Bubble roll looks like the simplest product in protective packaging, and the spec sheet is where programs quietly go wrong. Rolls are quoted by linear footage of a given width and bubble height — and every one of those words hides a decision. Here's how to spec it so quotes come back comparable.
Bubble height: 3/16" and 1/8"
The bubble's height sets both cushioning and cost. 3/16" (small bubble) is the general-purpose workhorse — enough air for most e-commerce wrapping, void fill and surface protection. 1/8" (micro bubble) trades cushioning for a thinner, denser wrap that's kinder to tight box dimensions and interleaving jobs. We extrude both. Heavier items that need 5/16" or 1/2" large-bubble protection are a different film — if that's your load, say so up front rather than doubling up layers of small bubble on every parcel.
Widths and slitting
Bubble is extruded as a wide master web, then slit to the widths you order — common cuts are 12", 24" and 48", but slitting is flexible and the best programs match the roll width to the wrap job so nobody trims by hand. Wider slits use the master web more efficiently, which is why a 48" roll is cheaper per square foot than four 12" rolls.
Perforation: convenience with a cost
Perforation — tear lines every 12" — is a converting feature added at slitting, and not every manufacturer runs it; our rolls ship non-perforated, cut clean on dispensers or blades at the pack station. If your operation depends on tear-away sheets, confirm perforation capability before you shortlist a supplier. If it doesn't, unperforated roll is slightly cheaper and wraps anything without fighting the tear line.
The four numbers that make a quote exact
Bubble height, roll width, total linear footage per month, and whether the film needs any special property (color, antistatic). With those four a manufacturer can quote in a day — and you can compare any two quotes knowing they price the same thing.
Quick answers
What's the difference between 3/16" and 1/8" bubble?
Height of the air cell. 3/16" cushions better and fills more void; 1/8" wraps thinner and denser for tight boxes and interleaving. Most general shipping runs on 3/16".
Do bubble rolls come perforated?
Only if the converter runs perforation — it's a slitting-stage feature, not universal. Our rolls are non-perforated; if tear-away sheets are essential to your workflow, verify that capability with any supplier you shortlist.
What roll widths are available?
Rolls are slit from a wide master web, so widths are flexible — 12", 24" and 48" are the common cuts. Matching the width to your wrap job saves both labor and film.
