Corrugated cardboard
Density of corrugated cardboard
160 kg/m³ (100–250)
0.16 g/cm³ · 10.0 lb/ft³
The board is mostly air: two flat liners with a fluted layer between, giving an overall density around 160 kg/m³ even though the paper it is made from is 600-800. The flute is a row of arches, and it carries load edge-on — a stack of boxes is held up by the corrugations acting as tiny columns, which is why a box crushes instantly if laid on its side. Damp destroys it completely, since the strength lives in hydrogen bonds between fibres that water simply undoes.
Properties
- Density
- 160 kg/m³ (100–250) — 0.16 g/cm³
- Floats in water
- Yes
- Magnetic
- No
What it is used for
- Shipping boxes and transit packaging
- Pallet layer pads and dividers
- Display stands and temporary furniture
- Insulation and mulch in gardening
How it compares
Water is 1,000 kg/m³. Anything with a shorter bar than water floats in it.
air 1.2 kg/m³
expanded polystyrene foam 20 kg/m³
rigid polyurethane foam 40 kg/m³
corrugated cardboard 160 kg/m³
Water — the float line 1,000 kg/m³
tungsten 19,250 kg/m³
gold 19,300 kg/m³
platinum 21,450 kg/m³
| Material | Density | Relative to water |
|---|---|---|
| rigid polyurethane foam | 40 kg/m³ | 0.04× |
| expanded polystyrene foam | 20 kg/m³ | 0.02× |
| air | 1.2 kg/m³ | 0.00× |
| corrugated cardboard ← | 160 kg/m³ | 0.16× |
| platinum | 21,450 kg/m³ | 21.45× |
| gold | 19,300 kg/m³ | 19.30× |
| tungsten | 19,250 kg/m³ | 19.25× |
Does it rust?
Corrugated cardboard contains no iron, so it cannot rust. Whether it degrades depends on the material, not on oxidation.
Is it magnetic?
Corrugated cardboard is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.
Common questions
- What is the density of corrugated cardboard?
- 160 kg/m³ (100–250), or 0.16 g/cm³.
- Does corrugated cardboard float?
- Yes. At 160 kg/m³ it is less dense than water's 1,000.
- Is corrugated cardboard magnetic?
- Corrugated cardboard is not a metal and has no ferromagnetic response.
Related pages
Sources
- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place