Different types of cardboard
What types of cardboard are there?
Cardboard is available in different types. Everyone can see that there is a difference between a brown box that arrives by post and the cereal box in our kitchen. However, both are cardboard. The term cardboard is even used for heavy paper when it is heavier than 180 grams per sqm. Just like paper, cardboard is 100% recyclable and may be collected with the waste paper when clean. All these different types of cardboard come in different board grades. This depends on the paper used. In general, you can say that within a cardboard type, you get stronger packaging if you use thicker cardboard. But why are there different types of cardboard?
The well-known cereal box is also known as paperboard or chipboard. We also know solid cardboard, moulded cardboard, graphic cardboard, honeycomb cardboard and corrugated cardboard. We at De Jong Verpakking make the latter type and you often receive it when you have ordered a parcel from a webshop. We take you through all the types of cardboard.
Solid cardboard
We sometimes call solid cardboard grey cardboard or a shorter solid board. We make solid cardboard by gluing three to six layers of paper together. This is actually always recycled paper. The outer layers are often white or brown paper, but the middle layers do not have to be. The outside can also be coated with PE, which makes it moisture-resistant. Solid board comes in a weight range of 500 to 1200g/m2. Solid board is often used to pack moist products, and that can certainly include fruit and vegetables. That is why we have a wide range of solid board packaging.
Moulded fibre
You often come across moulded fibre in shops or when you are unpacking something. It is the cardboard we make egg cartons from, for example, but it is also used for fruit trays and increasingly as a substitute for polystyrene. That is why you come across it as a protective material in other packaging. The big advantage of this is that you can throw away the whole packaging in the paper bin.
Paperboard
Paperboard or chipboard is a firm but flexible product that is often used for consumer packaging. It is often used in the supermarket, as it is very printable, recyclable, has a limited volume and weight and can be produced in many different shapes. Every brand in the supermarket can therefore find a solution in paperboard. Paperboard is also made by pressing different layers of paper together. The outer layer is usually white, which makes it easy to print on, and it is often coated to give it a more attractive appearance.
Honeycomb cardboard
Honeycomb cardboard is a type of cardboard that we do not often see as consumers, but it is widely used. It is a very strong type of cardboard, because it is made like a honeycomb. Many hexagonal cells are glued together, with a layer of paper or cardboard on both outer sides. This core is then glued perpendicularly to the sheets. You will also find this as a filling material in other packaging, but it is also used in interior doors, cardboard pallets and nowadays honeycomb cardboard is even used in furniture. If you are looking for special paper to make honeycomb cardboard, you can go to the paper mill of DJP – De Hoop.
Graphic board
Graphic board is, as the name says, used in the graphic industry. You will find this product in, for instance, binders, hand-bound books, games or luxury packaging. It is made by gluing several layers of solid cardboard together. This makes graphic board very strong and it sometimes feels almost like wood. However, it remains a type of cardboard that is easy to print and process.
Corrugated cardboard
De Jong Verpakking produces corrugated cardboard. Corrugated cardboard consists of three or five layers of paper, depending on whether it is a single or double flute. You can make single or double corrugated cardboard. The middle layer is the familiar flute, which is where the name comes from. For the outside, you can choose white or brown paper. The different layers are glued together with starch on a corrugator. In contrast to other types of cardboard, a small proportion of virgin paper is used. Corrugated cardboard is usually chosen because it has a good strength-to-weight ratio. Depending on the thickness of the flute and thus the thickness of the cardboard, a box will become stronger.
Types of corrugated cardboard
The thickness of corrugated cardboard is indicated by a letter. This refers specifically to the thickness of the flute. The most common flutes are E, B and C flutes. An E flute, or E cardboard, has a thickness of about 2mm, a B flute (B cardboard) is about 3mm thick and a C flute (C cardboard) is about 4mm thick. You will therefore need more paper. These different flutes can also be combined to form for example an EB or BC flute. You then have double corrugated cardboard, because you make 2 flutes in the cardboard. The double corrugated cardboard is thus also thicker and stronger than single corrugated cardboard. On the market, you sometimes see triple corrugated cardboard, which is made from three layers of corrugated cardboard. This is even thicker corrugated cardboard, but it is rarely used.
Double corrugated cardboard boxes
De Jong Verpakking produces many trays and folding boxes with a double flute. These boxes of thick corrugated cardboard are extra strong and can be used to transport heavy articles or products that need to be protected extra well. If you use a strong cardboard grade, some boxes can carry over 100kg. Double corrugated boxes are widely used in the production industry at home and abroad. Because of the stackability of corrugated boxes, you can easily make full pallets and send products all over the world. It is important, however, that you stack the double corrugated folding boxes properly. In our blog on box stacking, we will gladly explain why this is so important. Many trays in the fresh produce market are also made of double corrugated cardboard. The products in it must be well protected. As a grower, you don’t want the bottom boxes to arrive at their destination crushed and all your products damaged.
