Board Game Inserts: Types and Materials

Board game inserts are the trays inside the box that hold every piece in its own slot. We make them from four materials: 400 gsm paper for a small box, corrugated cardboard for a simple game, thermoformed PET plastic for most games, and EVA foam for fragile pieces. This guide explains each material and when to use it, the difference between regular and corrugated cardboard, which insert fits which game, and the extras such as finger slots, fillers and room for card sleeves.

What Are Board Game Inserts?

A board game insert (also called a box insert or a game tray) is the structure inside the box that keeps the components in place. It can be a folded paper divider that stops a deck sliding around, or a moulded tray with a slot for every token, card and miniature. The publisher's insert ships in the box. A board game organizer sold separately by another maker is an aftermarket upgrade, not an insert, and this guide is about the one you ship with the game. Players also say board game trays for inserts that come out of the box and sit on the table during play.

Why Board Game Inserts Matter

1. Protection in transit. A parcel is thrown, dropped and stacked on its way to a customer. An insert holds each piece still, so cards do not bend, tokens do not scuff and miniatures do not break against each other.
2. First impression. A box that opens on a tidy tray looks like a finished product. A box that opens on a loose pile looks cheap, however good the art is.
3. Setup and play. With every piece in its place, players find what they need at once, and a tray that lifts out of the box becomes the bank of tokens on the table.

Our rule is simple: a game needs an insert that matches its box size and its number of components. A single deck in a tuck box is the one exception, and even there a paper filler stops the box being crushed.

The Four Insert Materials

1. Paper Insert: 400 gsm Paper for Small Boxes

A paper insert is cut from a sheet of 400 gsm white core paper (the paper of a thick card) and folded into compartments. It is the lightest and cheapest insert, and it is eco-friendly. It is also thin, so it does not hold its shape under weight. Use it in a small two-piece box to hold one to three components, such as a deck and a few tokens. The standard paper insert has two or three folds; a custom paper insert with more folds is possible for a more detailed layout. A 350 gsm sheet works as well as 400 gsm with no wobble. Full-colour printing can be added for a charge. In a larger box, a paper insert still earns its place as a filler that stops the pieces sliding into the empty space.

2. Corrugated Cardboard Insert

A corrugated insert is cut and creased from 300 gsm corrugated cardboard with a white paper top layer, then folded on the assembly line. It is sturdier than paper, keeps its shape over the years and is still eco-friendly, so it is the balance between protection and price. It suits a simple game with few components, where a detailed layout is not needed but a reliable, printed insert is. Keep the slots few: an insert with more than three slots (roughly five components) costs a setup fee, because it is harder to cut and fold accurately. Finger slots are free. CMYK printing on the surface costs extra. Corrugated inserts also make good fillers in large or deep boxes.

3. Plastic Insert: Thermoformed PET

A plastic insert is a thin PET sheet heated and pulled over a mould (thermoforming, also called vacuum forming), so it takes the exact shape of every slot. It protects best, looks the most professional and is the most common insert in published games. It needs a mould, so it costs more to set up, and it is the choice for a box above 155 × 100 × 48 mm with many pieces. Our guide to the plastic insert covers how it is made, its design limits and its cost.

4. Foam Insert: EVA for Fragile Pieces

A foam insert is cut from sheets of EVA foam (ethylene-vinyl acetate) 0.5 to 5 cm thick, with the slots stamped out on the same machines as cardboard. Every slot on a sheet has the same depth, and sheets are glued together for a deeper box. Foam cushions better than anything else, and a velvet finish makes it feel luxurious. It is also dearer than plastic or cardboard, bulkier, and limited in shape. We advise foam only for genuinely fragile pieces: glass tokens, delicate resin miniatures or electronics.

Regular vs Corrugated Cardboard for Inserts

Regular cardboard is a single flat layer of pressed paper fibre (paperboard). Corrugated cardboard is three layers: two flat sheets with a wavy, fluted sheet glued between them, the material of a shipping box. The flutes make it stiff for its weight, so it holds its shape where a flat sheet bends. In our inserts, the regular cardboard insert is the 400 gsm paper insert, cut and folded from one flat sheet. The corrugated insert is cut and creased from 300 gsm corrugated board with a white top paper. Choose the paper insert for one to three components in a small two-piece box. Choose corrugated cardboard for anything bigger, heavier or deeper, and for a printed insert that must keep its shape for years. Corrugated is bulkier and a little heavier, so it adds a little to the freight. The old question of corrugated vs cardboard is really a question of box size.

Insert Materials Compared

Which Insert for Which Game

1. A deck of cards in a tuck box: no insert. If the deck and a small board share the box, a paper or corrugated filler takes up the gap.
2. A small two-piece box with one to three components: a paper insert.
3. A simple game with up to three or four cavities: a corrugated cardboard insert.
4. More than four cavities, heavy pieces, or a box above 155 × 100 × 48 mm: a plastic insert. A cardboard insert with many slots is hard to fold and hard to use, and a plastic insert is the better product at that point.
5. Glass, electronics or delicate resin: a foam insert.
6. Expansions planned: leave spare space or a modular section, so the expansion fits the base box.

Finger Slots, Fillers and Other Extras

1. Finger slots. A notch in the wall of a slot so a player can lift the cards out. Free on plastic and corrugated inserts, because it is part of the design. Not recommended on a paper insert, which is already thin.
2. Fillers. A paper or corrugated block that fills empty space in a deep box, so the components do not slide during shipping and the box looks full.
3. Block insert. When one side of a paper or cardboard insert must stand taller, a small folded corrugated box is added inside. We quote it as an additional block insert, priced by area.
4. Cover insert. A second plastic insert that sits on top of the first and stops the pieces shifting; it is quoted as two inserts.
5. Printing. Paper and corrugated inserts can be printed in full colour for a charge. Plastic cannot be printed, but a logo can be engraved into the mould for a fee.

Room for Card Sleeves

Many hobby players sleeve their cards, and a sleeved deck is wider, longer and thicker. We usually add 4 mm to the width and the length of a card slot. Each sleeve is 0.15 to 0.3 mm thick, depending on the quality, so a 100-card deck needs 15 to 30 mm more depth when sleeved. Decide early whether the insert should fit sleeved cards; our guide to board game insert design covers the layout step by step.

The Bottom Line on Game Inserts

Match the insert to the box and the component count: paper for a small box with a few pieces, corrugated cardboard for a simple game, PET plastic for most games, foam for fragile pieces. Custom board game inserts are designed by our team from your final component list, so send the list and the box size and we design the layout. When you are ready, our board game manufacturer page explains how a quote works.