Practical tools for measured work
RSC Carton Starter Layout
Draw a basic RSC-style cut and fold layout for early sizing and mock-ups from internal carton dimensions.
Calculate the layout, check the diagram, then print the result for the shop or jobsite.
At least the depth. Nominal dimensions before board allowances.
Solid blue lines are cut edges and flap slits. Dashed gray lines are folds. This is a zero-thickness mock-up layout.
How it works
How to use it: enter the box's internal width, depth and height, plus the glue tab width used to close the manufacturer's joint. The starter layout updates live and can be downloaded as an SVG or PDF for sizing and mock-ups.
Layout. This generates a single-style RSC (regular slotted container) body: four side panels in the sequence width, depth, width, depth, laid out left to right, plus a glue tab on the left edge. Each side panel carries a top flap and a bottom flap, each half the box's depth, so the long-side outer flaps meet at the center. The short-side inner flaps leave a gap of length minus depth, except on a square footprint where they also meet.
Flat width = glue + 2 × (width + depth) and Flat height = height + depth (since each flap is depth ÷ 2 tall, and there are two flap rows).
Printing the RSC template: download the tiled A4 PDF, print at Actual size or 100%, and measure its 10 mm calibration square. Assemble the page grid before cutting. Cut solid blue edges and flap slits; fold along dashed gray lines. The slits have zero width in this mock-up, so your supplier must specify slot widths for real corrugated board.
The panel and half-depth flap arrangement follows the FEFCO 0201 style reference. It does not include a corrugator's production allowances.
Worked example. With the defaults above (width 200 mm, depth 120 mm, height 160 mm, glue tab 15 mm): flap height = 120 ÷ 2 = 60 mm; flat width = 15 + 2×(200+120) = 15 + 640 = 655 mm; flat height = 160 + 120 = 280 mm. That matches the panel run left to right - glue tab (15) + width (200) + depth (120) + width (200) + depth (120) = 655 mm wide - by 280 mm tall.
Current-input example
The result above uses these exact values. This snapshot is included when the page is printed so the output can be checked against the original measurements.
- Internal length (long side)
- 200 mm
- Internal depth (short side)
- 120 mm
- Internal height
- 160 mm
- Glue tab
- 15 mm
Primary result: Flat width: 655 mm.
Before using the result
- Measure from the datum or reference edge described by this tool, and do not mix inside, outside and centerline dimensions.
- Keep inputs in the displayed units and preserve more precision than the final cutting or purchasing tolerance requires.
- When the result is close to a limit, verify it with a test piece, field measurement, manufacturer drawing or qualified project professional.
Limitations
This is a simplified, single-style starter dieline, not a production-ready die layout. It does not account for material caliper or flute thickness, crease/score-line deduction (folded panels are always slightly shorter than their flat dimension once board thickness is factored in), your box manufacturer's specific joint style, or cutter/creaser tolerances.
Only one box style is modeled - a standard RSC with half-depth top and bottom flaps and a single glue-tab side seam. Other styles (die-cut trays, mailers, tuck-top boxes, full-overlap flaps) are not supported.
Treat the exported layout as a starting reference to hand to your box supplier or corrugator for adjustment, not as a finished production file.
Frequently asked questions
Are these internal or external dimensions?
Internal - the usable space inside the finished box. Because the tool doesn't add caliper or score-line compensation, the folded box will end up marginally smaller than these numbers once real board thickness is taken into account; account for that with your supplier before cutting.
What box style does this generate?
A regular slotted container (RSC) with the classic width-depth-width-depth panel sequence, a single glue tab, and top/bottom flaps that are each half the box depth. This is the most common corrugated shipping box style, but it's not the only one - die-cut trays, mailers and other flap configurations aren't generated here.
Can I use the downloaded file directly for production?
Use it as a starting reference, not a final production file. Your corrugator will need to add caliper/score compensation, their own joint convention and cutting tolerances, which this calculator deliberately leaves out since they vary by material and manufacturer.
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