Does cardboard count as wood?
People use cardboard all the time and can’t live without it. Boxes made of cardboard are used in nearly 90% of all shipments. Lots of different things, like toothpaste, cereal, and shoes, come in boxes made of cardboard.
One of the questions many people ask about cardboard is does cardboard count as wood? In this article we will answer this question and also learn how cardboard is made and much more about cardboard.
Does cardboard count as wood?
In the same way that paper is mostly made from wood, cardboard is mostly made from wood. Usually, the pulp of pine trees that grow quickly is used to make it.
Cellulose, which is a very valuable material, is the main ingredient in making paper and cardboard. Cellulose can be made from certain kinds of plants and trees that have been grown in a certain way.
The main selling points for paper and cardboard as building materials are how easy they are to make, how cheap they are to transport, and how strong they are.
You can make an infinite number of cardboard packages if you start with a bunch of different cartons that vary in size and quality.
Paper is the main thing that goes into making carton-based products. Also, the paper can be used in a lot of the same ways as cardboard. There are a lot of different kinds of paper made these days, and packaging papers can be made in many different shapes.
Some of the least expensive ways to package things are paper and cardboard. Recently, there has been a lot of progress in technology. This has made it possible to make cardboard that is stronger, thinner, lighter, cheaper, and uses less raw materials.
Paper and cardboard are two materials that are often used in the packaging business because they are cheap and easy to make.
When compared to the costs of other materials that can be used for packaging, paper and cardboard are much cheaper. New designs have made it possible to use cardboard packaging for more things.
Corrugated cardboard is made by putting two sheets of corrugated paper on top of each other. This is an alternative to using wood in many different situations.
What is cardboard made of?
Cardboard is something that can be made from paper. Wood pulp is used to make both corrugated cardboard, which is used to make shipping boxes, and paper board, which is used to make cereal boxes.
Wood pulp is a very useful raw material that comes from the wood of trees. To make wood pulp, you have to break down the parts of trees that are made of fiber. This is done by putting wood chips through machines called pulp digesters.
Inside the machine, high heat, which often comes in the form of steam, and a chemical mix work together to dissolve the polymers that hold the fibers together?
After that, the factory gets rid of any waste or ingredients that aren’t needed. After the wood pulp has been washed and sometimes bleached, it is ready to be used. Then it is pressed into place to give it its final shape, and then it is left to dry.
Wood pulp is used to make all kinds of paper and paper products that people use every day, such as envelopes, napkins, tissues, and receipts.
Adding corrugations to the surface of cardboard takes a few more steps. Even though both are made of cardboard, a cereal box is usually thinner and less sturdy than a shipping box.
Because shipping boxes are made of many layers of cardboard that are stuck together, this is the case. Because there are many layers, the boxes are strong and keep things warm, but they are still easy to move.
Most corrugated cardboard boxes are made of three layers: a fluted, or “wavy,” layer in the middle and two smooth, stiff layers on either side. Because of this, the box can handle a lot of pressure.
How is cardboard made?
Initial Development
The Kraft process, which is also called the sulfate process, was first made by German scientist Carl F. Dahl in 1884. Kraft is a German word that means “strength” and refers to the process of making pulp from wood.
In order to make paper, he heated a mixture of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide and added wood chips from pine or silver birch trees. He then used a number of mechanical and chemical processes to make paper.
This process, which can be found in pulp mills, is still used to make most paper today. Kraft paper is usually used to line the outside of cardboard boxes because it is stronger than test paper and has a smooth finish that makes it easier to print on. Most of the time, test paper is used to line the inside of a cardboard box.
On the other hand, test paper is made from recycled materials or the pulp of hardwood trees. Because of this, it is cheaper and has a rougher quality.
Pulping
In a process called “pulping,” the wood must be stripped of its fibers and cellulose in order to make paper. This makes sure that the wood chips made are clean and good enough for the job they will be used for.
The first step to do this is to cut down the trees and turn them into a lot of logs. After that, the logs go through a machine that strips them of their bark and breaks them up into smaller pieces.
Either a mechanical or a chemical process can be used to turn wood chips into pulp (Kraft). Still, the chemical process (Kraft) that uses sulfide is the most common way because it makes separation better and lowers the amount of lignin (a non-fibrous constituent of wood).
This leads to a better paper in the end. On the other hand, the mechanical method (test paper) is a great option to think about if you want a low-cost solution with a larger output that isn’t as good.
To break down the fibers, the debarked logs must be ground against a rotating stone or disk grinder at a high speed. Water is sprayed on the stone to wash the fibers off of it.
From Pulp to Cardboard
During the first step of the process, called “beating,” machines crush and squeeze the pulp. Fillers, like clays and chalks, or sizing materials, like gum and starch, can be added to paper. A Fourdrinier machine can then be used to get rid of any extra water. The type of filler and sizing used depends on what the paper will be used for in the end.
After that, the almost-done cardboard is pressed between wool-felt rollers, and then it is put through cylinders heated by steam to get rid of any remaining water.
For corrugated cardboard to be made, the next step is needed, which is to wind the sheet around a wheel.
The last steps are coating, winding, and calendaring, even if the cardboard will be used for something else in the end (smoothing of the surface).
Flutes
Since it has flutes, cardboard is strong and can be used to protect things. It has two layers of cardboard and a piece of cardboard with waves in it in between.
The same way that ruffles were added to hats and shirts in the 18th century. It is now used to make fluted pieces of cardboard.
Single-walled boxes only have one layer of flutes, while double-walled boxes have two layers for more durability.
Corrugated Cardboard
Corrugated boxes are expected to last longer than their regular cardboard counterparts. They are made up of three layers: a layer on the outside, a layer on the inside, and a ruffled layer with flutes.
Because of this, the total weight of the packing is now very low, but it still has a good strength-to-weight ratio.
Corrugated cardboard can be used to ship bigger and more fragile items, while regular cardboard should only be used for lighter items like greeting cards and cereal boxes.
Is Cardboard Biodegradable?
When oil, food, or water doesn’t get on the cardboard, it can be recycled. It is possible to recycle cardboard.
With a cardboard baler, you can recycle cardboard, paper, bottles, and even aluminum and tin cans. This can help small eco businesses reduce their waste.
Cardboard can also be broken down into its parts over time. This is possible because it is made of natural materials that are good for composting.
It can be broken down into its natural parts without leaving behind any dangerous by products. If the cardboard hasn’t been bleached, that makes it even better.
The nutrients that can be taken out of compost can be used to help plants grow in farms and gardens.
Composting is better than recycling for dirty cardboard boxes like those used for pizza boxes, egg cartons, paper towel boxes, and so on. Composting is also a better thing to do for sustainable development.
Since cardboard is used for packaging in almost every part of the economy, it is important to know how it affects the natural world.
Recycling paper and cardboard is good for the environment in many ways, like reducing the need for energy and the rate of trees being cut down.
Also, biodegradation makes it possible for corrugated cardboard to completely break down in a year.
By reducing, reusing, and recycling cardboard, businesses can avoid using it when it’s not necessary.
This not only saves a lot of money, but it also helps attain environmental sustainability in a very important way.
