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A cardboard box, in the trade, is one of two different things: a corrugated box, made from a fluted sheet between two liners, which is what ships products, or a paperboard carton, made from a single solid sheet, which is what sits on a retail shelf. The word cardboard covers both and the two are not interchangeable. We make both, printed to your brand, in any size and with no minimum order. The number that separates them is thickness: corrugated board runs from 1/16 inch (E flute) to 1/4 inch (double wall); paperboard runs from 0.012 to 0.030 inch, thinner than a coin.
Choosing the wrong one is the most common packaging mistake we see. A paperboard carton used as a shipping box arrives crushed; a corrugated box used as a retail carton looks industrial and costs more to print. This page sorts the two, then the main structures inside each, so you can ask for the right thing.
Corrugated or paperboard
| Corrugated box | Paperboard carton | |
|---|---|---|
| Made from | a fluted sheet glued between two flat liners | one solid sheet of paperboard |
| Thickness | 1/16 in (E flute) to 1/4 in (double wall) | 0.012 to 0.030 in (12 to 30 pt) |
| Strength stated as | ECT, edge crush test: 32, 44, 48 | caliper in points, and board type (SBS, kraft, recycled) |
| Job | shipping, mailers, subscription boxes, heavy retail | retail cartons, cosmetics, food, pharma, gift |
| flexo direct, or litho laminated for luxury | offset litho, full color, foil, emboss | |
| Ships to you | flat, folds without tape | flat, folds or glues |
Corrugated box structures
| Structure | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Regular slotted container (RSC) | four flaps meet in the middle top and bottom, taped | shipping cartons, master cases, moving boxes |
| Roll end tuck front mailer | folds up without tape, lid tucks in front | subscription and ecommerce boxes, printed inside and out |
| Ear lock mailer | lid locks with side tabs | heavier ecommerce boxes, glass, reopened boxes |
| Die-cut tray with lid | a shallow tray and a separate or hinged lid | food, catering, display, gift |
| Full overlap (FOL) | outer flaps overlap fully | heavy or fragile shipments, pallet loads |
Paperboard carton structures
| Structure | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Straight tuck end | both ends tuck the same way | cosmetics, small retail, pharma |
| Reverse tuck end | ends tuck opposite ways | food, retail, easy opening |
| Snap lock (1 2 3) bottom | base flaps lock without glue | jars, bottles, heavier retail items |
| Auto lock (crash) bottom | pre-glued base springs open | high volume packing lines |
| Sleeve, pillow, gable, window | shaped cartons for presentation | gifts, favors, bakery, soap |
Board grades in plain terms
For corrugated: E flute at 32 ECT for printed mailers under 3 pounds; B flute at 32 ECT for mailers to 8 pounds; C flute at 32 or 44 ECT for shipping cartons; BC double wall at 48 ECT for heavy or stacked loads. For paperboard: 16 point for small light cartons, 18 point as the all round grade, 24 point for tall boxes, glass and anything over 3 pounds. SBS is bleached white board for the cleanest print; kraft is natural brown; recycled board is grey inside and suits inner cartons and eco lines.
In short
What to send us: what goes in the box, its size and weight, whether the box ships or sits on a shelf, and how many. What you get back: corrugated or paperboard, the structure and grade with the reason, a size, a dieline and a physical sample to load. What it costs you to start: nothing. Free design, free dieline, free samples, no minimum order.
Cardboard box questions
What is the difference between cardboard and corrugated?
Cardboard is the everyday word for both. Corrugated board is a fluted sheet between two liners, 1/16 to 1/4 inch thick, used for shipping boxes and mailers. Paperboard is a single solid sheet, 0.012 to 0.030 inch thick, used for retail cartons. They are not interchangeable: paperboard crushes in shipping and corrugated looks industrial on a shelf.
What is ECT on a cardboard box?
Edge crush test: the load a corrugated board edge carries before it buckles, which sets the stacking strength. 32 ECT is the standard single wall grade for mailers and cartons, 44 ECT the heavy single wall, 48 ECT the common double wall.
What thickness of paperboard do I need for a carton?
16 point for small light cartons, 18 point as the all round grade, 24 point for tall boxes, glass and anything over 3 pounds. Points are thousandths of an inch.
Which box structure should I ask for?
For shipping: an RSC for cases, a roll end mailer for ecommerce, an ear lock mailer for heavier contents. For retail: a straight or reverse tuck end carton, a snap lock bottom for jars and bottles, or a sleeve, pillow, gable or window carton for presentation. Tell us the product and we will name it.
Is there a minimum order?
No. One box, a hundred or a production run, corrugated or paperboard. Free design and dieline, free samples, and a printed proof before the run.
No minimum order. One or a full run. Free design and dieline, and a printed proof before production. Free samples so you can load a sample before you commit. Price match: send a written quote for the same size, board, print and quantity and we will beat it.
Related: all cardboard boxes, mailer boxes, snap lock bottom boxes and corrugated board specification reference.
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