If you ship finished steel, aluminum or polished parts, you already know the cost of a scratched surface or a rust spot: rework, rejected loads and an unhappy customer. The right protective paper prevents most of that, but "protective paper" covers several very different products. Here's a plain-language look at three we convert every day and when each one makes sense.
Glass interleave: when the surface itself is the product
Glass interleave is a clean, low-contaminant paper made to sit directly against a finished surface without leaving anything behind. It's designed to prevent the three things that ruin polished surfaces in a stack: scratching, staining and sheets sticking together.
Best for: flat glass and mirrors, polished or coated aluminum, stainless steel and any sheet where appearance is what the customer is paying for.
Not designed for: keeping out moisture or stopping corrosion on bare steel. It protects the surface physically, not chemically.
Poly-coated paper: when moisture, oil or grease is the problem
Poly-coated paper adds a thin polyethylene layer to one side of the sheet. That coating forms a barrier that slows moisture from getting in and keeps oil and grease from soaking through.
Best for: wrapping coils and parts, moisture-barrier interleaving between oiled sheets, and liners for boxes and bins where you want to keep the environment out (or keep oil in).
Keep in mind: a barrier slows moisture, but it doesn't remove it. If parts go in damp, poly-coated paper can hold that moisture against them. Pack clean and dry.
VCI paper (and VCI poly): when rust is the enemy
VCI stands for vapor corrosion inhibitor, also called volatile corrosion inhibitor; both names describe the same technology. VCI materials release a vapor that settles on metal surfaces inside a package and helps keep corrosion from starting. It's the go-to choice when parts sit in storage or travel long distances before they're used.
Best for: bare steel parts, coils and sheet that will be stored or shipped, especially through changing temperatures and humidity.
Keep in mind: VCI works best in a reasonably closed package and on clean, dry metal. It's a protector, not a cleaner.
A quick way to choose
- Worried about scratches and marks? Start with glass interleave.
- Worried about moisture, oil or grease? Look at poly-coated paper.
- Worried about rust? Use VCI paper or VCI poly.
- Worried about more than one? That's common, and it's where combinations and the right format (sheets, rolls or die-cut pieces) matter.
Not sure? Ask.
Our team has over 40 years of combined experience in paper converting and product protection. Tell us what you're shipping, how it's stored and what problems you're seeing, and we'll help you find the right material and convert it to the exact size your line uses.