Custom Columbarium
Design & Installation Services
Design & Installation Services
At Columbarium USA, we provide complete columbarium services for cemeteries, churches, municipalities, memorial parks, veterans memorials, and private organizations throughout North America. Our team manages every stage of the process, including custom columbarium design, engineering, manufacturing, delivery, and professional installation.
With more than 30 years of experience in columbarium manufacturing and memorial architecture, we create architecturally distinctive cremation memorials that combine lasting beauty, structural durability, and long-term value. Our expertise includes granite-clad exterior columbaria, memorial walls, interior cremation niches, family columbaria, glass-front niche systems, and fully integrated memorial garden developments tailored to your site, vision, and budget.
Whether you are planning a church columbarium, cemetery expansion, memorial wall, or large-scale cremation garden, our experienced team works closely with stakeholders, committees, landscape architects, and cemetery professionals to deliver customized solutions that serve families for generations.
Custom Columbarium Design Services
Our innovative design expertise is one of our greatest strengths. Our highly skilled engineering and technical team works closely with landscape architects to create seamless cemetery integrations that enhance the beauty and functionality of memorial spaces. With advanced custom design and manufacturing capabilities, we produce precision curved columbaria tailored to perfectly match the unique radius and layout of each site.
Our advanced aluminum frame system provides the design flexibility to create innovative columbarium shapes and fully customized niche sizes tailored to each project. Combined with our access to specialized granite carving suppliers, we can craft striking architectural features including gabled roofs, domes, premium granite finishes, and custom columns that elevate the beauty and character of every memorial installation.
Thoughtful site planning is essential to the success of every columbarium memorial project. Drawing on years of industry expertise, we continue to recognize the tremendous value of architectural collaboration with experienced landscape architects whenever project budgets allow. Their insight and site planning expertise are invaluable in creating seamless, functional, and visually harmonious cemetery environments.
We understand the importance of strategic cemetery columbarium planning and the lasting impact of exceptional cremation memorial architecture. Our custom columbarium design solutions make us the ideal partner for landscape architects seeking to create distinctive, meaningful, and visually striking memorial spaces that leave a lasting impression for generations to come.
Columbarium Manufacturing
As a leading columbarium manufacturer, we combine innovative engineering, premium materials, and advanced fabrication techniques to create durable, low-maintenance, and visually striking memorial structures for cemeteries across North America.
Our manufacturing process is focused on delivering long-term value through superior craftsmanship, precision engineering, and rigorous quality control.
Engineering Flexibility with Aluminum Frame Systems
Our advanced aluminum frame engineering provides exceptional structural flexibility, enabling the creation of highly customized columbarium designs, including custom curved layouts, unique architectural forms, and site-specific configurations. This adaptable framework allows us to respond precisely to landscape requirements while maintaining structural integrity and long-term durability.
The strength and versatility of aluminum also provide enhanced engineering support for complex architectural elements such as trellises, gazebos, and heavy granite roof structures. These capabilities allow us to integrate substantial stone or granite features and decorative site elements without compromising performance or stability. As a result, we are able to deliver architecturally ambitious columbaria structures that combine aesthetic sophistication with reliable, engineered strength.
Granite Craftsmanship & Custom Fabrication
Our expertise in combining the aluminum frame with an exterior clad granite columbarium fabrication allows us to create custom cremation memorials that are both architecturally impressive and built to stand the test of time. We strongly advocate for 100% granite exteriors to eliminate the long-term maintenance issues commonly associated with concrete structures. By partnering with specialized granite craftsmen and trusted suppliers, we manufacture elegant memorial features including custom curved columbaria, custom columns, domes, gabled roofs, premium finishes, and precision granite shutters.
Advanced Aluminum & Nylene Niche Systems
Our advanced aluminum framing systems provide exceptional design flexibility, allowing us to manufacture custom aluminum niche core sizes, curved layouts, and specialized memorial configurations with precision. We also pioneered the industry’s first Nylene niche system — a lightweight, high-strength material originally developed for military applications. Stronger than steel pound-for-pound and resistant to environmental degradation, Nylene provides superior durability and thermal stability while creating a smooth, maintenance-free niche interior.
