Key Takeaway
Cardboard covers single-layer paperboard, typically 14 to 24pt, while corrugated adds a fluted medium between liners in E, B, C or double wall constructions, each with a different crush and stack profile. Teal Packaging is a US manufacturer producing both, with full-color print, free dieline design and FSC-certified and recyclable options by specification. One order can carry up to 24 separate designs, volume pricing starts from about $0.44 per unit at scale, and US shipping is free. Suits ecommerce, retail, subscription and industrial shippers choosing between formats.
Questions or ready for a quote? Contact Teal Packaging at info@tealpackaging.com or (224) 546-8325.
Cardboard describes two different materials. Paperboard is a single solid sheet measured in points, where one point is one thousandth of an inch, and it makes folding cartons. Corrugated is a fluted sheet glued between two liners, measured by flute profile, and it makes shipping boxes. A cereal box is paperboard. The box it arrived in on a pallet is corrugated.
Paperboard grades
| Grade | Caliper range | Surface | Where it is used |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solid bleached sulfate | 14pt to 28pt | White both sides | Cosmetics, supplements, premium retail cartons |
| Solid unbleached sulfate | 14pt to 24pt | Brown both sides | Soap, candles, natural positioning |
| Clay coated news back | 16pt to 24pt | White face, grey back | Budget cartons where the inside is unseen |
| Chipboard | 18pt to 30pt | Grey both sides | Backing, dividers, rigid box cores |
| Greyboard for rigid boxes | 1.5mm to 3mm | Wrapped in printed paper | Setup boxes and luxury gift builds |
Caliper is not the same as weight. Two boards at the same gsm can differ in thickness and in stiffness, so quote in points when you can and ask for the caliper if a supplier answers in gsm.
Corrugated flutes
| Flute | Flutes per linear foot | Thickness | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | About 33 | 1/4 in | Most cushioning, least printable |
| C | About 39 | 11/64 in | The general purpose shipping board |
| B | About 47 | 1/8 in | Good crush resistance, flat printing surface |
| E | About 90 | 1/16 in | Fine surface, the standard for mailers |
| F | About 128 | 1/32 in | Small retail boxes with detailed print |
| BC or EB | Two layers combined | 3/16 to 1/4 in | Double wall for heavy or long transit |
Strength is quoted as an edge crush rating. 32 ECT single wall covers most parcel shipping, 44 ECT handles heavier cases, and 48 to 55 ECT double wall carries the rest. An older burst strength scale still appears on some quotes, where 200 pound burst corresponds roughly to 32 ECT.
Corrugated box styles
- Regular slotted container. All flaps the same length, outer flaps meeting at the centre. The default shipping box.
- Full overlap. Outer flaps overlap completely, giving a double layer on the top and bottom faces for heavy contents.
- Half slotted container. An open top box, used with a separate lid or as a tray.
- Die cut mailer. One piece with a roll end and a tuck top, folding without tape and opening like a lid.
- Telescoping box. A separate base and lid, both open ended, used for depth flexibility.
- One piece folder. A flat wrap that folds around books and flat goods.
- Tray with a sleeve. A shallow tray with a printed sleeve sliding over it.
Folding carton styles
- Reverse tuck end. The cheapest die, with flaps folding in opposite directions.
- Straight tuck end. Both flaps fold the same way toward the back, leaving the face clean.
- Auto bottom. A pre glued base that snaps square in one motion, suited to weight.
- Tuck top snap lock bottom. A hand locking base for bakery and heavier retail goods.
- Five panel hanger. A carton with a hanging tab for peg displays.
- Gable top. A carton with a built in handle, common for food and gift packs.
Display boards
Cardboard displays sit between the two families. A small counter unit holding light product can be built in 24pt paperboard. Anything carrying real weight moves to E flute with a litho laminated printed liner, which keeps the print quality of paperboard on a wall that holds load. Floor displays and dump bins need B flute or BC double wall with a reinforced base, because the base panel carries the entire load through the whole placement.
How each family is printed
Paperboard runs through offset presses at a fine line screen, which is why folding cartons carry photographic artwork, foil, and embossing without difficulty. Corrugated is a rougher surface with air underneath it, so direct flexo printing works in one to three solid colors at a coarse screen and struggles with photographs. Litho lamination bridges the gap by printing a paperboard sheet on an offset press and bonding it to the corrugated afterwards.
Heavy solid ink over B or C flute can show the flute lines through the print, an effect called washboarding. E flute shows it far less because the flutes sit closer together. If your artwork has large flat color fields on a shipper, ask which flute the printer recommends before the die is cut.
Choosing between the two families
| Requirement | Choose |
|---|---|
| Retail shelf presence, light contents | Paperboard folding carton, 18pt to 24pt |
| Shipping direct to a customer | E flute die cut mailer |
| Stacking on a pallet | B or C flute, 32 ECT or higher |
| Photographic artwork on a shipper | Litho laminated E flute |
| Gift presentation | Rigid greyboard, wrapped, from 100 units |
| Counter display | 24pt board or E flute, depending on weight |
Minimums, pricing, and lead time
Custom folding cartons, corrugated boxes, and mailers begin at 50 units, and specialty rigid work begins at 100. Larger programs are quoted from about $0.44 per unit at volume, with the figure set by board, style, and decoration rather than quantity on its own. Eligible in house production may run in about 7 business days after proof approval, while specialty imported work may take about 12 weeks, both as planning ranges rather than guaranteed dates.
Teal is a US company producing from West Chicago, Illinois and from Guangzhou, and each job is routed to the facility that fits the board and the schedule. Send inside dimensions in length by width by depth, packed weight, the style by name, and the quantity. Dieline files cost nothing, a digital proof comes before the run, and US shipping is covered, with the $19.99 sample kit credited against your first order. Ranges are listed on the corrugated box page, the custom box range, and the display box page.
Ben Russell
Ben is a Senior Packaging Strategist and writer at Teal Packaging, covering packaging materials, design strategy, and practical branding insights.
