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Various aspects of corrugated material
People often think cardboard is the only type of packaging material when it comes to corrugated packaging. But there’s more to it than that. Cardboard is one kind of material, and corrugated cardboard is another. People often mix up these two materials, but they serve different purposes depending on the product.
This post will look at the distinctions between cardboard and corrugated cardboard, delve into various aspects of corrugated material, examine quality control, and talk about the advantages and applications of such material. We aim to provide you with a clearer grasp of corrugated boards by the end of this article helping you choose the best packaging for your product!
What is a Corrugated Box?
A corrugated box is a container crafted from corrugated cardboard sheets. These boxes have an influence on shipping large or heavy products due to their strength and toughness. In North America, 95% of all shipped products use corrugated material!
And, What is Corrugated Cardboard?
Corrugated cardboard also called corrugated fiberboard or corrugated cartons has three layers of kraft paper: two outer layers of flat linerboard and an inner layer of fluted (wavy) medium. Pizza boxes, to give an example, are often made from corrugated cardboard.
In certain instances, we can put on extra layers to boost protection. We’ll talk more about this later.
Cardboard vs Corrugated – How Are They Different?
You’re now familiar with corrugated packaging and how often it’s used in shipping. You might be curious about what sets corrugated apart from cardboard. We touched on the fact that corrugated cardboard isn’t the same as cardboard, but let’s dive deeper into this topic.
Cardboard comes from paper stock or heavy paper pulp. People often use it in folded cartons for smaller items, but it can also provide structural support inside a box to maintain its shape during shipping. Just remember, cardboard on its own doesn’t offer much protection.
Corrugated differs from regular cardboard. It consists of three fiberboard layers, which gives it more strength, protection, and flexibility. This material doesn’t bend and works great for companies sending big packages or just a few items. Not quite clear on the differences? Take a look at the chart below to compare!
Liners Materials
Now that you know more about corrugated materials, you might find it easier to pick the most popular outside liner for making corrugated boxes.
- Kraft Paper liners contain 70-80% “virgin” chemical pulp fiber. This creates a top-grade paper with great stiffness and durability. Among all types of corrugated paper materials on the market, it offers the most eco-friendly choice. However, it comes with the highest price tag.
- Test Paper liners cost less than Kraft because they use more recycled fibers, which leads to reduced durability. The higher amount of recycled fibers also makes printing on the paper more challenging. Despite this many manufacturers use test paper as the inner linerboard of corrugated boxes.
- Flute Paper Liners come in two types: Semi-Chem and Waste Based Fluting. Semi-Chem goes through a neutral sulphite semi-chemical process and uses virgin fibers. On the other hand, Waste Based Fluting is made from 100% recycled fibers.
Let’s talk about flute paper, which leads us into the various flute grades you can choose from!
Corrugated Flute Types (Flute Grades)
Corrugated flute has an impact on the cushioning, strength, and compression resistance of your package. The different flute grades allow for more customization options. Before we dive into each flute profile, take a look at our corrugated flute chart to compare them :
- A-Flute – 1/4″ thick is the biggest flute size. This flute grade offers the highest protection and cushion qualities. It handles compression and stacking well and people often use it to package delicate items.
- B-Flute – 1/8″ thick flute looks much thinner than others but remains quite strong, with great puncture and crush resistance. B-flute shows outstanding all-around performance for various packaging or as extra material to pad and divide. It even has a flatter surface to print higher-quality images and to die-cut .
- C-Flute – This 3/16″ thick material bends and stands out as one of the most adaptable flute grades for corrugated boxes. It offers middling crush resistance stacking strength, and printing qualities. You’ve come across C-Flute corrugated cardboard in shipping boxes, but it also sees use in packaging glass, dairy, and furniture items.
- E-Flute – 1/16″ thick doesn’t see much use in shipping. E-flute has a thinner profile compared to other flute grades so people often pick it as a substitute for paperboard folding cartons. Still, E-Flute can work for cosmetics fragile glass, ceramics, and other small delicate items. E-Flute stands out with its strong compression strength good crush resistance, and smooth surface, which allows for high-quality printing.
- F-Flute – This flute, which is 1/32″ thick, offers protection like E-Flute but has a smoother surface to print on. In the US, you’ll often see F-Flute used for clamshell packaging in fast-food places. Over in Europe though, it’s a go-to choice for fancy and store packaging.
Types of Corrugated
Let’s talk about combined board now that we’ve gone over the different types of liners and flute grades. When you put fluting and liners together in different layers, you end up with a range of flute structures. These structures have varying thicknesses.
- Linerboard – The ‘face’ of the fiberboard sheet. You stick the flute to this board.
- Single Face – Has one linerboard with the glued flute showing on one side. People sometimes call it corrugated paper.
- Single Wall – The thickness you see most often. Two linerboard sheets with one fluted fiberboard glued between them.
- Double Wall – Three linerboard sheets and two fluted fiberboards sandwiched in between.
- Triple Wall – Four linerboard sheets and three fluted fiberboards sandwiched in between. This option can hold weights up to almost 300 lbs but doesn’t bend as .
