Scoring is pressing a groove into the card along each fold line before you fold it. It is the single biggest difference between a box that looks homemade and one that looks bought. Without it, card folds roughly, the outside of the bend cracks, and corners drift.
Tools that work
- A bone folder (bone or plastic): the proper tool, and cheap. Run the pointed end along a ruler.
- An empty ballpoint pen: works almost as well. A pen that still writes will leave a line on your design, so use a dead one.
- The back of a butter knife or a blunt embossing stylus: fine for thin card.
- A metal ruler to guide whichever you use. A plastic ruler gets nicked and drifts.
- A cutting machine such as a Cricut or Silhouette can score for you; the Cricut and Silhouette guide covers setting up the fold lines.
Which side to score
Score on the side that will be the inside of the fold, then fold so the groove closes up inside the bend. The card bulges neatly on the outside instead of cracking. On the printed templates the dashed lines are on the printed side, which for most boxes is the outside, so either score from the front and fold away from you, or hold the sheet up to a window and mark the lines through to the back.
Score first, then cut
Score while the sheet is still whole and flat: it is easier to hold, and the ruler has something to sit on. Then cut out along the solid lines. Use a craft knife and a metal ruler for straight cuts and scissors for curves; keep the knife blade fresh, because a blunt blade tears card rather than cutting it.
How hard to press
Firmly enough to leave a clear groove, not so hard that you break the surface. Two passes with medium pressure beat one hard one. Thick card needs more; coated card needs a lighter, slower stroke so the coating does not split.
Folding
- Pre-fold every scored line once, flat against the table, then open it out again.
- Run the bone folder along each fold to set it crisp.
- Assemble in the order the template's instructions give: walls before lids, glue flaps before the panels that cover them.
- Square up each corner against a book or the table edge while glue sets.
Glue and tape
- PVA (white) glue: strong and permanent. Use a thin layer; too much soaks the card and warps it. Hold or clip until it grabs.
- Double-sided tape: quick and clean, no drying time. The tape sold for crafts or packaging holds better than office tape.
- Glue sticks: fine for paper, too weak for load-bearing card seams.
- Hot glue: strong and fast, but lumpy. Keep it for corrugated board.
Some shapes need no glue at all, and several need only one seam: the guide to boxes without glue lists them.
When a fold cracks anyway
- The fold runs across the grain: turn the template the other way next time.
- The card is coated or very heavy: score twice, lightly, and fold slowly.
- Toner on the fold (laser printers): keep solid colour off fold lines, or score before printing on heavy card.
Questions
Do I need a cutting machine?
No. A metal ruler, a craft knife, a cutting mat and an empty ballpoint pen make every box on this site. A machine saves time on a batch, and on curves.
How do I fold curved scores, like on a pillow box?
Score the curve slowly by hand with the pen tip, following the line without a ruler. Then press the curve in gently from both ends towards the middle rather than folding it in one go. Lighter card (around 200 gsm) bends far more smoothly than heavy card here.
How long should glue dry before the box is used?
PVA grabs in a minute or two if you hold the seam, but give it an hour before the box carries anything heavy, and longer in a damp room. Double-sided tape is ready at once.
Why do my corners not meet?
Usually a fold made a little off the line. Score with a ruler every time, fold exactly on the groove, and check the card thickness set in the maker matches your card: thick card in a template drawn for thin card leaves corners short.