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When you have ordered a box online and it turned out to be either too tight or too loose, it is often a matter of the only one thing: length and width. These two figures determine the shape of a box, the volume that it can hold and the fit of your product in a box. They are not hard to get right and a good number of people continue to confuse them. In this guide, we will dissect what these measurements are, how to read them and how to gauge your own boxes without guessing.
Length, Width and Height Matter for Your Boxes
Boxes are made up of three numbers: length, width and height. When any of these three numbers is not right, even by a full inch, your product may rattle about inside, or it may not fit at all. It also influences the costs of shipping, as most couriers do not only charge by the weight of a box, but also by its size.
Is Length the Same as Width?
The most frequent question that people are asking is whether length is width or whether the two terms are similar. They do not. Length is always considered the longer of the two sides of the base and width is the shorter. The confusion often arises due to the fact that the two measurements run down the flat bottom of a box, hence making people think that they can be interchanged. They are not the confusion of them may result in placing the incorrect size box containing your product.
Length, Width and Height: Understanding the Full Box Formula
Length, width, and height are the last three things you can do. Length, width and height combined will give you the actual size of the box in three dimensions. The height is taken directly upwards from the base to the top edge. The product of the three numbers Length, width and height. It gives you the volume of the box.
Dimensions: Length x Width or height, width, length
The conventional sequence of writing is length, width and height. However, height, width and length is used by some brands and shipping labels, in particular when the box is tall or vertical, such as bottle boxes. No one rule is universal to all industries, so it is always a good idea to revisit the order a supplier or a courier is using before you order; otherwise, you may have the wrong order being read backwards.
Length x Width: How to Find the Area of a Box Panel
In case you just require the flat surface area of a box panel, say to print labels or to label a box, the formula is easy: length x width. The product of the two figures is the sum of the square inches of that panel. This is a smaller computation than full volume, and comes in particularly handy when you are calculating the amount of printed design area you really have on a box front.
Width Length Height: Reading Product Listings the Right Way
The dimensions are sometimes given in the order width, length and height rather than the standard order, which can confuse the buyer who may not be paying much attention. To make a purchase, always verify the label or product description to make sure that you are buying the correct number that corresponds to which side. We never have any confusion over this at Kwick Packaging and we will always list the dimensions in the same order each time, so you no longer have to worry about making a custom box order with us.
Common Mistakes People Make With Box Dimensions
- When the product requires internal measurements, measuring the outside of the box and vice versa.
- Mixed units, such as length in inches and width in centimeters.
- Making a guess as to the height, rather than taking the measurement.
- Entering dimensions randomly, and this is confusing to the suppliers.
- Leaving out checking of flap or lid thickness, which slightly alters internal space.
These little mistakes will spare you the trouble of having to rearrange the boxes or to work with a batch that just will not fit your product.
Final Thoughts
There is no need to make understanding length and width complicated as long as you are aware of which side is which and how they combine with height. You may be filling a small gift box, or you may be placing an order of bulk custom packaging; proper measurements save money in shipping and will keep your product safe on its journey. The team at Kwick Packaging will never mind guiding you on the appropriate size to order next time.
FAQs
- Does length being equal to width make it the same?
No. Length and width are never equal measures, with length being the longer and width the shorter, and running at right angles to it.
- In what order should length, width and height be?
Length, then width, then height is the most frequent, but other labels may have height, width and length on taller objects.
- What is the calculation of the length x width?
Divide the length by the width to arrive at the flat panel surface area, which can be used in printing or design layout.
- What do width and length have to do with shipping?
The shipments are often priced by the couriers depending on the size of the total box therefore, proper measurements of the width and length of the box will save you some money.
- What is the width, length and height on a product listing?
It is just another sequence of repeating the same three measurements. Always make sure what number corresponds to which side, then put them into their order.
- What is the best way Kwick Packaging can assist me in the proper size of a box?
Kwick Packaging can help you measure your product and advise on the nearest standard or custom box size to fit it perfectly.
