Gable box template
Enter the size of your gable box and the dieline below redraws instantly: four walls and a glue flap, a sloping roof panel and a handle with a finger hole over the front and back, a gable end with two gussets over each side, and an auto-lock bottom. Open it in the Studio to design it, change the roof and handle height, watch it fold closed in 3D, and export the dieline as a 1:1 PDF, SVG or DXF.
Set your box size
- Flat sheet
- 557 mm × 271 mm
- Panels
- 21
Cutting template: a glue flap, the left, front, right and back walls, a roof panel and a handle with a finger hole over the front and back, a gable end with a gusset on each slope over each side, and auto-lock bottom flaps with glue tabs. The gussets are cut free from the roof beside them. Width, depth and height are the inside of the body; the roof and handle sit above it, and their heights can be changed in the Studio. Ask your printer to confirm the allowances for their board.
What is a gable box?
A gable box is a carton with a pitched roof like a house and a carry handle on top. Its front and back walls rise into roof panels that slope in to meet over the middle, and each roof ends in a handle panel with a finger hole; the two handles stand back to back. The sides rise into triangular gable ends. Gable boxes are popular for bakery and cupcakes, kids' meals and takeaway, party favours and gifts, because they carry easily and the tall roof and handle give plenty of room for branding.
What is on the dieline
The template draws every part from your three measurements.
- Four walls and a glue flap, creased one board wider than the inside size so the folded box keeps it.
- A roof panel over the front and back walls, as long as it needs to be to reach the middle of the box at the roof height you choose.
- A handle panel above each roof, with a rounded finger hole cut through it.
- A triangular gable end over each side wall, with a gusset flap on each slope that folds in under the roof. The gussets are cut free from the roof panels, so you will see short cuts along those edges.
- An auto-lock (crash-lock) bottom: front and back flaps that interlock, and side flaps with glue tabs, so the bottom springs into place when the flat box is opened.
- Adjustable roof height, handle height, glue flap and bottom side flaps in the Studio.
- Cut lines and crease lines kept separate, as in the PDF, SVG and DXF exports.
How to fold a gable box
Glue the bottom side flaps' triangular tabs to the front and back flaps beside them, and the glue flap inside the back wall, then fold the box flat to let the glue dry; this is how a printer's gluer ships them. To set it up, open the tube and push the bottom in until it locks. Fill the box, fold the gussets in under the roof line, bring the two roof panels together over the middle and put the handles back to back. In the Studio you can watch every step in 3D, and the gable box guide walks through it.
Choosing the size
Measure the product and add a few millimetres of room: width, depth and height are the inside of the body, below the roof. The roof adds space above that, about half the depth by default, and the handle sits on top. For cupcakes or a pastry, leave the roof at least as high as the product rises above the walls. For something you will carry, keep the handle at least 30 mm tall so a finger fits through the hole, and choose a stronger board for heavier contents.
Is the gable box template free?+
Yes. The size picker and dieline here are free. Designing, saving and exporting happen in the Studio with a free account.
Are the sizes inside or outside dimensions?+
Inside, for the body: width, depth and height are the space inside the walls, below the roof. Each panel is creased one board wider so the folded box keeps that inside size. The roof and handle add to the overall height.
Can I change the roof and handle height?+
Yes. In the Studio, under Box & Size, you can set the roof height, the handle height, the glue flap and the bottom side flaps, each within limits that keep the box folding. The dieline and the 3D box follow.
Does a gable box need glue?+
Only where the printer glues it: the glue flap along the side and the bottom's glue tabs, so the bottom locks itself when the box is opened. The roof closes by bringing the handles together, so the box can be opened and closed again.
Can I download the dieline?+
Yes. The Studio exports a 1:1 PDF with your artwork, and the cutting template on its own as SVG or DXF with cut and crease lines on separate layers, finger holes included. Ask your printer to confirm the allowances for their board.