What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Corrugated Plastic/Coroplast?

You’ve probably seen tons of lawn and real estate signs in your lifetime. Whether people are advertising their own businesses on their front lawns, selling their homes, or showing support for front line workers, there’s no doubt that these signs certainly have the ability to grab your attention as you’re walking or driving by.

But did you ever stop to wonder what these signs are made of or what happens to them after they’re taken down?

Typically, these signs are made of a material called corrugated plastic or Coroplast sheets. If you’re looking for an affordable and versatile blank sign to advertise your business or services, then Coroplast corrugated plastic sheets are an excellent choice. Keep reading to learn more about corrugated plastic and its many applications.

What Is Corrugated Plastic?

Corrugated plastic goes by a number of names including corriboard, Polyflute, FlutePlast, Proplex, Correx, Twinplast, Corriflute, Corflute, etc. Above all, Coroplast is the most common brand name for corrugated plastic sheets. Corrugated plastic is a type of plastic cardboard that consists of three layers of polypropylene plastic substrate.

The two external layers, which are known as twin-wall plastic sheeting due to their uniform design and parallel positions, hold together an internal layer of honeycomb-shaped plastic. This makes corrugated plastic sheets one of the most lightweight, versatile, and shock-absorbent plastic materials on the market. Polypropylene is an extremely sturdy thermoplastic polymer with a neutral pH that allows it to withstand all kinds of external temperature, weather, and usage conditions for long periods of time with minimal wear and tear.

What Is Coroplast?

Coroplast is one of many brand names that helped popularize the use of corrugated plastic for a number of industrial, commercial, and even household applications. The terms corrugated plastic and Coroplast are often used interchangeably amongst industry experts. This is a classic example of what’s known as genericization (when a brand name becomes synonymous with a type of product).

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Corrugated Plastic Sheets

Just like any other commonly used industrial or commercial products, there are some great advantages and unfortunate disadvantages to using corrugated plastic sheets that you should be aware of.

Advantages:

• Versatility. Corrugated plastic sheets can be used for a number of commercial, industrial, and household applications. Most commonly, it’s used for lawn signs, signs on constructions sites, real estate signs, constructing plastic containers, as well as reusable packaging. In recent years, corrugated plastic has become the go-to material for homemade cages for guinea pigs, domesticated hedgehogs, and rabbits among other small animals. It’s also gaining popularity in the remote-control aircraft industry for SPAD model aircrafts.
• Lightweight material. Corrugated plastic is extremely lightweight, making it easy to transport, store, lift, assemble, and setup without any complications.
• Affordable. Corrugated plastic is extremely cheap to produce and purchase, so even if it does become damaged, replacing it doesn’t cost much and you have the ability to order as much of it as your budget allows.
• Durable. Designed to withstand a number of environmental conditions, corrugated plastic is extremely durable. Although it’s not meant to last forever, it can certainly last a long time before needing to be replaced.
• Non-toxic. Made from polypropylene, corrugated plastic is completely non-toxic to humans and animals. Unlike other plastics that contain harmful BPA, corrugated plastic can withstand high and low temperatures without releasing harmful chemicals.
• Recyclable. Polypropylene is recyclable and can be upcycled, but it’s non-biodegradable.

Disadvantages:

• It’s not indestructible. Although it’s a fairly durably material, corrugated plastic isn’t meant to last forever and will eventually show some signs of wear and tear. Depending on the elements and conditions it’s exposed to and for how long, you may notice some fading, bending, and even ripping in the corners. In the best possible conditions, where it’s exposed to a limited amount of weather conditions and human handling, Coroplast can last for a number of years, though. For extra protection, you can laminate your Coroplast sign with a matte finish to extend its lifespan and keep it looking like new longer.
• It’s not entirely eco-friendly or sustainable. Coroplast is made for polypropylene, which is a non-biodegradable material. It’s still recyclable, but not all curbside pickup programs will accept it, so you may need to take it directly to a recycling facility. Luckily, all recycling facilities accept and know how to process polypropylene products. It can also be repurposed or upcycled into other common household materials such as plastic jugs for laundry detergent, soda bottles, shampoo bottles, etc. Recycling your polypropylene household products prevents them from ending up in landfills. It’s also important to note that the production process for corrugated plastics can weigh heavily on the environment due to significant carbon waste.

Common Uses for Coroplast Corrugated Plastic Sheets

As you now know, Coroplast corrugated plastic sheets are most commonly used for temporary outdoor yard signs such as campaign signs during election years, real estate signs, or advertising businesses and services. During the pandemic, more and more people have been displaying Coroplast corrugated plastic signs on their front yards to show their support for frontline and healthcare workers in their communities.

Coroplast signs are ideal for outdoor usage because they have a plastic coating and are strong enough to withstand all kinds of weather conditions including strong winds, rain, and snow. Even though they will eventually sustain some damage and show signs of wear and tear, the great thing is that they’re extremely affordable and cheap to replace if need be.

Adding to its versatility factor, Coroplast is also used for packaging and containers. Considering it’s lightweight and extremely sturdy yet flexible at the same time, Coroplast is the material of choice when postal services across North America need mail carriers.

Coroplast Corrugated Plastic Sheet Suppliers in Ontario

Canada Plastics & Belting Inc. specializes in retail and wholesale distribution of plastic sheets, Teflon belts, fabrics, and tapes. Based out of Toronto, we proudly serve companies all across North America. Contact us today to learn more about our products and services or to place an order.