Cardboard Thickness Guide: Choose the Best Packaging

10 Jun.,2024

 

Cardboard Thickness Guide: Choose the Best Packaging

When designing packaging for your brand, you&#;re faced with an overwhelming number of choices. For example, cardboard thickness is an important packaging component you must consider when choosing the best packaging for your brand.

Are you interested in learning more about types of chipboard? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!

Here&#;s a complete guide to cardboard thickness with everything you need to know:

Why Does Cardboard Thickness Matter?

  • It protects the contents
  • It helps to survive shipping
  • Minimizes shipping costs
  • Promotes the best printing

At first glance, all cardboard boxes look the same; however, cardboard thickness matters more than you think. Here&#;s why:

Protect Packaging Contents

For starters, cardboard thickness determines the box's level of protection. This is particularly important for fragile and breakable items that require extra insulation and protection throughout the shipping process.

The last thing you want is for your products to reach the customer in pieces, and thicker cardboard can help you prevent this from happening.

Survive Shipping

Cardboard thickness also contributes to the survival rate of the box during shipping. We&#;ve all received a box that looks like it went through the wringer with tears and punctures all over the place.

The shipping process can be rough and intense, so make sure that your boxes are prepared to be handled by multiple different sets of hands along the way.

Minimizing Shipping Costs

In theory, thicker boxes mean heavier boxes, contributing to higher shipping costs. At the same time, however, you also need to consider the money that you can save by using thicker boxes if it means that you&#;re dealing with fewer damaged items that need to be returned and replaced on your dime.

Promote the Best Printing

These days, it&#;s not enough to just use boring brown cardboard boxes. Instead, you need to brand your boxes by printing your brand logo, colors, and products on them.

However, cardboard thickness can impact your printing results, so this is something to consider if you&#;re looking for high-resolution printing on your branded boxes.

Different Methods of Measuring Cardboard Thickness

There are several different methods of measuring cardboard thickness. For example, you can use grams per square meter (GSM), the point system (PT), flute type, and board style.

Here&#;s what you need to know about each of these different methods so that you can choose the right cardboard thickness for your products:

Grams Per Square Meter (GSM)

Grams per square meter or GSM is a unit of measurement that&#;s used to measure the weight, length, and breadth of packaging materials like corrugated cardboard. GSM is one of the most popular and precise methods of measuring cardboard thickness.

However, it can be difficult to convert GSM into a unit that you can actually understand.

Here are some examples of different types of paper/cardboard so that you can get a better grasp on using GSM to measure cardboard thickness:

  • 35 to 55 GSM is often used for newspapers
  • 90 to 100 GSM is often used for printer paper
  • 120 to 140 GSM is often used for posters
  • 210 to 300 GSM is often used for brochures
  • 350 to 400 GSM is often used for packaging

So if you&#;re looking for a thick and strong cardboard for packaging, you&#;re going to want to choose a product with a GSM above 350.

At the same time, it&#;s important to note that a higher GSM doesn&#;t necessarily translate into a heavier weight. While GSM does take weight into account, remember that it&#;s just one of three factors.

The Point System (PT)

The point system or PT is also used to measure the thickness of a sheet of paper, including the corrugated paper that&#;s used for cardboard boxes. Each &#;point&#; in the point system represents 1/ of an inch. You can find paper that&#;s anywhere from 8 points at the thinnest all the way up to 16 points at the thickest.

Corrugated Flute Type

Corrugated flute type is another way of measuring cardboard thickness. A corrugated &#;flute&#; refers to the wavy sheets of paper that are sandwiched in between the cardboard liners in corrugated cardboard boxes. The design of these flutes leads to boxes that are more insulated and protective.

There are several different flute sizes to choose from, ranging from minuscule to substantial. Flute sizes aren&#;t named based on thickness but the order in which they were invented. Here&#;s a list of some of the different flute sizes available and their corresponding name:

  • A flute is 5 millimeters thick or 1/4&#;
  • B flute is 3 millimeters thick or 1/8&#; (0.125&#;)
  • C flute is 4 millimeters thick or 11/64&#;
  • D flute is 2 millimeters thick or (.085&#;)
  • E flute is 1.5 millimeters thick or 1/16&#; (.&#;)
  • F flute is 0.6 millimeters thick or 1/32&#;

C flute is by far the most common corrugated flute type and can be used for a wide range of different products.

Corrugated Board Style

You can use corrugated board style to determine cardboard thickness. A corrugated board style refers to the different combinations of flutes and liners in corrugated cardboard boxes.

Most corrugated cardboard boxes are single wallboards, meaning that they consist of two liners surrounding a single fluted layer. However, there are also single face boards, double wallboards, and triple wallboards.

