16 x 16 x 16 in corrugated boxes

What fits in a 16 x 16 x 16 box

Fulfilment centres use 16 inch cubes for subscription kits and multi-item orders. Manufacturers use them for moulded plastic parts that come off a line in quantity and cannot be packed tighter. A 16 inch cube full of small parts gets heavy quickly, so weigh one before setting the grade.

For dimensional-weight billing, this is a size where an inch matters: shaving a 16 inch cube to 16 x 16 x 14 removes 512 cubic inches of air on every parcel if the product allows it.

The board it needs

Light bulky loads ship well in 32 ECT single wall. Where the box is filled with dense parts and stacked four or five high on a pallet, the bottom row carries the weight of everything above; ECT is the rating that speaks to stacking, so a buyer in that position asks for 44 ECT or double wall rather than for 200# test.

Packing notes

The 16 inch cube suits lampshades, pillows, folded duvets, larger toys, light electrical goods and kits of assorted parts. Its panels are wide enough that single wall can bow when stacked under heavier boxes; for warehouse storage several high, double wall or a heavier single wall grade is worth pricing. For a light parcel sent alone, 32 ECT or 200# is fine. Party suppliers, florists and nurseries use it for balloons in bags, silk flowers and small potted shrubs.

Sizes close to this one

For lighter, larger goods, 18 x 12 x 12 or 16 x 12 x 12 may fit better and ship cheaper. A 15 3/4 inch inside cube fits six per pallet layer instead of four. Pet bed makers, cushion brands and gift hamper packers commonly use a 16 x 16 x 10, which is lighter and stacks more steadily. Toy shippers sometimes choose 17 x 13 x 13 to suit a boxed toy plus padding. Hat makers use it for structured caps, and quilting shops for fat-quarter bundles.

On a 48 x 40 pallet

Two across the 48 in side and two across the 40 in side: four packed boxes per layer at 16 1/4 in outside. The layer uses about 32 1/2 in of the 40 in side and 32 1/2 in of the 48, so 16 inch cubes leave a lot of pallet bare. At 15 3/4 in inside, 16 in outside, three fit along the 48 in side and the layer goes from four to six.

Worked from an outside size of the inside dimension plus 0.25 in on length and width, a working allowance for single wall; double wall adds a little more. Ask us to confirm before you plan a load.