Tube sizing is two numbers: length and diameter. Both come from the rolled print rather than from the flat print, which is why a poster's dimensions alone are not enough to order a tube. Roll a sample, measure it, and the rest is straightforward.
Length: measured from the roll, not the poster
A poster is rolled along one edge, and the rolled length equals the edge you did not roll along. Roll a 24 by 36 inch poster along its 24 inch side and you have a 24 inch long roll, so you need a tube of roughly 25 to 26 inches. The extra allowance matters because the caps take up length and because a print that exactly fills the tube is difficult to get out without damaging the edge.
| Print size | Roll along | Tube length | Typical diameter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 x 17 in | 11 in edge | About 12 in | 1.5 to 2 in |
| 18 x 24 in | 18 in edge | About 19 to 20 in | 2 in |
| 24 x 36 in | 24 in edge | About 25 to 26 in | 2 to 3 in |
| 27 x 40 in | 27 in edge | About 28 to 30 in | 3 in |
Diameter: thickness and quantity decide it
Diameter is not about the poster's size, it is about what happens when the paper is curled. Thin paper tolerates a tight roll. Heavy card, coated stock and laminated prints resist it and can crack along the surface, so they need a wider roll and therefore a wider tube. Quantity has the same effect: five prints rolled together form a much thicker roll than one. If you are shipping artwork that will be framed, err wider, because a print that arrives with a tight memory curl is difficult to flatten.
Wall thickness and protection
A tube protects in two ways: it resists being crushed, and it stops the contents being bent. Thin walled tubes are fine for a single lightweight print going a short distance. For valuable artwork, for long tubes, or for anything moving through a parcel network where it may be stacked under heavier boxes, a thicker wall is worth the small extra cost. Caps matter too: a cap that can pop off in transit turns a protected print into a lost one, so tape the ends or specify a cap that fits tightly.
How carriers charge for tubes
Long parcels are usually priced on length plus girth rather than on weight alone, and for a cylinder the girth is the circumference, which is pi times the diameter. That means a small increase in diameter adds more than you expect to the billable size, and an unnecessarily long tube can push a shipment into a different bracket. Check the current limits and surcharges with your carrier before you standardize on a long tube, because those thresholds are set by them and they change.
Printed tubes
Tubes can be printed or wrapped, and for a brand shipping prints regularly this is worth doing, since a plain kraft tube is the only part of the experience the customer sees before opening. A printed wrap covers the full surface, and a label is the cheaper option for smaller quantities or for variable information. Design support and the artwork setup are included.
What a tube run costs
Orders start at 100 units. Pricing starts from about $0.48 per unit at bulk volumes, confirmed on your written quote, with diameter, length, wall thickness and print coverage as the variables. Count from about 7 business days in production on the standard lane, then 2 to 5 for delivery. Choose rush for expedited production and air freight, at about 7 to 25% more depending on the job, or cost saver for sea freight at the lowest cost.
Get a tube quoted
Roll one print, measure it, and send the roll length and diameter with your quantity to the quote form. For the shipping focused version see mailing tube dimensions, and for the rest of your shipping range see custom ecommerce packaging.
