How Much Does a Cardboard Box Weigh

Brands use different sizes of cardboard boxes for their products. These sizes weigh differently and there are many factors contributing to the weight. Calculating the weight of a cardboard box ensures product safety and customer satisfaction. 

Using the wrong size for product shipping may result in damage and eventually lead to financial loss. Read this blog till the end to know the factors influencing the weight, the weight of the box in different measuring units, and why it’s important to estimate the weight of a cardboard box. 

How Much Does a Box Weigh?

The weight of a cardboard box depends on several factors. Among them, the two crucial factors are the thickness of the box and the dimensions. It’s easy to calculate the weight of the cardboard box if you know the length, width, and height of your box. 

Thickness

The first thing to keep in mind is the thickness of the cardboard. Brands use different thicknesses based on their products’ fragility and size. It is important to remember that adding layers or changing the thickness will also change the weight of the box. 

When choosing custom packaging, you can opt for different thicknesses depending on your product’s fragility and shipping distance. Use more layers when shipping your products to far-off places to avoid damage from several external factors. 

Dimensions

A cardboard box's length, width, and height determine its weight. It’s very easy to calculate the weight of a box when you know these dimensions. Stock packaging offers standard sizes and hence the weight of these boxes are the same. 

But if you are looking for custom packaging you can change the dimensions as per your brand’s needs. Changing these dimensions will also change the weight of your cardboard boxes. 

Standard Sizes and Their Weight

Not every brand is looking to get a custom size for their cardboard boxes. This is why there are a few standard sizes available in the marketplace. Here are three standard sizes for a cardboard box and how much they weigh: 

Small

Here are a few small sizes of cardboard boxes that you can find for your products:

1. 5” x 5” x 5”
2. 7” x 5” x 4”
3. 8” x 6” x 4”

Medium

Some of the medium sizes available in the market are as follows:

1. 12”x 12” x 10”
2. 16” x 10” x 6”
3. 18” x 14” x 12”

Large

Take a look at a few large-sized boxes and see which one is best for your brand: 

1. 20” x 20” x 15”
2. 24” x 18” x 18”
3. 35.5" x 20" x 8.5"

You can get customized packaging if you want to have different dimensions than the ones mentioned above.  Choose the sizes as per your brand’s needs and customer demand.   

Box Weight in Pounds 

To find the weight of a cardboard box in pounds multiply the dimensions first. The number to get is then divided by the number 139 to get the weight in pounds. Taking a few sizes mentioned above the weight in pounds can be calculated as: 

1. 5” x 5” x 5” is 0.89 pounds 
2. 12”x 12” x 10” is 10.3 pounds
3. 20” x 20” x 15” is 43.16 pounds

Box Weight in Ounces

Converting the box’s weight to ounces is easy if you know the weight in pounds. There are 16 ounces in one pound. So, with a simple calculation, you can find the weight of your cardboard box in ounce. Use the following formula:

Weight in pounds x 16 = weight in ounces

1.  0.89 pounds x 16 is 14.24 ounces
2. 10.3 pounds x 16 is 165 ounces 
3. 43.16 pounds x 16  is 691 ounces

Box Weight in KG

To get the weight in Kilograms first, we have to convert the dimensions from inches to centimeters. 1 inch is 2.54 cm. Multiply the length, width, and height by 2.54 cm to get your dimensions in inches. After that, the weight calculated is divided by 6000 to get the weight in KG:

1. (30.48 cm x 30.48 cm x 25.4 cm)/ 6000 =  3.93 KG
2. (38.1 cm x 38.1 cm x 38.1 cm)/ 6000 =   9.2 KG
3. (50.8  cm x 50.8 cm x 38.1 cm)/ 6000 =   16.3 KG

Box Weight in Grams

If you know the weight in kilograms, converting the weight into grams is easier. All you need to do is multiply the weight in kilograms by 1000. Following are some weights in grams for cardboard boxes:

1. 3.93 KG x 1000 = 3930 grams
2. 9.2 KG x 1000 = 9200 grams
3. 16. 3 KG x 1000 = 16300 grams

Why Estimate the Box Weight?

It is important to calculate the box weight to manage your budget, the storage area and calculate the shipping costs. Bulk 12x12x12 shipping boxes will take less space than that 40x12x12 boxes. Here are a few reasons why you should know the weight of your cardboard boxes:

Weight Affects the Budget Management

Brands have to work within a budget and knowing the weight of cardboard boxes helps them with the costs. You can determine how much money you need to set aside for these boxes and the overall cost spent on the shipping when you know the weight of these boxes. 

In the past, shipping companies used to divide the weight to 166 for domestic shipments ie; 12x12x12/166. But today, many companies are using the same number ie; 139 for both international and domestic shipping.  

Weight Affects the Storage

Cardboard boxes have to be stored somewhere before they are shipped to the customers. Usually, people are not aware of how big is 12x12x12 size cardboard box. This is why calculating the dimensions and weight is important. It can help you determine whether the storage space is enough for the boxes or not. 

Know Your Cardboard Box Weight to Avoid Inconvenience During Shipping

It is important to know the weight of your cardboard boxes so your brand can estimate the budget, store them properly, and ship the products safely to the customers. To avoid any financial loss due to product damage during traveling, pay attention to the right dimensions of the boxes. Contact us today, and place an order for your custom cardboard boxes.