Information About Corrugated Cardboard Boxes

Cardboard is the preferred packaging material in demand. People know them as corrugated cardboard boxes. These are strong, lightweight, and resilient. Wondering, how a material that retains moisture is used to manufacture robust boxes?

What are corrugated cardboard boxes?

Corrugated box is an arrangement of cardboards that make the walls. This amalgamation of material offers the cardboard boxes its strength and resistance to handle knocks, bumps, and crushes. The arrangement is in a zigzag pattern that offers strength on both sides of the box. The outer layer called flutes keeps these corrugate, contained inside securely. The air gets trapped inside the pattern layers and gives its strength.

How cardboard boxes get processed?

• A large machine called corrugator is used.

• Board gets fed in the corrugator, where it is heated and pressed in a zigzag pattern.

• This zigzag pattern [corrugate] is the central filling that gets filled in two outer liners [fluting] that get fed and glued with extremely strong adhesive.

• The glue gets set using steam and you get a flat cardboard sheet.
• The large sheet gets cut in different sizes to form boxes.

What are the different flute profiles?

The flute size will determine the wall thickness of the packaging box and even its stacking strength.

The common flutes are –

• A – It is 5mm in thickness and great for items that need more cushioning or extra stacking strength.

• B – It is 3.2 mm in thickness and popular for self-supporting products that don’t need box support like canned goods.

• C – It is 4 mm in thickness and is the all-purpose flute.

• E – It is 1.6 mm in thickness and used for retail packaging because of its printability.

• F – It is 0.8 mm in thickness and offers superior image clarity.

What are the different board types?

There are four board types used in corrugated cardboard boxes.

1. Single-face – Used to wrap products for extra protection.
2. Single-wall – Used for shipping retail displays and boxes.
3. Double-wall – Used to ship heavy products.
4. Triple-wall – Used to produce bins or industrial parts.

What are the different box styles?

• Regular slotted container
• Full overlap container
• One-piece folder
• Full telescope design

Are corrugated cardboard boxes recyclable?

Cardboard boxes are biodegradable and shredding them to pieces quickens the degradation process. Used boxes can also be recycled, reused, and remade. Cardboard recycles do not lose their rigidity or strength. So, it is also a great recycling material.

Equipped with corrugated cardboard box basics, you can choose the best packaging material and style. Businesses around Quebec, Arizona, Vermont, and Oregon have been partnering with Belley for designing their product packaging.