paperboard

Paperboard is thicker and stiffer than regular writing or printer paper, but it is usually smoother and less bulky than corrugated cardboard, the kind used for shipping boxes. Think of cereal boxes, shoe boxes, notepad backing, or small product cartons on store shelves. It is widely used for packaging, displays, and craft projects. You may also hear people connect it with card stock, though card stock is usually just one kind of paperboard made for things like cards or invitations. Without it, many everyday boxes and packages would feel very different.

Paperboard is a thick, stiff paper-based material used mainly for packaging and backing. It sits between ordinary paper and corrugated cardboard: it is stronger and more rigid than normal paper, but it does not have the thick fluted inner layer that gives shipping boxes their extra strength. People often loosely call it "cardboard" in everyday speech, but in a more exact sense, paperboard usually means the solid, flat board used for cartons and similar items.

You see paperboard all the time. The box holding your breakfast cereal, the carton around cosmetics, the backing of a writing pad, and some book covers are often made from it. Stores also use it for display stands and signs. It is useful because it can be cut, folded, printed on, and shaped without much trouble, which is why both manufacturers and crafters like it.

There are different kinds of paperboard, too. Chipboard is a lower-cost, often recycled kind used for backing boards or simple packaging. Card stock is a smoother, often higher-quality kind used for business cards, invitations, and similar items. Folding boxboard is made to fold well into cartons and small boxes.

So next time you're unpacking groceries or admiring product packaging, take a closer look—chances are, you're holding a piece of versatile, everyday paperboard!