When ashes are placed in a columbarium, the cemetery or church usually hands the family a short specification: the plaque must be this size, in bronze, with these lines, to match the wall. A columbarium niche plaque from us is cast to that specification, with the name and dates in raised bronze lettering and, where the rules allow, an emblem or a line of wording. You design it online, see the price as you work, and approve a written proof before casting, so the plaque the cemetery receives is exactly what it asked for.
Design a niche plaque online
Type in the size from the cemetery’s specification, add the name and dates, and see the price for cast bronze straight away.
Explore: bronze memorial plaques · bronze plaques for headstones · cemetery plaques
Read the cemetery’s specification first
Niche plaques are the most tightly specified memorial there is, because every plaque on a wall has to match. From the cemetery and church rules we have read, the usual requirements are:
- Size: set by the niche front. Examples in current US rules include 5 by 3 inches with a quarter inch raised polished border (Orange County Cemetery District, California), 5 by 3 or an 8 inch round plate (Artesia Cemetery District), 5 by 5 and 5 by 7 inches (a Los Angeles memorial park) and 4 by 10 inches in some Minnesota municipal columbaria. The Department of Veterans Affairs niche marker is 8 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches.
- Wording: many walls allow only the name and the dates of birth and death. Some allow a short line or an emblem; others prohibit titles and fraternal emblems.
- Supplier: some cemeteries and parishes order the plaque themselves and bill the family, while others let the family buy from any maker whose plaque meets the specification. Ask which applies before you design.
- Style: the border, background texture and lettering usually have to match the plaques already on the wall, so send us a photo of a neighbouring plaque with your order.
Sizes and prices
| Size (inches) | Typical use | Designer price |
|---|---|---|
| 6 x 4 | Single niche plate, name and dates | $382.98 |
| 8 x 4 or 10 x 3 | Companion niche, two names | $455.70 or $498.34 |
| 8 x 6 | Niche plaque with a line of wording or an emblem | $540.98 |
| 10 x 10 | Large niche front or cremation garden plaque | $796.86 |
Prices from our live designer for a standard rectangle with a classic border and leatherette background, shipping included. The designer takes any size from about 6 by 2 3/8 inches up, so a 5 by 3, a 5 by 7 or an 8 1/2 by 5 1/2 is entered directly. Circles and ovals are available for round niche fronts.
Cremation memorials outside the columbarium
Not every family uses a niche. A cast bronze cremation plaque also marks an urn garden plot, a scattering garden, a memorial wall in a church, or a boulder or bench in a private garden where ashes have been placed. Orange County Cemetery District, for example, uses 20 by 10 and 24 by 12 inch flush markers in its urn gardens; a family garden is free to choose any size. The same designer and the same bronze apply; only the fastening changes.
Fastening to a niche front
Granite and marble niche covers take lugs with studs: two or four threaded studs on the back, set into drilled holes with epoxy, so the face shows only the lettering. Where the cemetery drills and fits the plaque itself, choose the fastening its rules specify and ship the plaque to the cemetery office. A flat back plaque bonded with a structural adhesive is used where drilling is not allowed. Gluing objects to a niche cover other than the approved plaque is usually prohibited, so keep vases and ornaments to what the rules permit.
Veterans and the VA niche marker
An eligible veteran can receive a bronze niche marker from the Department of Veterans Affairs at no cost, 8 1/2 by 5 1/2 inches with a 7/16 inch rise, inscribed with the name, branch of service and years, plus up to two lines of 27 characters. The cemetery may charge to fit it. A spouse or child in the same niche is not eligible for a government marker in a private cemetery, so the companion plaque is bought privately, and we match it to the VA marker’s size and style. Our veteran bronze grave markers page explains the program.
How to order
- Open the free design tool, pick the shape and set the size in inches. The price updates as you go.
- Add the wording, choose a border and background, and add an emblem, motif or photo if you want one.
- Pick the fastening: flat back, concealed lugs with studs, or screws visible from the front.
- Save the design and order it from My Account. We send a written proof, and nothing is cast until you approve it.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a columbarium niche plaque?
Whatever the cemetery or church specifies, because every plaque on the wall must match. Common US sizes are 5 by 3, 5 by 5, 5 by 7, 6 by 4 and 4 by 10 inches, and the VA niche marker is 8 1/2 by 5 1/2. Type the specified size into the designer.
Can I buy the niche plaque myself?
Often, yes, as long as it meets the cemetery’s size and style rules. Some cemeteries and parishes order the plaque for you and add it to the niche price, so ask the office which applies before you design.
How much does a bronze niche plaque cost?
In our designer a 6 by 4 inch plate is $382.98, an 8 by 4 is $455.70 and an 8 by 6 is $540.98, shipping included. The cemetery may add its own fitting fee.
What can be written on a niche plaque?
Most walls allow the name and the dates of birth and death; some allow a short line or an emblem. Follow the cemetery’s wording rule and the proof will show you how it fits.
How long does it take?
Allow about 3 to 4 weeks for casting after you approve the free proof, plus 5 to 10 days for delivery anywhere in the USA and worldwide.
Design the niche plaque to the specification
Enter the size the cemetery gave you, see the price, and approve a free proof before casting.
Explore: bronze memorial plaques · veteran bronze grave markers · bronze plaque prices
