This page is the sizing and materials guide. To configure and order, go to gable boxes. What follows is what to decide before you get there: footprint, board weight, and whether the handle will survive what you intend to put in it.
How the shape works
A gable box folds from a single blank. The two top panels rise into a peak and interlock, and a slot cut through both forms the handle. That is why it assembles fast, ships flat and needs no handle hardware. It is also why the handle is only as strong as the board it is cut from: there is nothing else holding it.
Common footprints
| Size (L x W x H, inches) | Typical use |
|---|---|
| About 4 x 2.5 x 2.5 | Wedding favors, sweets, single cupcake |
| About 6 x 3.5 x 3.5 | Small gift sets, cookies, bath products |
| About 8 x 4 x 4 | Lunch and takeaway portions, retail gift packs |
| About 10 x 5 x 7 | Meal boxes, bottles, larger hampers |
Height is measured to the base of the peak, not to the top of the handle, which is the number people most often get wrong when comparing suppliers. Add roughly two to three inches above that for the closed peak when you are checking whether the box fits a shelf or a delivery bag.
Choosing the board
- Lightweight paperboard. Fine for favors and dry goods under about a pound. Cheapest, prints beautifully, will not forgive a heavy load.
- Heavy folding carton board. The usual middle choice. Holds a meal or a small gift set without the handle tearing.
- E flute corrugated. For weight, damp contents or anything that needs stacking strength. Slightly rougher print surface, considerably tougher.
- Kraft. A look as much as a material. Brown liner shifts every ink warmer, so proof your colors on the real board.
Two structural details are worth specifying. Widen the handle slot if the box will be carried far, since a narrow slot concentrates the load on a small area of board. And if the contents are heavy, ask for a reinforced or double thickness bottom panel rather than a thicker box all over.
Food, windows and add ons
Gable boxes are used constantly for food, so be explicit on the quote about direct contact, warm contents and refrigeration, and the board and any coating will be confirmed in writing before the proof. iBox Factory does not issue food contact certifications. A die cut window with film suits favors and bakery items and slightly weakens the panel it sits in, which matters more on a box carried by its handle. Ribbon slots, tuck flaps and a printed inner face are all cut from the same die.
What moves the price, and how long it takes
Board weight and print coverage move a gable box price more than size does. Minimum order is 100 boxes, unit pricing opens at about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes, and the real figure is written on your quote. Turnaround is stated per product: rush combines expedited production with air freight and adds about 7 to 25% depending on the job, standard moves by air from about 7 business days plus 2 to 5 days for delivery, and cost saver moves by sea. Free US shipping, the die, the plates, design support and a digital proof are included. If you are weighing a gable against a box with an attached handle, our handle box guide compares the two.
Know your spec already? Order at the gable box page. Want a second opinion on board weight for a heavy load? Send the packed weight to our quote form and we will recommend a caliper.
