Can you supply a casket or urn on short notice?
Please refer to my homepage for an IMPORTANT NOTICE about availability.
What forms of payment are accepted?
Payments may be made with cash, credit card, Interac E-transfer, or old fashioned cheque in the mail. Urn shipments must be paid for in advance.
Do you pre-sell caskets or offer storage of caskets purchased for future use?
No, I do not offer these services. You may inform family members of my work and your desire to use one of my products but please consider that I am reducing my workload as of 2026 and may retire fully in the coming years.
What kinds of materials do you use?
I use materials and techniques that balance environmental sustainability, strength, pleasant appearance, and reasonable cost. At present I build with veneered plywoods or solid pine and spruce. The former are sturdy, relatively inexpensive and allow for the enjoyment of woodgrains without consuming precious solid lumber. The latter are fast-growing and biodegradable softwoods. I use no particleboard. Interior sheets and pillows are made of unbleached cotton canvas. Bedding materials are shredded wood fibre, balled-up newsprint, cardboard and burlap. On the Beveled Oak I use a combination of vegetable oils and wax.
Will your caskets fit into standard vaults or concrete liners?
Yes (see casket pages for detailed specifications).
Will funeral homes agree to use a casket they did not supply?
After over 20 years experience I am not aware of a funeral home outright rejecting a casket supplied by an outside source. Their good reputation is at stake. They may, however, require a signature on a waiver stating that they are not responsible for the quality of the casket.
Will funeral homes charge me extra if I use one of your caskets?
Practices vary. Manitoba laws permit such additional fees only if they are clearly written on the detailed price lists that funeral homes must provide their clients.
Some funeral homes rely on profit from casket sales to subsidize the costs of other services and facilities. Others have price lists that reflect the true cost of each item or service, allowing you to choose a la carte without penalty. Given that alternative product providers—whether woodworkers like me or giant chain stores retailing caskets—are not likely to disappear, true-cost pricing is better for all concerned.
In all cases, funeral homes are bound to transparency by their Code of Ethics. To access the home page of the Funeral Board of Manitoba, including links to their Code of Ethics, Acts and Regulations pertaining to funerals in Manitoba, please click on the following external link: http://www.gov.mb.ca/funeraldirectorsboard/index.html
What is Natural Burial?
I started this work in order to offer lower cost and simpler alternatives. I soon came to believe that Natural Burial is ecologically superior to cremation or conventional burial so I designed the All Natural casket to facilitate that movement in Manitoba.
For general information on what constitutes Natural Burial, please search for Green Burial Society of Canada.
To speak to funeral directors who are knowledgable about the options in Manitoba for Natural Burial, send me a note and I can refer you to them.