To further enhance functionality and security, our columbarium systems incorporate a key lockable inner aluminum niche doors that provide added peace of mind for families while helping cemeteries reduce long-term maintenance and operational costs.
Innovative Niche Design: The Ascension
We also pioneered the industry’s first cantilevered niche design for the bottom row of columbaria. While these larger family niches require a slightly higher initial investment, they significantly increase the long-term value and marketability of the memorial structure. Traditionally the most difficult niches to sell, these enhanced lower-row niches have become some of the most desirable due to their increased capacity, improved accessibility, and more prominent upward-facing granite fronts that create greater visibility for visiting families. This innovative design approach not only improves the family experience but also helps cemeteries maximize revenue potential and overall project profitability.
Quality Control & North American Manufacturing
Quality control is integrated into every stage of our manufacturing process. From granite selection and precision fabrication to assembly and finishing, every component is carefully inspected to ensure structural integrity, visual consistency, and lasting durability. Our simplified granite shutter systems are engineered for easier handling by cemetery staff while maintaining a refined architectural appearance.
All of our custom cremation memorials are proudly manufactured in North America using premium materials and advanced production methods. Our commitment to innovation, craftsmanship, and manufacturing excellence ensures every exterior columbarium interior glass front niches deliver lasting beauty, exceptional performance, and enduring value for generations to come.
Columbarium USA Services is a subsidiary of Sunset Memorial & Stone.
Columbarium Installation Services
Our professional columbarium installation services are designed to ensure every project is completed efficiently, safely, and to the highest standards of quality. From project management and engineering review to onsite installation and final inspection, our experienced team coordinates every detail for a seamless installation process.
Strong project management is at the forefront of every columbarium project. Our dedicated project manager oversees the entire build process while maintaining strict quality control within our manufacturing facility. Before production begins, our engineering team carefully reviews all drawings and specifications prior to ordering the frame or granite components, helping ensure a successful installation from the start.
Every columbarium undergoes a rigorous inspection before it is loaded for shipping. This detailed quality assurance process confirms that each unit meets our high standards for craftsmanship, structural integrity, and appearance before arriving onsite.
As part of our complete cemetery installation services, we coordinate closely with cemeteries, contractors, and memorial park teams to ensure the installation timeline aligns with the overall memorial garden construction schedule. The ideal time for columbarium installation is typically a few weeks after the foundation has been poured and before sidewalks, landscaping, and other hardscape elements are completed. Maintaining clear crane or telehandler access is essential for a smooth and efficient installation.
Our installation team coordinates onsite timing with the shipping carrier and crane operators to minimize disruption at the cemetery. Most columbarium installations can be completed within just a few hours, allowing cemetery operations and visitors to continue uninterrupted.
Once the installation is complete, our team performs final inspections to verify proper alignment, placement, and overall installation quality. With our comprehensive columbarium installation services, cemeteries and memorial parks can trust that every project will be professionally managed from manufacturing through final completion.
Memorial Wall &
Cremation Niche Solutions
Cremation Niche Solutions
At Columbarium USA, no project is too small or too large. With more than 30 years of experience, we have completed a wide range of church columbarium projects and custom memorial installations across North America. From intimate interior installations to large exterior memorial gardens, we provide thoughtfully designed solutions tailored to the needs of churches, cemeteries, and institutional settings.
We work closely with church committees, clergy, landscape architects, and cemetery professionals to create meaningful and lasting spaces for memorialization. Whether your project includes traditional cremation niches, elegant glass-front niches, custom family columbaria, or architectural memorial walls, our team is here to guide you through every step of the process.
For churches considering an interior installation, our custom glass-front or marble front cremation niches offer a refined and welcoming design that integrates beautifully within church architecture. Exterior church columbarium projects can be designed to complement existing memorial gardens, courtyards, or landscaped spaces while creating a peaceful setting for remembrance and reflection.
Our team is happy to provide design ideas, budgeting assistance, photography, and videos to help your committee evaluate options and make informed decisions throughout the planning process. You can also explore completed installations and view projects near you through our website.
Sometimes the primary focus of a project is a custom memorial wall designed to complement a church, cemetery, or institutional environment. Our in-house design capabilities allow us to create personalized memorial walls that reflect the character and vision of each organization. In many cases, memorial walls can also be incorporated into the end walls of a columbarium structure, creating a combined memorial feature that serves multiple purposes.
