Free box template generator with lid

Start with the usable inside space

Measure the space the object actually needs inside the base: width from side to side, height from the bottom to the top, and depth from front to back. The three generator fields are in millimetres after conversion, and the material selector is separate. Include a sleeve, label or insert that will remain in the box; do not enter the outside size of an existing box.

• The base uses width, depth and height as its tray dimensions.
• The lid is a second piece, not a hinged top.
• Material choices are a starting point for testing, not a production tolerance specification.

What the box-with-lid dieline calculates

ExactFold builds two tray-like nets. The base is drawn from the requested width, depth and wall height. The separate lid is made from a slightly larger width and depth so it can slide over the base; its wall height is a shorter value derived from the base height. The lid is placed beside the base in the same dieline, so a large design may tile across more than one A4 or Letter sheet.

lid clearance = max(0.7 mm; 2.2 × selected material thickness)

Read the cut lines, folds and glue tabs

In the preview, solid cut paths define the outside of each tray and the small corner cuts. Fold paths mark the base perimeter and the lid perimeter; glue paths identify the tabs that join neighbouring walls. Cut first, score the fold paths from the correct side, then bring the walls up and attach the corner tabs. There is no automatic hinge, magnetic closure or window cutout in this template.

• Use a blunt scoring tool for cardstock instead of forcing a sharp crease.
• Keep the two pieces separate while assembling: the smaller tray is the base and the larger one is the lid.
• A plain-paper mock-up reveals whether the lid clearance suits your stock.

Worked example: a 120 × 80 × 50 mm base

For a base with width 120 mm, height 80 mm and depth 50 mm using the 0.5 mm material option, the lid clearance is max(0.7, 2.2 × 0.5) = 1.1 mm. The lid tray therefore starts from 122.2 mm by 52.2 mm, while its wall-height rule gives 38.4 mm before the built-in limits are applied. Those numbers describe the generator’s construction inputs; the final outside net also includes wall panels, corner tabs and the 8 mm normalization margin used for the drawing.

clearance = max(0.7; 2.2 × 0.5) = 1.1 mm

Print and cut at physical scale

Choose A4 or Letter before downloading. The PDF is tiled when the net is larger than one printable sheet, and every page carries a 50 mm calibration ruler. In the printer dialog choose 100%, Actual Size or No Scaling; Fit to Page changes the lid fit. SVG is a real-size vector file for a cutter or design program, while DXF is a millimetre-based exchange file. Check the imported scale and line operations before cutting final stock.

Common fit errors and useful limits

A lid that binds needs more clearance, not less. In this interface, choose a thicker material setting only after checking the actual stock thickness; that setting increases the calculated lid clearance. If the lid is loose, the converse applies: verify the stock and use a thinner setting. The generator cannot account for coating buildup, grain direction, cutter kerf, a particular printer’s margins or a manufacturer’s packaging standard. It also does not certify load strength. If the contents are heavy or the box will be produced repeatedly, measure a folded prototype and adjust the requested inside dimensions before committing to a run.