Walk through any Chicagoland warehouse and you will find stretch film on every pallet leaving the dock. What you will not always find is someone who can explain why they are using the gauge they are using. Most operations inherited a film choice years ago and never revisited it. That is a problem, because gauge is the single biggest factor in whether a pallet arrives intact, how much film you burn per load, and how much you pay per roll.
This guide explains what gauge actually means, how the common gauges differ, and how to pick the right one for the loads you ship every day.
What Gauge Means
Gauge is a measure of film thickness. One gauge equals 0.01 mil, so an 80-gauge film is 0.8 mil (about 20 microns) thick. Thicker film generally means more puncture resistance and more holding force, but also more weight per roll and a higher price. Thinner film costs less per roll and can still perform well, as long as it matches the load.
One important note: gauge is not the whole story. Modern pre-stretched and multi-layer films can outperform a thicker conventional film at a lower gauge number. Always compare the manufacturer’s spec sheet, not just the thickness. If you are unsure, ask us and we will match a film to your load before you buy a pallet of it.
Common Stretch Film Gauges and Where They Fit
- 37 to 47 gauge: Light-duty. Best for uniform, lightweight loads with no sharp corners, such as boxed paper goods or bundled cartons. Not a good choice for mixed loads or anything with protruding edges.
- 60 to 63 gauge: The general-purpose range for most hand-wrapped pallets. Handles typical boxed freight, moderate weights, and standard LTL shipments. If you only stock one gauge for hand wrapping, this is usually it.
- 70 to 80 gauge: Heavy-duty. Use it for heavier pallets, irregular loads, loads with sharp corners, and anything traveling multiple legs through freight terminals. This is the common choice for machine wrapping as well.
- 90 gauge and above: Extra heavy-duty. Reserved for very heavy or high-value loads, drums, building materials, and applications where a failed wrap is not an option.
Hand Film vs. Machine Film
Gauge is only half the decision. Hand film comes in shorter, lighter rolls (typically 12 to 18 inches wide) so an operator can wrap a pallet without wearing out. Machine film comes in longer, heavier rolls sized for a turntable or rotary-arm wrapper, and it is designed to be stretched much further, often 200 to 300 percent, by the machine’s pre-stretch rollers.
Because a machine stretches the film so much more consistently than a person can, machine operations often get away with a lower gauge than the same load would need by hand. If you are wrapping more than roughly 15 to 20 pallets a day, the film savings alone can justify a semi-automatic wrapper. If you already have one, make sure the film you are buying is actually machine grade and not hand film loaded onto the mandrel.
Signs You Are Using the Wrong Gauge
- Film tears during wrapping: Either the gauge is too light for the load’s corners, or the operator is pulling too hard on a film that was not designed for that much stretch.
- Loads shift or lean on arrival: Not enough holding force. Move up a gauge, add more wraps at the base, or switch to a film with better cling.
- You are applying six or more wraps to feel secure: You are probably compensating for thin film with volume. A heavier gauge with fewer wraps is often cheaper per pallet.
- Rolls run out faster than expected: If nothing changed on the load side, someone may have switched to a thicker film than you actually need. Check the roll label against your standard.
How to Standardize Film Across a Facility
Most warehouses do best with two films: a general-purpose hand film (around 60 to 63 gauge) for the majority of loads, and a heavy-duty option (70 to 80 gauge) for the exceptions. Post the rule near each packing station so every operator uses the same film for the same load type. Standardizing also makes ordering simpler, since you can buy both in bulk quantities and take advantage of pallet pricing instead of paying case rates.
Keep film stored flat or on end in a climate-controlled area, away from direct sun and heaters. Film that sits in a hot trailer or a cold dock loses cling and tears more easily, which makes it look like a gauge problem when it is really a storage problem.
Getting the Right Film in Chicagoland
KMS Distributing stocks hand and machine stretch film in the common gauges, along with dispensers, edge protectors, strapping, and everything else that goes on a pallet. We are located at 15 E Palatine Rd, Suite 103, Prospect Heights, IL 60070, and most in-stock orders placed before noon deliver the next business day anywhere in the Chicago area. If you want to test a gauge before committing to a full order, we can quote a smaller quantity first. Browse film and dispensers in our online catalog.
Not sure which gauge your loads need? Call us at (847) 630-7502, email orders@kmsdistributing.com, or browse 20,000+ products at kmsdistributors.com/Shop. Free Chicagoland delivery on orders over $1,000.
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