbarium niches looking pristine without damaging the materials.

A:

The ability to accommodate multiple urns in a single niche depends on the niche dimensions set by the manufacturer. At Sunset Memorial & Stone, we recognize the challenges associated with second urn interments and the limitations of using predetermined rectangular-shaped urns. To provide families with more flexibility, we have designed our standard size niches to be deeper (12” H x 12” W x 16” D), allowing ample space for two standard upright urns.

If you need larger custom family interment spaces that can hold more than two urns, please don’t hesitate to inquire about how we can incorporate larger family interment niches into a columbarium design.

A:

Yes, at Sunset Memorial & Stone, we provide a range of additional services and items, including:

  • Custom columbarium design services
  • Columbarium Niche Inscription services
  • Laser artwork
  • Custom granite carving details
  • Bronze plaque wreaths
  • Vases

These offerings allow us to create personalized and meaningful memorials for your loved ones.

A:

The cost of memorialization can vary widely. Here’s a breakdown to help you compare:

  • Cemetery Monuments: The average price ranges from $1500 to $3000, excluding the cost of the plot and the opening and closing fees.
  • Columbarium Niches: The columbarium niche cost will depend on the market value in your area. It’s advisable to conduct online research to find local costs and inquire about niche availability and price differences based on the location of the niche on the columbarium.
    When comparing the total cost of a grave, casket, and monument, you might find that a columbarium niche can be a more cost-efficient option. Additionally, some niches can accommodate a companion urn, offering further savings. At Sunset Memorial & Stone, we specialize in building deeper niches that can hold a second urn. The companion interment option can provide costs savings for families while doubling the columbarium’s capacity for the cemetery, church, or institution.

Remember to also inquire about any additional fees, such as opening and closing costs and shutter inscription expenses, as these may not be included in the columbarium niche cost.