Custom 3x36 Mailing Tubes
Custom 3 × 36 inch mailing tubes for posters and rolled prints, wound in a heavy wall with ends that stay in, from 100. Plain kraft or printed with your mark — spec and price the same working day.
Three inches by thirty-six, because a 24 × 36 poster rolls to that
- Board
- Spiral-wound kraft, 2–3 mm wall
- Builds
- 3 in bore × 36 in length; plastic plug, crimped metal or paper ends
- Fits
- 24 × 36 in posters and A1 sheets, rolled
Get a price for 3x36 Mailing Tubes
Send the size and quantity — we reply the same working day with a price, a dieline and a date. Artwork optional at this stage.
- Free dielineThe flat drawing comes with the quote, before you commit.
- Proof before pressNothing is printed until you have seen it laid on the dieline.
- Die kept for reordersTooling is paid once. Every reorder skips straight to press.
- Quoted in four marketsUS, UK, Canada and Australia, in the delivery currency.
What fits, and what needs the next size
Length is the internal figure. With a plastic end cap at each end the outside is about 37 inches, and that is what the carrier measures.
| 24 × 36 in posters, rolled | Fits; the standard use |
|---|---|
| A1 (594 × 841 mm) sheets | Fits, rolled to the short side |
| A0 and 36 × 48 in | Needs a 4 in bore and a longer tube |
| Multiple prints, 5 or more | Roll tighter or move to a 4 in bore to avoid crushing |
Wall thickness is the whole product
A mailing tube travels alone, thrown, stacked and leaned on. The wall does all the protecting: 2 mm is the minimum we run for a 36 inch tube, 2.5–3 mm for anything that crosses a border or carries a print that cannot be reprinted. A thin-walled tube looks the same on the desk and arrives with a kink in the middle.
Ends that stay in
The plug fit is set on a sample. A plug that pushes out under a stack is the failure that loses the contents, and it is set right before the run. Our shipping tubes in other diameters cover the sizes on either side of the 3 × 36.
- Plastic snap-in plugs — the standard; removable, reusable, and they stay in if the fit is right.
- Crimped metal ends — one end fixed, one removable; the traditional poster-tube look.
- Crimped paper ends — plastic-free; one end sealed at the factory, the other with a plug or a tape closure.
Printed or plain
Most mailing tubes are plain kraft with a label. A one-color print around the tube — a repeated logo, a "do not bend", a brand color — is done on the outer ply as it is wound or on a paper wrap afterwards, and it turns the tube into part of the brand for a small increase on a short run.
If the tube ships internationally, leave a clear panel for the customs label. Print that goes underneath the label is wasted.
Who orders this size
Print shops, poster and art-print sellers, architects and engineers sending plans, photographers, map dealers, and anyone shipping a fabric banner or a roll of wallpaper. The tube is bought in hundreds and used for years, which is why the plug fit and the wall matter more than the price per tube.
3x36 Mailing Tubes — specification
The rows that are specific to this build first, then what applies to every job we run. Anything not listed is a question, not a limit — send the brief.
This build
- Board
- Spiral-wound kraft, 2–3 mm wall
- Builds
- 3 in bore × 36 in length; plastic plug, crimped metal or paper ends
- Fits
- 24 × 36 in posters and A1 sheets, rolled
- Plain kraft; 1-color on outer ply or printed wrap
- Ends
- Fit set on sample; one end fixed on request
- External size
- About 3.25 × 37 in with plugs, for carrier pricing
- Minimum
- 100 tubes
On every job
- Print process
- The tube itself is not printed. A wrap is printed offset as a flat sheet and applied, with the seam at the back.
- Color
- CMYK and spot colors on the wrap. Bare kraft takes one color directly, printed on the outer ply as the tube winds.
- Tolerance
- Diameter is fixed by the mandrel; length plus or minus 1 mm. Cap fit is set on a sample with a humidity allowance.
- Tooling
- The mandrel sets the diameter and is not a cost. Tooling is the wrap print and any foil die, made once and kept.
- Food contact
- A food-grade inner ply or a separate inner bag where the tube holds loose tea, coffee or confectionery.
- Sustainability
- The wound board and the paper wrap recycle as paper. Metal ends and plastic plugs are removed first.
- Artwork
- Vector PDF or AI, 3 mm bleed, 4 mm safe area, fonts outlined. We check every file and send a proof before press.
- Dieline
- Supplied free with the quote, before you commit. Yours whether or not you order.
- Sample
- A plain unprinted sample at the finished size on request, for fit and construction.
- Reorders
- Skip the tooling and go straight to press at a lower unit price.
- Lead time
- Quoted with the price against your fill date rather than promised before we have seen the spec.
- Markets
- United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia — priced in the delivery currency, freight included.
Boards and films we build 3x36 mailing tubes on
A tube is wound rather than folded, so the wall is built up in layers of board on a mandrel. That gives it drum stiffness, and it means the internal diameter comes from a fixed set of mandrels.
Wound kraft chipboard
Strips of recycled board spiralled and glued. The tube body: strong in compression, recyclable as paper, and naturally brown.
1–3 mm wallLight wall, 1–1.5 mm
For retail tubes that travel inside a shipper — tea, cosmetics, candles. Keeps the tube light and the freight down.
1–1.5 mmHeavy wall, 2–3 mm
For tubes posted on their own: posters, plans, spirits. A thin-walled long tube arrives with a kink in the middle.
2–3 mmPrinted paper wrap
The tube is not printed directly. A printed label is wrapped around it in full color, with foil or emboss, and the seam sits at the back.
120–157gsmTinplate ends
Crimped metal base and lid. The traditional tea and gift tube; adds weight and a different sound when it opens.
