Paperboard Boxes and Folding Cartons

What is Paperboard?

Paperboard is the industry name for the thicker sheets of paper used for product packaging. What sets it apart from lighter paper grades is the stiffness of the board and how crisply it can be folded. This is what makes paperboard especially well-suited for folding carton packaging—the custom product boxes you see everywhere in retail and across many other packaging applications.

Paperboard is available in various thicknesses (calipers), typically ranging from 0.008” to 0.048” (8 point to 48 point). It is environmentally friendly, has excellent print qualities, is strong yet lightweight, and can easily be die cut, folded, and glued into boxes and other product packaging.

What are Folding Cartons?

Folding cartons are product boxes made from printed paperboard. They are one of the most common types of custom product packaging in use today. Folding cartons come in many styles, each designed for different products, packaging needs, and selling situations.

Their popularity comes from how efficiently they can be printed, folded, filled, and displayed. The term “folding carton” refers to the way the boxes fold flat for storage.

If you’re researching paperboard and folding cartons, you’ll likely come across related terms like cardstock and cardboard. These are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same.

Don't Confuse Cardstock with Paperboard

If you're looking into printed product boxes, you've likely come across the term “cardstock.”

Cardstock is a thick paper stock that looks and feels similar to paperboard, but it's not the same.

Both paper stocks print exceptionally well, and cardstock is available in the same calipers (thicknesses) as paperboard. Unlike paperboard, however, it does not have the stiffness needed for most folding carton packaging.

That added rigidity is why paperboard is the preferred stock for folding cartons and other custom product boxes. It’s what gives product packaging its strength. Most manufacturers use high-grade SBS paperboard for product packaging because it delivers a clean, consistent surface for crisp, vibrant prints and sharp graphics.

By contrast, cardstock is more commonly used for business cards, postcards, and other printed materials where a more substantial feel matters more than strength.

Difference Between Paperboard and Cardboard

People often use the word cardboard when they really mean paperboard, especially when talking about product boxes. While cardboard can include paperboard, it is a broader, more generic term that may also refer to corrugated packaging.

In packaging, paperboard is the solid, single-layer material used to make folding cartons and other printed product boxes. Corrugated fiberboard, by contrast, is the thicker material used for shipping boxes, made with a fluted (wavy) inner layer between two flat outer liners.

Paperboard is more than just a packaging term. It also comes in different coatings, surface finishes, paper types, and thicknesses.

Paperboard Coatings and Surface Finishes

Paperboard coatings and surface finishes affect how packaging looks, feels, and performs—especially in retail settings, where appearance and durability both matter.

Paperboard comes in several varieties, with some coated for print and others left uncoated. Coated paperboards have a smooth, bright white clay coating applied to one side (C1S) or both sides (C2S) to improve print quality, brightness, and moisture resistance.

While coating is not required for printing, it enhances color vibrancy and sharpens contrast, giving printed paperboard boxes and folding cartons more visual impact. This makes coated paperboard a common choice for food, cosmetics, and consumer goods packaging.

Clay-coated paperboards are available in a range of finishes, from matte to gloss, depending on the packaging requirements.

Paperboard Types

The type of paperboard you choose affects how the box prints, feels, and performs.

Solid Bleached Sulfate (SBS)

SBS paper is a virgin (non-recycled) paperboard with a smooth, white surface that works well for high-quality printed packaging. It is often used for food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical packaging because it looks clean, prints sharply, and can be coated for added moisture resistance.

C1S (coated one side)

SBS paperboard is by far the most popular paper choice for custom printed product boxes, combining a coated outside for strong print quality and color with an uncoated inside that is common in folding carton packaging.

Coated Recycled Board (CRB)

Sometimes referred to as chipboard, URB is fully recycled and uncoated, giving it a more natural look. It is often used for organic products, eco-conscious packaging, or product boxes where a less polished appearance fits the brand.

Uncoated Recycled Board (URB)

Sometimes referred to as chipboard, URB is fully recycled and uncoated, giving it a more natural look. It is often used for organic products, eco-conscious packaging, or product boxes where a less polished appearance fits the brand.

Kraft Paperboard

Kraft paperboard is a brown paper stock made from unbleached wood pulp. It is known for its strength and natural appearance, making it a good choice for heavier products or packaging that needs a more earthy, uncoated look.

For custom printed boxes and retail packaging, paperboard thickness is a key specification. It affects how a box feels, performs, and holds up during shipping, handling, and display.

Paperboard Thickness

Paperboard in the United States is measured in thousandths of an inch (0.001"), also called points. In packaging, 1 point equals 0.001", so 18pt paperboard is 0.018" thick.

Most printed box packaging uses paperboard thicknesses from 14pt to 24pt, typically increasing in 2-point steps such as 14pt, 16pt, 18pt, 20pt, 22pt, and 24pt. To help put thickness in perspective, 24pt paperboard is about the thickness of a credit card.

Most consumer product boxes are made from paperboard between 16pt and 24pt, with 16pt generally considered the minimum thickness for most paperboard packaging used for product boxes. Below that range, the material is usually too flimsy unless the product is very small.

Custom Product Box Paperboard Thickness Chart

Choosing the Right Paperboard Thickness

If you're trying to decide what paperboard thickness to use for your folding carton packaging, the paperboard thickness chart above is a good place to start. Here are a few simple rules of thumb to help narrow it down:

• 16pt (0.016″ — slightly thicker than a business card)

  • Best for very small product boxes

  • Rule of thumb: base size (length x width) of about 0.75″ × 0.75″ or smaller

• 18pt (0.018″ — just under credit-card thickness)

  • A strong everyday choice for many cosmetics, food, and retail product boxes.

  • Rule of thumb: base size (length x width) of about 2.75″ × 2.75″ or smaller.

• 24pt (0.024″ — about the thickness of a credit card)

  • More rigid, with a sturdier and more premium feel.

  • Rule of thumb: base size (length x width) of about 3″ × 3″ or larger.

Note: These are general guidelines. Product weight, box depth, and how the packaging will be handled also affect the best paperboard thickness.

Paperboard Calibrated in GSM

Outside the United States, paper and paperboard are often measured in grams per square meter (GSM) instead of points. GSM refers to the weight of one square meter of paper.

While points measure thickness, GSM measures weight, so the two are not exact equivalents across all paper types. Still, GSM is commonly used in Europe and other regions as a standard way to describe paper and paperboard.