Gable boxes are measured differently from every other box on this site, and that is the source of most ordering errors. The height is taken at the side wall, where the handle begins, not at the peak. A box listed as 8 x 4.75 x 4.75 stands noticeably taller than 4.75 inches once it is assembled, and the peak takes up space in a display or a delivery bag that the stated size does not tell you about.
Sizes in general use across the trade
These are the footprints gable boxes are commonly made in across the industry, offered as a starting point for your own measurement. They are not an iBox stock range: every box is cut to the internal size you specify, and the die is included either way.
| Size (L x W x H) | Typically holds |
|---|---|
| 4 x 2.5 x 2.5 in | Favors, cookies, small confectionery, sample sets |
| 6 x 3.5 x 3.5 in | A pastry and a drink lid, small gifts, party portions |
| 8 x 4.75 x 4.75 in | A single meal, a sandwich with sides, a boxed lunch |
| 10 x 5 x 7 in | Larger meals, hampers, multi item gift boxes |
Treat these as the common sizes rather than a fixed standard. Suppliers vary by a fraction of an inch, so if you are matching an existing insert or a tray you already buy, measure it and quote from your own numbers.
How to size one for a specific product
Work in this order. Set the footprint from the widest thing going in, allowing a little clearance so the item does not have to be forced past the closed handle. Then set the wall height from the tallest item, remembering that the gable top closes above that line and adds internal room, but not usable room, because the peak narrows. If the contents are tall and rigid, a gable box is often the wrong structure, since the useful volume is the rectangular part below the peak.
Flat blank versus assembled box
A gable box arrives flat and is assembled by hand. The blank includes the four walls, the base, the gable panels and the handle, so it is a much bigger sheet than the finished box suggests. Two consequences follow. The material cost is driven by the blank, not by the assembled volume, and shipping is efficient because they nest flat. If you need something that assembles faster in a busy kitchen, an auto bottom construction locks up in one motion rather than requiring the base to be folded.
Board weight and the handle
The handle carries all the weight through two small die cut holes, which is the weak point of the structure. For light contents a standard board is fine. For a full meal, ask for a heavier board or a corrugated gable, because a soaked or overloaded handle tears at the cut out. Grease is part of this: hot food softens uncoated board, so a coated or grease resistant interior protects the structure as well as the appearance.
Print and finishing
The gable panels and the handle interrupt the artwork, so treat the two long side walls as your real print area and keep logos below the fold line of the gable. Kraft is the standard look in this category. A white board gives cleaner color if your branding needs it.
Custom sizes, minimums and turnaround
Any size can be die cut, and the die is included in your quote. Orders start at 100 boxes. The starting point at bulk volumes is about $0.48 per unit, confirmed on your written quote. Standard production runs from about 7 business days, plus 2 to 5 for delivery, with rush at a premium of about 7 to 25% depending on the job and cost saver shipping by sea.
Quote a size
Send your contents and quantity to the quote form, or start from an existing construction on the gable boxes page. If the handle is the reason you are here, handle boxes compares the alternatives.