CrimpedPlastic plugs
Snap-in ends for shipping and poster tubes. Reusable, removable, and the fit is what stops them pushing out under a stack.
Push-fitFood-grade liners
A laminated or greaseproof inner ply, or a separate inner bag, where the tube holds loose tea, coffee or confectionery.
Inner ply or bagShoulder and telescoping lids
A short second tube over the base, or an inner collar for a flush join. The join is the difference between a container and a gift.
Wound to matchNot sure which? Say what goes in it and where it is sold — the material follows from that. Our notes on recycled, recyclable and compostable cover which claims each stock can honestly carry.
- 01
Send what you have
A dimension, a photograph beside a ruler, or the product itself. No technical drawing needed — that part is ours.
- 02
We quote and draw
A price, a dieline and a date come back together. If a different build would suit the product better, that is in the reply too.
- 03
Approve the dieline
The flat drawing is yours to check: which panel is the front, where the folds fall, how deep the cavity really is.
- 04
Artwork on the dieline
You place your design on the flat we sent, or we place it for you, and you see a proof before anything goes to press.
- 05
A sample if you want one
A plain unprinted sample at the finished size shows fit and construction — the things a drawing cannot.
- 06
Cut, printed, shipped
The die is cut once and kept, so every reorder skips the tooling and goes straight to press at a lower unit price.
Format
Vector PDF or AI where possible. Raster artwork at 300dpi at final size, in CMYK.
Bleed
3 mm past every trim line, so a fraction of drift on the cutter never leaves a white edge.
Safe area
Keep type and anything important 4 mm inside the cut and away from every fold.
Color
Convert to CMYK before sending. Uncoated stock prints lighter; a spot color is the only exact match.
Fonts
Outline them or supply the files. A missing font substitutes silently and the proof will not match.
Barcodes
On a light, matte, unvarnished patch with the quiet zone clear — a code on gloss fails the scanner.
Not set up that way? Send it anyway — fixing a file is a short conversation, and we check every one before press. Our guide to preparing print files covers each point.
A tube is finished on the wrap, so anything a flat sheet takes, a tube takes.
Bare kraft
No wrap at all. The natural wound board, which is the look most brands choose it for.
Printed wrap
Full color on a laminated paper applied round the tube, with the seam at the back.
Hot foil
On the wrap before it is applied, or on the lid top. Gold on kraft is the category signature.
Deboss on the wrap
Pressed after wrapping so the relief follows the curve.
Two-tone
One paper on the lid, another on the base. Reads as a deliberate design for almost nothing.
Metal ends
Tinplate base and lid. A different weight and a different sound when it opens.
Not sure which suits the shelf it sells from? Say where the product is sold and we suggest one — our notes on specialty finishes show them on real boxes.
Sizing a tube, where diameter comes in steps: 3x36 mailing tubes
Length is cut to order, but the internal diameter is set by the mandrel the tube is wound on. Those come in roughly 5 mm steps, so we choose the first step above your product rather than an exact figure.
- Internal diameter
- The product at its widest plus 2–3 mm, rounded up to the next mandrel. Anything more and a round product rolls inside.
- Length
- The product plus the depth of a cap at each end, plus 3 mm. Cut to any figure.
- Wall thickness
- 1–1.5 mm inside a shipper, 2–3 mm for a tube that travels alone. It is the whole protection on a mailing tube.
- Cap fit
- Set on a plain sample. A cap a fraction loose falls out in the post; a fraction tight cannot be opened by hand.
- Outside size
- Carriers measure the outside including the caps — usually about 0.25 in over the bore, and an inch over the length.
- Inserts
- Round products still rattle. A board ring or a foam disc holds a jar or a bottle centered.
Not sure your numbers are right? Send the product dimensions rather than the box dimensions and we work the box out — the full method is in our guide to measuring for a box.
Interactive · five steps · no sign-up
Spec your 3x36 Mailing Tubes
Pick a shape, type a size, choose a wall and wrap and a finish. The preview on the left redraws as you go, and the spec lands with us exactly as you set it.
Frequently asked questions
Got a question about 3x36 mailing tubes? The answers below cover what we get asked most. If yours is not here, send it with a brief, message us on WhatsApp, or call +1 503-461-4788 — we reply the same working day.
Will a 24 × 36 poster fit?
Yes, that is the size the tube was made for. Rolled loosely it fits the 3 inch bore with room.
How thick should the wall be?
2 mm minimum for a 36 inch tube; 2.5–3 mm for international shipping or prints that cannot be replaced.
Do the end caps fall out?
Not if the fit is set right, which we do on a sample before the run. One end can be fixed at the factory if you prefer.
Can I have plastic-free ends?
Yes, crimped paper ends with a tape closure. They cannot be reused as many times as a plastic plug.
Can the tube be printed?
Yes, one color around the outside on the outer ply or on a wrap. Leave a blank panel for the address and customs labels.
What is the minimum order?
100 tubes.
How many prints can go in one tube?
Four or five 24 × 36 prints rolled together, comfortably. More than that, roll tighter or move to a 4 inch bore.
What is the outside size for shipping?
About 3.25 by 37 inches with plastic plugs fitted. Carriers measure the outside, including the caps.
Do they arrive assembled?
Yes, with plugs supplied loose or fitted at one end, as you prefer.
Are mailing tubes recyclable?
The kraft tube recycles as paper. Plastic plugs come out first; crimped paper ends recycle with the tube.
Can you make other lengths in a 3 inch bore?
Yes, any length. The 36 inch is the poster standard; 18, 24 and 30 inch are common for smaller prints.
Do you ship outside the US?
Yes, to the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, quoted in the delivery currency.
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