Single face boards consist of a single piece of liner paired with one piece of fluted paper. This type of cardboard is ideal for inner packaging components as it&#;s not as durable and strong as the other board styles.

Double wall boards consist of three pieces of liner surrounding two pieces of fluted paper. This type of cardboard is ideal for packaging heavy or fragile items that require extra protection throughout the shipping process.

Finally, triple wall boards consist of four pieces of liner surrounding three pieces of fluted paper. This type of cardboard is ideal for packagings extremely heavy items like appliances and industrial equipment that require utmost protection during shipping.

How to Choose the Best Packaging

Consider these factors when choosing your packaging:

  1. Contents
  2. Shipping
  3. Budget
  4. Design
  5. Who you&#;re working with to design the packaging

Now that you have a better understanding of why cardboard thickness matters and how to measure it, how can you choose the best packaging for your products?

Step 1: Consider the Contents

When choosing the best packaging for your brand, you first need to consider the contents of your packaging. Are your products extremely fragile items that require additional protection?

Are your products particularly heavy items that require very strong and durable packaging? These are two important components to keep in mind.

Also, keep the size of your products in mind when choosing to package. You want to choose large enough boxes to comfortably fit your products but not so large that they will constantly move around.

Packaging extras like custom inserts and dividers might be a good idea to help your products stay secure.

Step 2: Consider the Shipping Process

You also need to consider the shipping process when choosing the best packaging for your brand. Are you personally packing orders yourself and using a local delivery service?

If so, then you might not need packaging that&#;s extremely durable.

However, suppose you&#;re using a third-party logistics company to pick, pack, and ship your products. In that case, you must consider the number of hands on your package contributes to the likelihood of damage during shipping.

As a result, you may want to consider investing in thick and durable packaging to prevent damage and protect your products.

Step 3: Consider the Budget

Of course, budget is also an important factor when choosing to package your brand. Not only do you need to consider the cost of the packaging components themselves, but you also need to consider how much it costs to ship with these packaging items since shipping rates are determined by size and weight.

Just remember that thickness doesn&#;t necessarily correlate with heaviness. Also, remember that sometimes it&#;s worth it to spend a bit more on thicker cardboard that provides more protection to your products.

Step 4: Consider the Design

Consumers expect and respond to branded packaging with eye-catching designs that contribute to an unforgettable unboxing experience. Cardboard thickness is tied to printing quality in that printing tends to look better on high-quality paper with a higher GSM. So if you&#;re looking for photo-quality printing, consider choosing a paper with a high GSM.

Step 5: Work With a Packaging Expert

Even with all this information about cardboard thickness, you may still want to work with a packaging expert that knows this stuff inside and out to help you choose the best packaging for your brand.

Look for an experienced and reputable company that offers customized packaging solutions, bulk discounts, and fast turnaround times.

Final Thoughts

BoxGenie is a custom packaging provider with 45 years of experience. BoxGenie offers several packaging products that you can easily customize online.

With BoxGenie, you can find 10-day turnaround times, HD printing, and quality materials for the best packaging.

Sources:

3 Ways to Optimize Packaging to Protect Your Products | Entrepreneur

Nine Factors to Consider When Creating the Perfect Product Packaging | Forbes

How to Create the Perfect Unboxing Experience Without Breaking the Bank | Inc.com

What is chipboard and what is it used for?

For more how to clean plywoodinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

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Understated and incredibly versatile, chipboard is one of the most widely-used sheet materials in the world, providing affordable and convenient solutions for many DIY and building needs. But what exactly is chipboard and what can it be used for? If you&#;re on the lookout for sheet materials for your next DIY project, read on to find out whether chipboard might be the perfect material for the job.

What is Chipboard?

Chipboard &#; also sometimes referred to as Particle Board or Low Density Fibreboard &#; is made by mixing small wood particles with epoxy resin, which are pressed together under intense heat and pressure to produce a rigid board, typically with a smooth surface. Chipboard is available in a variety of densities to suit different needs and uses, including low, medium and high-density varieties. The lower densities are fairly soft and pliable, while the higher-density chipboards are more rigid and can be used for more heavy-duty applications.

There are various advantages and disadvantages of chipboard as a sheet material. The main advantages are, of course, the cost-effectiveness and versatility of uses that chipboard provides. The main disadvantage is that untreated chipboard is porous and will therefore soak up any water it comes into contact with. This is true for all grades of chipboard, even the highest densities, so it is important to keep untreated chipboard dry and treated to prevent it from soaking up water and swelling, as this will render the board unusable. Thankfully, it is very easy to treat and cover chipboard with water-resistant veneers, melamine coatings and varnishes to make it more robust.

What is Chipboard Used For?

