If you are currently packing up your house and getting ready to move, you’ve probably got a good amount of cardboard boxes scattered about. But, with something as common and ordinary as a cardboard box, have you even given any thought to what goes into making one? Probably not.
Did you know that cardboard boxes are made with steam? Yeah, we said steam. So, as you pack up and move those boxes, remember that!
Cardboard boxes have been around for what seem ages, and for a good reason – they’re really sturdy and durable. That’s why they are so often used during relocation. Making a cardboard box is relatively easy; the main ingredients are heat, glue, and paper.
When a cardboard box is made, a designer decides what elements will go into the construction. Will the box be used for moving or holding something small? Depending on what the box will be used for and how long it is meant to last will determine how the box is designed.
Once the design is decided upon, that’s where the steam comes in. Every single cardboard box – whether it’s the one your pizza came in or what you’re packing your books into – is made from paperboard. The first layer of paperboard, which is the corrugating medium, is heated with steam.
After the layer is heated, it is passed through corrugating rolls, which are machines that give the corrugated cardboard its unique shape and ridges. After that, a layer of glue is applied so that a flat, linear sheet can be affixed to both sides. From there, different shapes and sizes are cut out to make the boxes you will be moving with, or the one that held the contents from a recent purchase.
Lance Grooms
