About this calculator
Size a rectangular carton for a product arrangement you have already chosen. The tool adds neighbor gaps and wall clearances, then adds board thickness to estimate a nominal outside envelope.
Inputs
How to use this calculator
Product arrangement
- Product or bundle length (in)Rectangular outer dimensions including immediate packaging.
- Product or bundle width (in)One identical product for grid counting; one fixed bundle for box selection.
- Product or bundle height (in)Original upright height.
- Products along lengthFixed arrangement; no optimization is implied.
- Products across widthA positive whole number.
- Products in heightA positive whole number.
Shared inputs
- Gap between adjacent products (in)Applied only between neighbors, not after the last product.
- Clearance at each wall (in)Applied at both ends of each axis. Enter usable clearances for your packaging design.
- Board thickness per wall (in)User-entered nominal thickness. Converting this envelope to a box order requires supplier review.
Enter the shipment or scenario values, then select Calculate result.
Method
Formula and variables
For each axis: internal side = product side × count + gap × (count − 1) + 2 × wall clearance. External envelope = internal side + 2 × board thickness. Total products = along × across × high.
- Product or bundle length (in)
- Rectangular outer dimensions including immediate packaging.
- Product or bundle width (in)
- One identical product for grid counting; one fixed bundle for box selection.
- Product or bundle height (in)
- Original upright height.
- Products along length
- Fixed arrangement; no optimization is implied.
- Products across width
- A positive whole number.
- Products in height
- A positive whole number.
- Gap between adjacent products (in)
- Applied only between neighbors, not after the last product.
- Clearance at each wall (in)
- Applied at both ends of each axis. Enter usable clearances for your packaging design.
- Board thickness per wall (in)
- User-entered nominal thickness. Converting this envelope to a box order requires supplier review.
Interpret the result
Internal dimensions describe the required cavity. Nominal external dimensions add two board walls per axis and do not include a supplier’s manufacturing allowances.
Outputs: Internal and nominal external carton dimensions
An arithmetic rectangular envelope for an already chosen arrangement. No folds, scores, flaps, manufacturing allowances, board compression, strength or supplier cutting dimensions. Clearances and thickness are user values. Scenario outputs are not summed.
Worked example
Check the arithmetic
This example uses the starting values shown above. The arithmetic below is calculated independently of the interactive result.
Work through the calculation
- Internal length = 4 × 3 + 0.25 × 2 + 2 × 0.5 = 13.5 in.
- Internal width = 3 × 2 + 0.25 × 1 + 1 = 7.25 in; height = 2 × 4 + 0.25 × 3 + 1 = 9.75 in.
- Add 2 × 0.125 = 0.25 in per axis: outside envelope 13.75 × 7.5 × 10 in. Product count = 3 × 2 × 4 = 24.
Compare the displayed result
Expected displayed result: 13.5 × 7.25 × 9.75 in
FAQs
Are these cutting or ordering dimensions?
They are arithmetic envelopes. A box supplier must account for style, folds, scores, flaps, compression and manufacturing allowances before production.
Example inputs and options
Starting values are examples unless a field identifies a dated rule. Unit selectors convert only fields marked for conversion. Rates and model options keep the units and basis shown in their labels.
- Product or bundle length (in)
- Example: 4
- Product or bundle width (in)
- Example: 3
- Product or bundle height (in)
- Example: 2
- Products along length
- Example: 3
- Products across width
- Example: 2
- Products in height
- Example: 4
- Gap between adjacent products (in)
- Example: 0.25
- Clearance at each wall (in)
- Example: 0.5
- Board thickness per wall (in)
- Example: 0.125