Most people asking this question are not starting from scratch. They already ship in something, and something is going wrong. So work backwards from the symptom, because it usually tells you both the board and the size you should move to.
Diagnose from what is failing
| What you are seeing | What it usually means | What to change |
|---|---|---|
| Corners burst, walls split | Board is under-specified for the weight | Move to double wall, keep the internal size, allow for thicker board |
| Boxes crushing at the bottom of a pallet | Stacking strength, not puncture strength | Double wall, and check the box is not oversized, since a half-empty box crushes first |
| Product moving inside and arriving marked | Box is too big, not too weak | Reduce the internal size and add a partition before changing board |
| Dimensional weight charges higher than expected | Box is oversized for the contents | Right-size the internal dimension first, then reassess board |
The third and fourth rows matter because double wall is sometimes bought to fix a problem that is actually an oversizing problem. A box with too much empty space fails under stack load no matter how good the board is.
Converting an existing size
If your current box works dimensionally and you only want stronger board, do not reuse the external number. Reuse the internal one. Single wall B or C flute runs roughly 3 to 4 mm thick, and a BC double wall board sits near 7 mm, so each axis loses roughly an extra 6 to 7 mm inside if you keep the outside the same. Keep the internal dimension and let the external grow, or you will have quietly shrunk the usable space.
These calipers are industry-typical published board figures used as a planning starting point. The exact board on your job is confirmed on the quote.
Then check the pallet
A standard US pallet measures 48 x 40 inches. Before you sign off the external size, tile your box onto that rectangle on paper and count. Boxes that overhang the pallet edge lose a large share of their stacking strength, and boxes that leave a wide gap waste a layer's worth of freight. This check takes five minutes and it is the highest-value thing you can do to a box dimension.
What to tell your supplier
- Internal length x width x depth, with the word internal written next to it.
- Gross weight of the packed box.
- Whether it stacks, and how many high.
- Whether it travels by parcel, LTL or container, and roughly how far.
- Whether you want a partition or pads inside, since that changes the internal number.
Ordering
Minimum order is 100 boxes, and pricing starts from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes, confirmed on your written quote. The die and plates, design support, US shipping and a digital proof before anything prints are included, so the right internal size costs the same to tool as a convenient one. Turnaround is stated per product across three lanes: rush pairs expedited production with air freight, standard ships by air, cost saver ships by sea, from about 7 business days, plus 2 to 5 for delivery. Specialty imported items can run up to about 12 weeks. Boxes are made in West Chicago and Guangzhou.
For the step by step measuring procedure, see how to size a double wall box. To order the structure, see double wall tuck front boxes. Send your current internal size, packed weight and stack height to request a quote.
