You can pack a pallet perfectly and still have product arrive dented, crushed, or scrapped. The culprit is usually the edges. Strapping and stretch film pull tight against the corners of your load, and forklifts, other freight, and rough handling all hit those same corners first. Edge protectors are one of the cheapest ways to stop that damage, but only if you match the right style and grade to the job. Here is how to think about them.
What edge protectors actually do
An edge protector, also called a corner board or angle board, is a rigid L-shaped length of laminated paperboard or plastic that sits along the vertical or horizontal edges of a palletized load. It does two jobs at once. First, it spreads the pressure of strapping and stretch film across a wider area so the banding does not cut into cartons. Second, it adds vertical stacking strength so pallets can be double-stacked in a trailer or rack without the bottom load collapsing. For anyone shipping cases of product on wood pallets, that combination is what keeps freight claims down.
Paperboard vs. plastic
Most warehouses run laminated paperboard corner boards. They are recyclable, inexpensive, and available in a wide range of leg sizes and thicknesses. They are the default for general dry freight. Plastic edge protectors cost more but hold up in cold storage, wet environments, and reusable closed-loop shipping programs where the same protector makes multiple trips. If your product moves through humidity or refrigeration, paperboard can soften and lose strength, so plastic earns its price there.
Getting the size and thickness right
Edge protectors are specified by three numbers: leg length, wall thickness, and overall length. Bigger and thicker is not always better. A few guidelines:
- Leg length — Longer legs (3 inches or more) spread strap pressure over a wider surface and suit heavy or fragile loads. Shorter 2-inch legs are fine for light cartons.
- Wall thickness — Thicker board (.160 to .225 inch) adds real vertical stacking strength for double-stacked or racked pallets. Thinner board mainly protects against strap cut-in.
- Length — Vertical protectors should run the full height of the load so the top and bottom cartons are both covered. Cutting them short leaves the corners you most want to protect exposed.
When in doubt, match the protector to how the load is handled downstream, not just how it leaves your dock. A pallet that gets re-stacked three times before it reaches the shelf needs more corner strength than one going straight to a single destination.
Where edge protectors fit with your other supplies
Edge protectors work as a system with your strapping and film. Polyester or polypropylene strapping tensioned over corner boards gives you a tight, secure load without crushing the outer cartons. Stretch film over the top locks everything together and keeps the protectors in place. If you are already buying strapping and film in bulk, adding corner boards to the same recurring order is an easy way to cut load damage without adding a separate vendor. For non-standard load dimensions, custom boxes and bulk orders can be quoted to fit your exact product so the whole unit ships tighter from the start.
KMS Distributing stocks paperboard and plastic edge protectors alongside 20,000+ other packaging products, so Chicagoland shippers can standardize their whole pallet program in one place. You can browse the full catalog online or call for bulk pricing on the sizes you run most.
Ready to stop losing product to crushed corners? Call KMS Distributing at (847) 630-7502, email orders@kmsdistributing.com, or browse 20,000+ products at kmsdistributors.com/Shop. We offer free Chicagoland delivery on orders over $1,000, and most in-stock orders placed before noon deliver the next business day.
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