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Corner Protectors & Edge Guards for Shipping

Corners and edges take the first hit when a box is dropped, slid or stacked. That's why frame corners, table edges and box corners get damaged most. Corner protectors spread that hit over a bigger area. This guide covers the shipping kind: cardboard and foam corners for frames, art, furniture and boxes. (Corner guards for walls or baby-proofing are a different product.)

Types of Corner Protectors & Edge Guards

Cardboard corner protectors

Small folded cardboard pockets or triangles that slip over the corners of a frame, canvas or panel.

Best for: Framed art, canvases, mirrors, picture frames and flat-pack panels

Cardboard edge protectors (edge boards)

Long L-shaped strips of pressed paperboard, also called angle boards or corner boards, sold in set lengths.

Best for: Long box edges, furniture sides, stacked boxes and pallet corners under stretch wrap

Foam corner protectors

Pre-formed polyethylene foam corners that push onto an item's corners and absorb shock.

Best for: Glass, mirrors, electronics, framed art and anything that needs cushioning, not just a hard shell

Plastic corner caps

Rigid plastic corners for heavy or sharp-edged items.

Best for: Heavy panels, metal or stone items, and corners that would cut through cardboard

Foam edge protectors (U-channel)

Foam strips with a U or C shape that slide onto an edge and can be cut to length.

Best for: Long edges on glass, tabletops, countertops and oversized flat items

Sizing Reference

Measure the thickness of the item's edge first — the protector's opening has to grip that edge without forcing it. For L-shaped edge boards, check the width of each side of the L and the length. Pick a length that covers most of the edge. For foam corners, choose legs long enough that they stay on when the item shifts inside the box.

Practical Tips

  • •Put corner protectors on every framed picture, mirror or canvas you ship. Frame corners chip and crush easily
  • •Use cardboard edge boards on the outside of boxes that will be stacked. They help the edges resist crushing
  • •Foam corners cushion; cardboard corners mainly spread pressure. Fragile items usually need foam or extra padding as well
  • •Corner protectors don't replace padding: leave room for cushioning between the item and every box wall
  • •On pallets, put edge boards on the vertical corners before stretch-wrapping so the wrap doesn't crush the boxes

Which Corner Protector Should You Use?

  • Framed art, canvases and picture frames: cardboard or foam corner protectors on all four corners, plus padding over the face.
  • Glass, mirrors and screens: foam corners, because they absorb shock instead of just spreading it.
  • Furniture and flat-pack panels: foam or cardboard corners on exposed corners, and edge boards along long edges.
  • Boxes that will be stacked or strapped: cardboard edge boards along the vertical box edges.
  • Pallets: edge boards on the four vertical corners under the stretch wrap.

How to Make Cardboard Corner Protectors for Artwork

You don't need to buy corners to ship one or two frames. Corrugated cardboard from an old box makes a good pocket corner:

  1. Cut a square of corrugated cardboard about four times as wide as the frame is thick — for example, about 6 by 6 inches for a 1.5-inch frame.
  2. Fold it in half corner to corner to make a triangle. Then fold the two outer points in to form a pocket.
  3. Tape the folds so the pocket keeps its shape, leaving the open side wide enough for the frame's corner.
  4. Slide a pocket onto each corner of the frame. Tape the pockets to each other across the back, not to the frame.
  5. Wrap the whole piece in bubble wrap or foam and pack it in a box with padding on every side.

💡 Never tape onto paint, canvas or a frame's finish. Tape the protectors to each other or to the wrapping instead.

Cardboard vs Foam vs Plastic

Cardboard corners are cheap, light and recyclable. They stop a corner from being crushed or scraped and spread the force of a knock. But they don't absorb much shock. Foam corners are softer and better for glass and anything that can crack. Plastic caps are the toughest and suit heavy or sharp-edged items that would cut through cardboard. For long edges, use L-shaped edge boards on boxes and pallets. Use foam U-channel on glass and furniture.

Whatever you choose, corner protectors are one layer of the packaging, not all of it. The item still needs cushioning on every side and a box with a little room for that padding.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need corner protectors inside or outside the box?
Inside for the item itself — on the corners of a frame, panel or mirror, before cushioning. Outside, along the box edges, when boxes will be stacked or strapped, so the edges don't crush.
What are cardboard corners called?
Long L-shaped cardboard strips are called edge protectors, edge boards, angle boards or corner boards. Small cardboard pockets that slip over a frame's corner are usually sold as cardboard corner protectors or frame corner protectors.
What can I use as a corner protector?
Folded cardboard works well: a square of corrugated cardboard folded into a pocket over each corner and taped in place. For cushioning, foam pipe insulation (slit along one side) or several layers of bubble wrap around the corner also work.
Where can I buy cardboard corner protectors?
Packaging suppliers, shipping and office-supply stores, many hardware stores and online stores sell them, often in packs. Edge boards are usually sold by length and pack size.
Can I use corner protectors on mirrors?
Yes. Put protectors on all four corners and cushion the glass on both sides. Then pack it upright in a snug mirror box or a double box. The corners stop the frame from hitting the box; the cushioning protects the glass.

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