Paperboard Boxes and Folding Cartons

What is Paperboard?

Paperboard is the industry name for the thicker sheets of paper used primarily for product packaging. Also known as cardstock, or board stock, the paper is designed specifically for manufacturing custom product boxes and is available in various thicknesses (calipers) ranging from 0.008” to 0.048” (8 point to 48 point). Paperboard is used extensively in custom product packaging because it is environmentally friendly, has excellent print qualities, is strong, yet lightweight, and can easily be cut, scored and glued into boxes and other product packaging.

Paperboard Finishes

Paperboard comes in several varieties, with some coated for print and others left uncoated. Coated paperboards have a smooth, bright white clay coat applied to one side (C1S) or both sides (C2S) to enhance print quality, brightness, and moisture resistance. While clay-coated paper isn't required for printing, it enhances color vibrancy and sharpens contrasts, giving printed paperboard boxes extra pop. This makes it ideal 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

Solid Bleached Sulfate (SBS)

SBS paper is a virgin (non-recycled) coated paper stock with a smooth, white surface, making it perfect for premium, high-quality printed packaging. It's commonly used for food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals because it looks clean, gives good color contrast, and can be coated for moisture protection.

C1S (coated one side) SBS paperboard is by far the most popular paper choice for custom printed product boxes.

Coated Recycled Board (CRB)

CRB is made from recycled fibers, making it more eco-friendly. While the print surface isn’t as smooth as SBS, it remains an excellent paperboard carton for many packaging needs, especially when sustainability and cost are priorities.

Uncoated Recycled Board (URB)

Sometimes referred to as chipboard, this paper is fully recycled and uncoated, giving it a natural, rustic look.  It’s often used for organic or eco-conscious products.

Kraft Paperboard

A Brown, earthy colored paper, it is made from unbleached wood pulp and is known for its strength, making it a good choice for heavier products. Each type of paperboard offers a mix of looks, durability, and environmental benefits, meeting different packaging requirements.

Difference Between Paperboard and Cardboard

While cardboard can refer to paperboard, and often that’s the intent, it’s more of a generic term to describe thicker paper products, including corrugated materials. Technically, paperboard is a single-layered paper that is less than 0.048 inches thick. While "cardboard" is a more general term that can include paperboard box packaging, it’s commonly associated with corrugated packaging, like shipping boxes. Corrugated fiberboard, which is what corrugated boxes are made of, consists of a fluted (wavy) paper layer sandwiched between two flat paperboard liners.

Paperboard Thickness

Paperboard in the United States is calibrated in thousandths of an inch (0.001”, or in printer speak, 1 point).  The most commonly used paperboard thicknesses for printed box packaging range from 0.014” to 0.024” (14 point to 24 point), with thicknesses increasing in steps of 0.002” (2 pt.). For example, a 14 pt. thickness moves to 16 pt., then to 18 pt., and so on.

How to determine paperboard thickness needed for your product packaging.

Paperboard Calibrated in GSM

European countries use grams per square meter (GSM) for their paper thickness calibration.  GSM measures the weight of the paper in grams for a square meter (1m²). For example, if a sheet of paper measures 80 GSM, it means that one square meter of that paper weighs 80 grams.

To put thickness in perspective, 24pt. thick paperboard is credit card thickness. Most consumer product boxes are made from paper thicknesses between 16 pt. and 24 pt. Custom printed packaging using paper thinner than this tends to be flimsy, unless the product is very small.