A Box is Not Just a Box

May 01, 2019

Have you ever wondered about the art of making a box?  Where do they come from and why are some seemingly perfect, while others stink at the one thing they are meant to do? 

I recently took a dive into this topic and was not surprised to find out just how clever and crafty the Wholesale Frame team is at making the dream box a reality. As the online business has evolved, so have our shipping and handling methods.  From the type of cardboard, to our patent design, each step of the process has been meticulously thought through. In fact, after years of development we are still reconsidering the best methods for protecting your corners and ensuring safely in the shipping process.

So the question remains… How does your custom box get made?

The short answer is with time, care, and several layers of material.

The longer answer goes something like this…

Our custom made boxes are designed roughly like a shoe box. They fit precisely to size. It's as if your frame went to the tailors and came back with the perfect coat for any weather. They have a top that fits snuggly over the bottom, accurately measured to allow for padding the edges of your frame without excess space. Then with some fancy packing tape, that comes out of an expertly designed machine with a lever and self wetting feature, they are sealed and ready for transport.

Follow this recipe if you dare…

Materials Needed:

• Sheets of cardboard
• Super strength cardboard (known in the biz as “edge protectors”)
• Heavy duty Stapler and staples
• Box cutter
• Scoring utensil
• Foam corners
• Plastic wrap
• Packing tape
• Patience

Instructions:

• Carefully cover your frame corners, ideally with foam corners, and secure them with plastic wrap. It is important to provide extra protections around the corners! This is your first line of defense.
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• With the foam corners on, measure out the size of the cardboard you will need for both the top and bottom. The top will have to be slightly larger than the bottom to compensate for the width of the cardboard. 
• Cut the total perimeter first. This includes the width and height of each side of the frame. Then cut slats and score the edges that you intend to fold. This allows for a clean and precise fold. See diagram for details. 

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• Fold with the scored edge on the inside, tucking in the flaps. Staple the edges together. We use two staples for every edge.
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• Add even more protection to the corners if needed. This is generally where things go wrong, and you don’t want your frame to be sloshing around.
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• Repeat steps 2-5 for the top of the box, again measuring to make sure that it will fit snuggly over the bottom. Remember to take into account the depth of your cardboard.
• Cover with your custom made top and use the stickiest tape you can find to seal it all up.
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• If you are packing up more than one frame, or artwork, it is best to pack them separately first before placing in a larger shipping box. 
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As usual, the goal is safety and protection! We desperately want your frames to arrive in the same condition that they left us. Once the box heads out into the world, there is no difference between your expensive custom frame and any other item thats being shipped. Therefore, we have invested in the art of designing a perfect carrying case.  We think it makes a difference and we hope that you do too!

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