Depending on the density, chipboard is used for all kinds of different interior building and decorating projects. The highest-density grades of chipboard are used for things like:

  • Kitchen worktops (coated with melamine)
  • Basic structures of kitchen cabinets
  • Flooring and flooring insulation/underlay 
  • Flatpack furniture (usually coated in a veneer)
  • Building insulation

Softer, lower-density chipboard is also often used for:

  • Inner elements of furniture (such as drawer bottoms, wardrobe backs)
  • Interior home accents e.g. trims and mouldings around windows and doors
  • Sound deadening & absorption (e.g. speakers and music venue walls and flooring)
  • Packaging 

Does chipboard sound like the type of material you need for your next project? Here are a few quick tips on how to work with this highly versatile board, including how to cut and paint it safely.

How to Cut Chipboard

Like most wood-like materials, chipboard is best and most easily cut using any mechanical saw such as a band saw, table saw, circular saw or jigsaw. Due to the particular nature of the chipboard, we wouldn&#;t recommend you try to cut chipboard with a manual hand saw, as this will create very rough edges and an imprecise cutting finish. 

If you are cutting raw chipboard, the cutting process is very straightforward. However, if you are cutting chipboard with veneer or melamine coating on one side, it&#;s best to cut the board with the coated side facing upwards, as the saw may leave a rough edge on the bottom side, which won&#;t look very attractive. 

On a safety note, always wear a dust mask over your mouth and nose when cutting chipboard to protect against inhaling any fine dust and epoxy chemicals released from the board.

How to Paint & Seal Chipboard

Chipboard may be highly versatile and cost-effective, but it can be tricky to paint and treat if you&#;re unfamiliar with the proper process. Here are the basic steps on how to paint chipboard and seal it; ideal if you&#;re planning a DIY build project with your chipboard.

1. Prepare the chipboard

Chipboard won&#;t take on your paint coverage unless it is completely clean, free of oily marks and dust particles. Wearing gloves, start by closely inspecting the surface of your chipboard and wipe away any oily marks with a cloth soaked in water and washing up liquid (make sure you wring it out so it&#;s just damp, so as not to soak your board). Loosely cover your board in protective sheeting to protect it from further dust and debris, and leave in an airy space to dry out completely for two days before you move on to the next step.

2. Sand the board down

Using a piece of medium-grit sandpaper (or an electric sander for large expanses of board), sand down the entire board to remove any surface imperfections. Sanding to a smooth surface finish will also help your sealant and paint stick to the board more easily. Once you&#;ve sanded the entire board, use a dry cloth to wipe it down and remove any remaining board particles. 

3. Prime the chipboard

Priming your chipboard gives it a protective layer against moisture and dirt, while also creating a better surface for your paint to stick to. Start by placing your board on a protected surface in a well-ventilated space, and make sure you&#;re wearing gloves before you start, as you don&#;t want to get these substances on your skin.

Using a smooth paint roller, apply your primer in a thin, even layer and leave to dry completely as per the instructions on your chosen primer product. Repeat two or three times to build up several layers of primer, as these layers will stick to one another and provide a stronger, more protective barrier than you would get with just one layer.

4. Start painting your chipboard

Your chipboard is now ready to paint. The best type of paint to use on chipboard is acrylic, or any paint without a heavy water or oil base. Paints with too much water or oil risk soaking into the chipboard&#;s porous surface, even when primed, creating an uneven finish. Using a fresh paint roller, apply your paint in even coats just like you did with your primer. Allow to dry completely before adding another coat &#; you may need three or four coats before you achieve the level of coverage you want. 

Once your paint is dry, it&#;s time to seal your chipboard. Sealing the board will protect your paint from damage and give it an attractive, glossy finish, while also adding an extra protective barrier against moisture. Find a clear sealant product suitable for chipboard, and apply in an even layer with a clean roller. Allow this first layer to dry and then add a second coat for good measure. 

And that&#;s it! That&#;s how to paint chipboard &#; easy when you know-how.
If you&#;re looking for solid, high-quality chipboard for your next flooring or furniture project, explore our range of floor grade and furniture grade chipboard here at Laver to get started.

Chipboard Essentials

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© Tom Nicholson. 12/04/. St Austell, UK. Gripsure decking installed at Bluebells, Boswinger, St Austell, Cornwall. Photo credit : Tom NicholsonGripsure Decking lifestyle shots for Homebase at Bluebells, Boswinger, Cornwall, Britain on 8 August .

Gripsure Decking lifestyle shots for Homebase at Bluebells, Boswinger, Cornwall, Britain on 8 August .

Gripsure Decking lifestyle shots for Homebase at Bluebells, Boswinger, Cornwall, Britain on 8 August .

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