What Is Foil Lined Board and Where Is It Used?
Foil lined board comes up a lot in packaging because it blends a strong paperboard base with an aluminium foil layer that adds barrier strength and a premium finish.
Most UK teams I work with want a material that controls moisture, oxygen and light, prints well, folds cleanly, and behaves the same from start to finish on the machine.
That’s exactly the job foil laminated board is built for.
What Foil Lined Board Is and Why It’s Used
Foil lined board is basically a combination of papers and boards brought together in a laminated structure.
You start with a fibre-based paper-based board core, usually FBB, SBS or a speciality cartonboard, and combine it with a thin layer of aluminium foil using polyethylene (PE) as the bonding layer.
How the Material Structure Works
Most foil lined board has:
- a top paperboard layer
- a polyethylene layer
- aluminium foil
- sometimes a secondary PE layer on the back
These layers give the material its barrier strength, rigidity and performance.
Where the Board Comes From
Mills will often list the source, category, pulp type, and wood content to describe how the fibre is produced.
It’s just standard board terminology, but it helps converters get the right grade for the job.
Layers, Material Properties and Why They Matter
1. Fibre Layer
The fibre layer delivers rigidity.
If you’re folding cartons, sleeves or forming rigid packs, you need predictable stiffness from the board.
SBS and FBB are both popular because they give a stable surface and consistent performance across long runs.
2. Polyethylene Layer
The PE layer bonds foil to the board.
Without PE the foil cracks during creasing, and you end up with weak spots that create problems during forming and gluing.
3. Aluminium Foil
The foil layer gives the laminate serious barrier performance.
It blocks moisture, light, oxygen, flavour movement and gas transfer.
Because of the reflective nature of aluminium, the board becomes almost impermeable to light in the right build.
Barrier Properties and Performance in Packaging
Barrier strength is the main reason people choose foil lined board.
You get protection from:
- moisture
- oxygen
- light
- flavour migration
- gas exchange
- mild chemical contamination
- temperature variation
This makes the material reliable in food, confectionery and premium packaging where flavour and freshness matter.
Understanding Papers and Boards in This Category
Foil lined board sits within the wider papers and boards family but has its own special spot because of the laminate.
You’ll see it grouped under:
- cartonboard
- boxboard
- speciality paperboard
- paper-based board
- industrial board grades
The category just tells you how the board behaves mechanically – rigidity, flexibility, weight and so on.
Thickness, Flexibility, GSM and Microns
Spec sheets will show:
- grams per square metre (gsm)
- micron thickness
- fibre composition
- laminate layout
You’ll often see figures like 220 gsm for common food and premium applications.
Thickness is measured in microns, which gives a more accurate sense of rigidity and fold strength.
Some grades feel thicker or more flexible depending on the pulp, even if the gsm looks similar.
Foil Lined Board vs Thin Plastic Films
Buyers often compare foil lined board to thin plastic packaging because both can offer light and moisture control.
The difference is that board gives you surface strength, print quality and a premium feel, which plastic films don’t always match.
The fibre structure also holds its shape better, especially in shelf-ready or retail cartons.
Where Foil Lined Board Performs Best
Food and Confectionery
Foil lined board is ideal for foods where flavour must stay stable.
Things like chocolate, hot drink mixes, confectionery, or even certain ice cream and cereals packs where moisture and aroma control matter.
Premium and Luxury Packaging
The clean print surface and rigidity make it ideal for high-value items and premium boxboard applications.
Rigid Containers and Formed Packs
Some teams use the word “container” for a carton, but whatever you call it, the board delivers the resistant properties needed to handle handling, storage and temperature changes.
Converting and Designing with Foil Lined Board
Cutting and Creasing
Foil lined board cuts sharply because the laminate doesn’t stretch.
It’s predictable, which reduces waste and machine stops.
Design Points to Consider
For anyone working on carton design, things like crease depth, fold angles and glue flap width matter more with foil laminated materials.
The board structure handles most of it well as long as tooling is in good condition.
Sustainability and Material Source
Recycling foil lined board is getting better all the time.
Modern UK recycling plants can separate fibres from foil and PE more effectively than they could a few years ago.
Like any laminate, sustainability depends on laminate thickness, material sourcing, and how local recycling handles composite boards.
Choosing the Right Grade for Packaging Applications
When picking a grade, consider:
- required barrier properties
- gsm and micron thickness
- temperature conditions
- product sensitivity
- boxboard category
- pulp composition
- your converting machinery
Spec sheets from board manufacturers will list the full material properties, including thickness, rigidity, barrier performance and recommended printing conditions.
Why Foil Lined Board Is Still the Go-To Choice
At the end of the day, foil lined board sits in a space of its own.
It’s not insulation.
It’s not a generic plastic substitute.
It’s a fibre-based laminate that protects flavour, controls moisture and offers the stability needed for serious packaging work.
When you need a reliably strong, barrier-focused, fibre-based packaging material, foil lined board is usually the one that makes the most sense.
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