Custom Long Postal Tubes for Posters and Plans

Wall Thickness, Caps and Strength

Tube strength comes from the wall thickness and the quality of the spiral-wound board. A thin wall is fine for a light poster sent within the UK, but a long tube carrying several heavy prints can bow if the wall is too thin. For long lengths we generally recommend a thicker wall, which resists bending and protects the ends from being crushed when other parcels land on them.

End caps come in plastic or card. Plastic caps push in firmly and can be taped for extra security; they are easy to remove and reuse. Card caps give a fully paper look and can be printed or coloured to match the tube. For valuable artwork, a lockable cap or a strip of tape over each end reduces the chance of a cap working loose in transit. Shorter tubes with the same caps are shown on our paper tubes with end caps page.

Printing the Outside of a Tube

A tube is a rolling billboard as it moves through sorting offices, so printing your name along it is both practical and good marketing. Printed tubes are wrapped in a printed paper layer, which can carry a full-colour design, a repeating logo or a simple band of brand colour with your web address. Plain brown or white tubes with a printed label are the budget option and still look tidy.

Leave a clear area for the postage label and any handling marks such as 'Do not bend'. On long tubes we usually place the logo near one end and repeat it near the other so it shows whichever way the tube is held.

If you post tubes for clients as well as for your own business, such as a print studio sending finished posters on behalf of a customer, a neutral printed tube with a small studio logo near one end is a good compromise. It looks professional without overpowering the client's own work when the parcel lands on their desk. Upload the artwork through the free proof request and we will show the logo at each end of the wrap.

Packing Art and Drawings Properly

The tube is only part of the protection. Roll artwork image-side out on a sheet of tissue or acid-free paper, so that when the print is unrolled it curls away from the surface and flattens more easily. Do not use elastic bands directly on the paper; a strip of paper or tissue secured to itself holds the roll without marking it.

For prints that should not move at all, add a scrunched sheet of paper at each end so the roll cannot slide and hit the caps. Many artists include a printed card with care and framing instructions, which can be rolled inside or slipped under the cap. If you post tubes regularly, keep a stock of your branded inserts next to your tubes so every parcel looks consistent. Rolls of wrapping paper travel in the same way, in our gift wrap tubes for rolls.

Postal Limits for Long Parcels

Long tubes can fall into a larger parcel category or exceed a carrier's maximum length, which affects cost. Before choosing the longest tube, check the limits of the carrier you use most often. An A0 sheet rolled lengthways may push you into a different price band, while rolling it the other way in a slightly wider tube might not. We are happy to suggest the most economical length for your sheet size and carrier.

Square triangular tubes, which do not roll off a desk, are another option for shorter lengths; for very long rolls, round tubes are stronger. The rest of the tubes and canisters range covers the short round boxes for small gifts.

Check Your Carrier's Length Limit First

Before choosing a length, look up the maximum parcel length and the price bands for the service you use most. An A0 drawing rolled along its long edge needs an 870 mm tube; rolled the other way in a wider bore it may sit in a cheaper band. Then tell us how many sheets go in at once and the paper weight, since heavy prints need a wider bore and a thicker wall.

Mark a clear label area on any printed wrap. Send the sheet size, sheets per tube, wall thickness if known, cap type and quantity, and a custom quote comes back by email within one working day, with plain tubes from £0.25 and low minimums quoted per job. Printed tubes get a free proof of the wrap. Production takes 4–7 working days after approval and tracked delivery to UK mainland addresses is free, taking 2–3 working days. Dented or misprinted tubes reported within 10 days are reprinted or refunded. Shorter A3 and A2 rolls are covered on our cylinder postal tubes for prints page.