This integrated approach allows churches to provide memorialization opportunities not only for members with cremation interment needs, but also for families wishing to honor loved ones who may be buried elsewhere. The result is a meaningful memorial space that strengthens connection, remembrance, and community within the church.
Who We Serve
Columbarium USA proudly works with:
- Cemeteries and memorial parks
- Churches and faith communities
- Municipalities and public institutions
- Funeral homes
- Veterans memorial gardens
- Private estates and family memorial projects
- Landscape architects and cemetery planners
Our custom columbarium solutions are designed to meet the unique aesthetic, operational, and memorialization needs of every organization and community we serve.
Columbarium Services
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a columbarium?
A columbarium is a structure designed to hold cremation urns in individual compartments called cremation niches. Columbaria provide a permanent and dignified memorial space for families who choose cremation as a final resting option for their loved ones.
Columbaria generally refer to exterior structures that are installed outdoors and are commonly found in cemeteries, church grounds, memorial gardens, and other places of remembrance. “Interior Niches” refer to those found within a mausoleum, church or building. They are available in many styles and sizes, ranging from small family columbaria to large public memorial installations.
Each cremation niche is typically secured with a granite shutter for exterior columbaria or a glass-front panel for interior applications. Traditional niche fronts are commonly held in place with decorative bronze rosettes, while some modern systems, such as our Allura niche system, feature a clean rosetteless design for a more contemporary appearance.
Granite shutters and glass-front panels can be personalized with inscriptions, memorial artwork, photos, and optional vase attachments to create a lasting tribute. Many modern church columbarium projects also incorporate memorial walls, landscaped gardens, seating areas, and architectural features that provide a peaceful setting for reflection, remembrance, and community connection.
As cremation continues to grow in popularity, columbaria provide churches and cemeteries with a practical, space-efficient, and meaningful memorialization solution for their communities.
Can columbaria be customized?
Absolutely. Custom columbarium design is one of our specialties. We understand that standard models may not always provide the architectural presence or visual impact desired for a church, cemetery, memorial garden, or institutional setting.
Our experienced team of engineers, designers and sales representatives works closely with churches, cemetery boards, landscape architects, and memorial committees to create unique and meaningful columbarium solutions tailored to each project. From custom shapes and rooflines to specialized cremation niche layouts, glass-front niches, memorial walls, and architectural details, we can design a columbarium that reflects your vision and complements the surrounding environment.
The flexibility of our aluminum frame system allows us to create a wide variety of custom configurations and niche styles that would be difficult to achieve with traditional all granite core construction methods. Whether your project calls for a traditional design, contemporary architecture, or a completely one-of-a-kind memorial structure, we can help bring your ideas to life.
Landscape architects especially value our collaborative approach. We are happy to work directly with design professionals to ensure every detail of the project aligns with the overall vision for the memorial garden or church columbarium space.
How much does a custom columbarium cost?
A custom columbarium can often be more affordable than many churches committees or cemetery managers expect. So don’t hesitate to ask us about simple design modifications, specific artwork, architecturally significant carving detail, or a completely distinctive design direction. Custom columbarium designing is our specialty.
The cost of a custom columbarium depends on several factors, including the size of the project, the number of cremation niches required, the level of customization, the niche shutter system desired, the shipping distance, installation requirements, and the overall architectural design.
The most expensive features of a columbarium are the roof and the base. So taller double sided columbaria can create efficiencies in the overall costs. Grand gabled or domed rooftops, custom stonework, landscaping integration, and other architectural elements—can also affect the final investment. Because every project is unique, it is difficult to provide a standard price without first understanding your specific goals and requirements.
As a general guideline, columbarium costs typically range from approximately $400 per niche for larger, more efficient projects to $1,000 per niche for highly customized designs or structures with enhanced architectural features, such as domes or gabled roofs. Our interior glass-front niches generally range from $280 to $550 per niche.
The best way to determine your project budget is to contact our team for a complimentary budgetary estimate. We work closely with churches, cemeteries, and columbarium committees to develop solutions that align with their memorialization goals, budget, and long-term needs. We are happy to provide a complimentary Return on Investment Calculator to help you plan your project and better understand its financial potential.
