Display Case Design Calculator
Calculate vitrine dimensions, glass area, silica gel buffering, and cost from artifact size and conservation requirements.
About this calculator
This calculator sizes a museum display case around an artifact's dimensions plus the clearances conservators require, then prices out the glazing and estimates environmental control needs. Interior width and depth are simply the artifact's footprint plus twice the side clearance (clearance on both sides), while interior height adds the top clearance plus a fixed 2 inches for a base platform to raise and mount the object. From those dimensions it derives total glass panel area across all four sides plus the top — the case's five visible glazed surfaces — and multiplies by a per-square-foot cost that depends on glass type: standard float glass at roughly $15/sq ft, low-iron glass (which removes the greenish tint of ordinary glass) at $35, and museum-grade anti-reflective glazing at $85. Silica gel need is estimated at about 20 kg per cubic meter of case volume, the amount of conditioned buffering material typically required to hold relative humidity within about ±5% inside a sealed case — larger cases need proportionally more.
The target air exchange rate (how much outside air leaks in per day) tightens with glass quality, reflecting that higher-end cases generally pair better glazing with better gasket sealing, though the calculator infers this only from glass type rather than actual seal design. Total case cost adds a flat fabrication estimate — $200 per square foot of base footprint plus $150 for hardware — to the glass cost. All figures are planning-level estimates from typical museum vendor pricing, not a quote from any specific fabricator.
Inputs
Results
Case width (in)
20
Estimated total case cost ($)
$1,308.00
≈ 10 pairs of sneakers
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter Artifact width (inches), Artifact depth (inches), and Artifact height (inches).
- Set Side clearance (inches), Top clearance (inches), and Glass type.
- Review Case width (in) and Estimated total case cost ($) ($).
- Use Case depth (in) and Case height (in) to inform your decision.
How the result changes with Artifact width (inches)
| Artifact width (inches) | Case width (in) | Estimated total case cost ($) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 14 | $1,037.00 |
| 9 | 17 | $1,173.00 |
| 18 | 26 | $1,580.00 |
| 30 | 38 | $2,123.00 |
What each input means
- Artifact width (inches)
- Width of the artifact to be displayed.
- Artifact depth (inches)
- Depth (front to back) of the artifact.
- Artifact height (inches)
- Height of the artifact.
- Side clearance (inches)
- Minimum clearance between the artifact and case walls on each side.
- Top clearance (inches)
- Clearance above the artifact to the case top.
- Glass type
- The glazing quality used for the display case panels.
What each result means
- Case width (in)
- Overall case width including clearances.
- Case depth (in)
- Overall case depth including clearances.
- Case height (in)
- Overall case height including clearance and base platform.
- Internal volume (cu ft)
- Interior volume of the display case.
- Glass area (sq ft)
- Total glass panel area (4 sides + top).
- Glass cost ($)
- Estimated cost for the glass panels.
- Silica gel needed (lbs)
- Conditioned silica gel for ±5% RH buffering inside the case.
- Target air exchange rate (/day)
- Recommended air exchanges per day for the selected glass/seal quality.
- Estimated total case cost ($)
- Approximate cost including glass, fabrication, and hardware.
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersArtifact width (inches) = 12, Artifact depth (inches) = 12, Artifact height (inches) = 18, Side clearance (inches) = 4 = 6 input(s) provided
- Calculate Case widthCase width = artifactWidthIn + 2 * clearanceSideIn20 = 20
- Calculate Estimated total case costEstimated total case cost = glassCost + fabricationCost1308 = $1,308
- Calculate Case depthCase depth = artifactDepthIn + 2 * clearanceSideIn20 = 20
- Calculate Case heightCase height = artifactHeightIn + clearanceTopIn + 226 = 26
Engine last updated . Checked against 3 independently-derived tests — how we verify calculators. Built by Paul Gunder, a software engineer, not a licensed financial, medical, or legal professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does case height add a flat 2 inches beyond the artifact height and top clearance?
That 2 inches accounts for a base platform inside the case — a mount or riser used to position and secure the object — which sits below the artifact and takes up interior height beyond what the artifact and its clearance require. Case width and depth don't get this addition since they only need clearance around the sides, not a base structure.
How does the choice of glass type affect the target air exchange rate?
The calculator sets a lower (better) target air exchange rate for museum-grade anti-reflective glass (0.05/day) and low-iron glass (0.1/day) than for standard float glass (0.5/day), on the assumption that cases built with higher-end glazing are also fitted with better gasket seals. It infers this only from the glass type you select, not from any separate gasket specification, so a real case's actual seal quality could differ from what's assumed here.
Which surfaces are counted in the total glass panel area?
The calculator adds up front and back panels, both side panels, and the top panel — five glazed surfaces in total — based on the case's calculated width, depth, and height. The base/bottom is not counted as glass, since it's typically a solid platform rather than a viewing surface.
How much silica gel does the calculator recommend, and what does it do?
It estimates about 20 kg of conditioned silica gel per cubic meter of interior case volume, which is the buffering material typically needed to hold relative humidity inside a sealed case within roughly ±5%. Because it scales with the case's calculated interior volume, larger cases or more generous clearances directly increase the silica gel figure.
What's included in the estimated total case cost besides the glass?
Total cost adds the glass cost to a fabrication estimate of $200 per square foot of the case's base footprint plus a flat $150 for hardware, covering the frame, mounting, and assembly work beyond the glazing itself. It doesn't include lighting, mounts or armatures for the artifact, or installation labor on-site, so it should be treated as a planning-level figure rather than a full project quote.
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