Looking deeper into double and triple walls, we can see various combinations of flute grades. Here are some common industry combinations:
- AC Flute – This combines the two most protective corrugated grades. AC Flute works great if you need extra protection for tough shipping and handling.
- BC Flute – A top all-around performer, this mix gives high-level transit protection and is often used for shipping boxes.
- EB Flute – This has an impact on transit strength and safety, while the outer E-Flute creates an excellent surface to print high-quality designs.
Corrugated Box Styles
Now that we’ve talked about construction and thickness, let’s look at corrugated box styles before we move on to quality control. By putting layers together changing flute grades, or adding padding inside corrugated boxes can work for any packaging need.
Custom corrugated boxes can meet all the specific needs a user might have. Here are some common types of corrugated boxes:
- Tab Lock Roll End
- Roll End 3 Flaps Tuck
- Roll End Tuck Front
- One Piece Folder Box
- Tuck Top Auto Bottom
- Regular Slotted Box
- Full Slotted Box
- Half Slotted Container (HSC Box)
- Gusset Folder
Quality Control Tests
The wide range of design and customization choices at your disposal might raise questions about protection. Cardboard boxes face stress and impact when people pack, ship, and store them, so companies need ways to check how strong your custom package is.
Some common tests include the Edge Crush, Flat Crush, and the Burst Test.
- The Edge Crush Test plays a crucial role in evaluating corrugated cardboard. It involves applying force at right angles to the cardboard’s edge until it bends. This test helps to confirm that the cardboard has the strength and toughness to handle heavy weights and resist stacking.
- The Flat Crush Test is another method used to assess corrugated cardboard. It’s like the Edge Crush Test, but the force is applied straight onto the cardboard’s surface until the flute flattens and breaks down its structure. This test also figures out how well the corrugated cardboard can withstand compression and stacking when carrying heavy loads.
- Mullen Test (or Burst Test) is a common industry measure that tests how tough the corrugated cardboard surface is by figuring out how much force it takes to punch through the board.
These tests make sure custom corrugated packaging has the quality to keep your products as safe as possible on their way to where they’re going.
Box Maker’s Certificate
Once the customization and thorough testing are done, it’s time to look at the Box Maker’s Certificate (BMC). The BMC gives you quick details about the box and comes in two types: the ECT-rated BMC and the Mullen-rated BMC.
You’ll see some differences, but these box manufacturer certificates tell you the same things:
- The Box Manufacturer on the outer ring shows which company made your box.
- Board Construction appears right under the box certificate text. This tells you if the box has a single, double, or triple wall.
- Minimum Combined Weight Facings is the total weight of the linerboard before it’s cut and turned into boxes.
- Size Limit means the largest outer measurements of the box used to store and ship it.
- Gross Weight Limit is the most weight the box and its contents can have.
- City and State are at the bottom of the label. They show where the box is made and sent from.
Benefits of Corrugated Packaging
If you’ve been keeping up, you know some of the good things about corrugated packaging already. Here’s why people like corrugated cardboard so much:
- Protection and Durability – Corrugated boxes have an impact on protecting and keeping items safe during shipping. They can take hits and give cushion support, which makes them great for sending stuff. These boxes can handle tough conditions without hurting what’s inside and act as a good shield against weather, which is why they’re the top choice for online store packaging.
- friendly – Being green matters more and more in packaging. Corrugated cardboard stands out as a green packaging option because makers use recycled fibers to create it, which makes it easier to recycle again.
- Customizable – With plenty of choices for raw materials that are eco-friendly corrugated packaging stands out as the top pick for those who want tailor-made packaging, including printed designs. You can change the shape and thickness, along with the graphics and surface printing, to fit your needs.
What About the Disadvantages of Corrugated Boxes?
Many industries gain from using corrugated packaging e-commerce. The size and shape of the packaging can make shipping and mailing easier to handle. Still, using corrugated boxes has some downsides.
- Limited Weather Resistance – First off corrugated boxes don’t hold up well in bad weather, like rain or snow. The packaging can get misshapen or lose its form.
- Cost Considerations – The biggest downside of using corrugated cardboard is how much it costs. It’s pricier than other options because of supply chain problems, like those COVID-19 caused, and environmental rules to cut down on deforestation and push for sustainable forestry.
These drawbacks might discourage companies with tight budgets. Still, it’s worth weighing these downsides against the protection, recyclability, and versatility it provides. What’s more many options exist to cut expenses and produce budget-friendly premium packaging!
Design Your Custom Corrugated Boxes Today!
Corrugated packaging has durability and customization options giving you the freedom to create box designs that keep your product safe as it travels. To find out more and begin your project, get in touch with our packaging specialists today!
Contact Us
Whether you need packaging solutions, kraft paper, or waste paper management services, Stack Enterprises is here to help. Our team of experts is ready to assist you in finding the perfect packaging solution for your business.
For more information, inquiries, or to place an order, contact us directly:
Tamilarsan M
- Email: stackenterprises2022@gmail.com
- Phone: +91 9751637945
Prakash N
- Email: prakash@stackenterprises.co
- Phone: +91 8144882299