For decades, our business has grown primarily through referrals and word of mouth. We have built our reputation by putting our customers’ interests first, listening carefully to their needs, and delivering lasting memorial solutions that provide value, quality, and peace of mind.
How long does installation take?
Most columbarium installations can be completed within just a few hours. To ensure an efficient process, the delivery truck, installation crew, and crane or telehandler are carefully coordinated to arrive onsite at the same time. Once the columbarium is offloaded, the placement and installation process is typically completed quickly with minimal disruption to cemetery or church operations.
Larger or more complex columbarium projects may require one or two days for installation. Extended installation timelines are common for projects involving long columbarium walls made up of multiple sections, custom trim connections, or memorial gardens with several columbaria installed throughout the site.
Projects that include additional architectural features, memorial walls, landscaping coordination, or extensive site work may also require additional time to complete. Our installation team carefully coordinates every phase of the project to ensure a smooth, safe, and professional installation process.
Do you provide foundation engineering?
No. Our specialty is the engineering and columbarium construction rather than site-specific foundation engineering. Foundation requirements can vary significantly depending on local soil conditions, drainage considerations, seismic regulations, frost depth, and regional building code requirements, including hurricane or wind-load anchoring requirements in certain areas.
Because these conditions are unique to each location, we recommend that customers work with a local geotechnical or structural engineer who can perform onsite soil testing and evaluate the project site for proper foundation design and regulatory compliance.
To assist with this process, we provide a detailed “columbarium footprint” package that includes the base dimensions of the columbarium along with the estimated structural weight of the columbarium both empty and fully occupied. This information allows the local engineer to properly determine foundation specifications and loading requirements for the site.
We also collaborate closely with local engineers to identify the most appropriate anchoring and pinning methods, particularly in regions subject to high winds, seismic activity, or other environmental conditions that may require additional structural reinforcement.
What Materials Are Used?
Our columbaria are built using premium, long-lasting materials designed for durability, security, and refined aesthetics in both indoor and outdoor environments.
Exterior Columbaria
Our exterior columbaria feature a durable marine grade aluminum frame clad in premium granite for a timeless appearance and exceptional weather resistance.
We offer two interior niche system options:
Powder-Coated Marine-Grade Aluminum Niches
- Corrosion-resistant marine-grade aluminum construction
- Powder-coated finish helps prevent metal urns from bonding or fusing to the niche base over time
- Clean, professional appearance
- Fully customizable niche sizing to meet project requirements
Hybrid Aluminum Frame with Nylene Niches
Our hybrid system combines an aluminum structural frame with advanced Nylene composite niches.
Benefits of Nylene include:
- Mold and mildew resistance
- Stronger than steel in compression
- Superior thermal resistance for North American climate extremes
- Environmentally inert and non-degrading over time
- Smooth, seamless, leak-proof construction
- Cost-effective and highly durable
Moisture & Condensation Protection
Our granite shutter mounting system is specifically engineered to reduce condensation and moisture buildup within the niche enclosure.
Security Features
Each exterior niche includes a powdercoated key-locking inner security door that:
- Provides families with added peace of mind
- Keeps urns protected during granite shutter removal for inscription
- Reduces security concerns and associated maintenance costs
- Ensures urns are never exposed during memorial inscription updates
Glass Front Niches
Our interior glass-front niches are crafted using anodized light bronze aluminum extrusions and premium architectural glass.
Features include:
- Elegant Bronze Rose Rosette detailing
- Beveled-edge glass options
- Available in flat or curved glass configurations
- Custom wood trim and stain matching available
- Integration with existing architectural finishes
- Complimentary marble trim and coordinated granite finishes available
- Marble niche fronts if so desired
Our systems are designed to balance beauty, longevity, security, and customization while complementing a wide range of memorial and architectural styles.
Do you install across North America?
Yes — we proudly provide installations across North America.
Our projects span a wide range of climates and locations, including:
- Alaska to Florida
- The Northwest Territories to Texas
- Vancouver, Washington to Bangor Maine
- Malibu California to North Carolina
Our systems are engineered to perform in diverse environmental conditions, from extreme northern winters to coastal and tropical climates.