Archive boxes are bought on price and regretted on strength. They sit stacked for years, get lifted by people who are not thinking about the bottom flap, and hold more weight than almost anything else in an office. The specification is short and it is worth getting right once.
Work from the document, then the folder
Paper sizes are the only fixed points in this category:
| Format | Sheet size | Hanging folder width |
|---|---|---|
| US letter | 8.5 x 11 in | about 12.25 in |
| US legal | 8.5 x 14 in | about 15.25 in |
| ISO A4 | 210 x 297 mm | varies by system, measure yours |
If files go in loose, size to the sheet plus clearance. If they go in hanging folders, size to the folder rail, because the rail is wider than the paper and it is the rail that has to sit inside the box. The widely used record storage carton in the US has an interior near 15 x 12 x 10 in precisely because that takes letter folders across one axis and legal folders across the other.
Lid style
- Separate lift off lid. The standard for long term storage. Stacks well, and the lid can be labelled.
- Attached or hinged lid. Faster to use, slightly less stable in a tall stack.
- Full telescopic lid. The lid covers most of the base, which adds strength and cost.
- String and button or tie closure. Used for presentation archive boxes and flat portfolio storage.
Strength is the real specification
Paper is dense. A filled letter sized carton commonly lands somewhere around 30 to 35 lb, and boxes are stacked several high. That makes this an edge crush question rather than a puncture question, because the load is static and sustained. Our explainer on burst strength and edge crush sets out the difference. Ask for the board grade and the maximum gross weight in writing, and consider double wall if boxes stack more than three or four high or sit in a humid basement, since corrugated loses stiffness in damp storage.
Hand holes are worth specifying deliberately. They make the box easier to lift and they take material out of the wall where strength is needed, so the position and size are a real decision rather than a default.
The label panel
Leave a clear panel on the end that faces out on a shelf. Archive boxes get relabelled through their life, and a fully printed end panel means every box ends up with tape and marker over it. A plain or lightly printed area with a ruled box is more useful than a logo.
Price, minimum and lead time
Minimum order is 100 boxes, from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes, confirmed on your written quote. Board grade and lid style are the main movers, print is usually minimal here. The die and plates, design support, US shipping and a digital proof before anything prints are included, so a box sized to your exact filing system costs no more to tool than a standard carton.
Turnaround runs in three lanes: rush (expedited production with air freight), standard (air) and cost saver (sea), from about 7 business days plus 2 to 5 for delivery, with specialty imported items up to about 12 weeks. Rush carries a premium of about 7 to 25% depending on the job. We produce in West Chicago and in Guangzhou, so a large plain carton order can be routed on cost saver if your timeline allows it.
To order, go to archive boxes. Weigh one filled box, measure your folder rail, and request a quote with your stack height so we can specify board rather than guess at it.
