Pizza box design: board selection, grease and venting
A good pizza box is B-flute corrugated with a food-contact kraft liner, vents that let steam out before it softens the crust, and a lid stiff enough not to sag onto the cheese across a 16 inch span. Tria's pizza box is uncoated B-flute kraft with an unbleached virgin kraft food-contact liner, two vents in the back wall and optional lid vents, printed one or two colors on the outside only, from 200 units in 10 to 12 business days. It has no grease-resistant coating, so for oily pies add the corrugated saver pad or ask about a coated inner liner on runs of 500 or more.
Board: why B-flute
B-flute corrugated is about an eighth of an inch thick and stiff across a wide span, which is what stops a 16 inch lid bowing down onto the toppings. E-flute is thinner and prints sharper, but it bows on anything over about 12 inches. We run E-flute on 10 inch boxes if a customer wants the sharper print; above that, B-flute.
| Format | Board | Best for | Minimum and lead time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pizza box, 12 to 18 inch | B-flute corrugated, unbleached virgin kraft food-contact liner | Whole pies, delivery and pickup | 200 units, 10 to 12 business days |
| Pizza box, 10 inch | B-flute, or E-flute for sharper print | Personal pies | 200 units, 10 to 12 business days |
| Pizza slice box | Food-grade SBS with a greaseproof coated interior | One slice, grab and go | 500 units, 8 to 10 business days |
| Take out box | 18pt natural kraft paperboard with a grease-resistant coating inside | Pasta, wings and sides | 200 units, 10 to 12 business days |
The food-contact surface matters more than the outside. On our pizza box, the liner that touches the food is unbleached virgin kraft with no ink or coating on it, and documentation for it comes with the quote. The fluting and outer liner may contain recycled fiber, which is normal for pizza boxes, because they never touch the food. All printing goes on the outside face in water-based ink.
Venting: getting the steam out
A hot pizza gives off a lot of steam. Trapped in a closed box, it condenses on the lid and drips back onto the crust, and a crisp base goes limp within a short drive. Vents let that steam out. Our standard box has two vents in the back wall; lid vents are an option for long delivery times or thick, wet pies such as deep dish.
Our rule of thumb: the longer the trip, the more venting you want, and the vents should sit away from where a driver's hand or a stacked box will block them. Back-wall vents stay open when boxes are stacked; lid vents can be covered by the box above. Unvented boxes suit frozen pizza shipped cold inside an outer carton, where there is no steam to release.
Grease, coatings and PFAS
Uncoated kraft corrugated absorbs some steam, which helps the crust, but it has no grease barrier, so a heavy, oily pizza will show a spot on the base after 20 to 30 minutes. You have a few options:
- A corrugated saver pad under the pie, which lifts the crust off the base and takes the grease. It is the simplest fix and keeps the box uncoated.
- A coated inner liner, available on runs of 500 or more. Ask for the coating's food-contact documentation and a written statement on PFAS with the quote.
- Accept the spot. On a box that is in a customer's hands for half an hour, plenty of pizzerias do.
On PFAS specifically: fluorochemical grease barriers are PFAS. FDA announced in February 2024 that grease-proofing substances containing PFAS are no longer being sold for food-contact use in the US market, and it has since treated those authorizations as no longer in effect (FDA, market phase-out of PFAS grease-proofing substances). Several states also ban intentionally added PFAS in paper food packaging; California's law, AB 1200, has applied to plant-fiber food packaging since January 1, 2023. Any coating you put on a pizza box should be a non-fluorinated barrier with documentation to prove it.
This is packaging guidance, not legal advice. Food-contact and PFAS rules vary by state; confirm what applies where you sell.
Sizes
We run 10 by 10 by 1.75, 12 by 12 by 1.75, 14 by 14 by 1.75, 16 by 16 by 2 and 18 by 18 by 2 inches, and any size from 8 by 8 by 1.5 to 20 by 20 by 2.5 inches. Measure your largest pie as it comes out of the oven, not the dough size, and allow for the cheese and toppings that sit above the crust edge. A deep dish or a heavily topped pie usually wants the 2 inch depth.
Printing and delivery
One or two colors flexo on kraft is the standard and the fastest. Kraft shifts colors, so red prints darker and white ink comes out slightly muted; send your logo and we show you what it will look like before you commit. Full color is possible on a white top liner, which changes the board and adds a few days. Boxes ship flat in bundles of 25 and fold without glue in a few seconds once your staff have done a few.
Sources
- FDA, market phase-out of grease-proofing substances containing PFAS
- California AB 1200 (2021), PFAS in plant-based food packaging
Rules checked against these sources on October 5, 2026. Regulations change; check the current text before you print.
Questions people ask
Why do pizza boxes use B-flute corrugated?
B-flute is about an eighth of an inch thick and stiff across a wide span, so a 16 inch lid does not sag onto the toppings. E-flute prints sharper but bows on anything over about 12 inches, so we only use it on 10 inch boxes.
Will the base of the box go soggy or greasy?
Uncoated kraft absorbs some steam, which keeps the crust from going soft, but it has no grease barrier. A heavy, oily pizza will show a spot on the base after 20 to 30 minutes. Add the corrugated saver pad, or ask about a coated inner liner on runs of 500 or more.
Are pizza box grease coatings made with PFAS?
Fluorochemical grease barriers are PFAS. FDA announced in February 2024 that PFAS grease-proofing substances are no longer sold for food-contact use in the US, and several states, including California, ban intentionally added PFAS in paper food packaging. Our pizza box is uncoated; any coated liner should come with documentation that it is non-fluorinated.
How many vents does a pizza box need?
Our standard box has two vents in the back wall, which stay open when boxes are stacked. Add lid vents for long delivery times or thick, wet pies. Frozen pizza shipped cold in an outer carton does not need vents.
Should I use a pizza box or a pizza slice box?
Use the pizza box for whole pies; it is B-flute corrugated from 200 units in 10 to 12 business days. Use the pizza slice box for single slices sold over the counter; it is a wedge-shaped food-grade carton from 500 units in 8 to 10 business days and does not work for a full pizza.