Poster Tubes for Shipping: Price, Sizes & Where to Buy

What You Need To Know About Choosing the Right Poster Tube 

The right poster tube for shipping depends on three things: the length and rolled diameter of what you are sending, the value of the contents, and the courier you plan to use. Cardboard poster tubes cover most standard shipping needs at £0.80 to £4.00 per tube, with sizes from 50mm to 150mm diameter and lengths from 305mm to 1,520mm covering everything from A4 documents to large architectural drawings and rolled artwork. 

For higher-value prints, original artwork, or contents needing extra crush protection, heavy-duty triangular tubes and telescopic tubes (which adjust to fit the exact content length) sit at the premium end of the range. Globe Packaging stocks the full poster tube range from its 60,000 sq ft UK depot, with same-day dispatch for orders placed by 4pm and free next working day delivery on UK Mainland orders over £50. 

Poster Tubes for Shipping: What Sizes & Prices Should You Expect?

Poster tubes are sold by internal diameter and length, with diameter determining how much rolled content fits inside and length determining how far it extends. Standard cardboard tubes start at 50mm diameter and 305mm length for small documents and scale up to 150mm diameter and 1,520mm length for multiple rolled items or large textiles. 

Pricing runs from £0.80 per tube at the smaller end to £5.50 for the largest sizes, with heavy-duty, triangular, and telescopic variants sitting at a small premium above standard cardboard. The table below breaks down the full size and price range by use case. 

How Do You Choose the Right Poster Tube Size?

Getting the size right comes down to four factors: the rolled diameter of your content, the length with enough end margin, the courier's size limits, and the end cap type. Here's how to work through each one. 

1. Match the diameter to the rolled content: Roll your print, poster, or artwork to the tightness you intend to ship at, measure the diameter of the roll with a ruler, and add 5 to 10mm to get the tube internal diameter you need. Rolling too loosely wastes tube space and allows contents to flex inside; rolling too tightly can crease prints or damage emulsion on photographic prints, so always check the manufacturer's recommendations for the print medium.

2. Match the length to the content with a 25 to 50mm margin at each end: A 600mm rolled poster fits comfortably in a 650mm to 700mm tube, with the end margin protecting the corners from compression damage when caps are pushed on. Tubes significantly longer than the contents allow movement that can cause creasing and edge damage during transit, which is why telescopic tubes solve a real problem for variable-length print runs.

3. Factor in the courier size limits: Royal Mail's Tracked 24 and Tracked 48 services accept items up to 900mm in any dimension at standard pricing, with longer items moving to larger parcel categories at higher rates. Most UK courier networks have similar break points around 900mm to 1,200mm, beyond which items require special handling or premium services. For A1 and larger prints, factor courier pricing into the total shipping cost when comparing tube sizes.

4. Consider the end cap specification: Push-fit plastic caps suit most postal applications and seal effectively against the tube wall. Screw-on caps provide better security for valuable contents and allow reusable shipping, which works well for portfolios moving between client meetings or recurring shipments to the same customer. Metal end caps sit at the premium end and suit very high-value or heirloom contents.

What Are the Royal Mail &Courier Size Limits for Poster Tubes?

UK postal and courier services treat poster tubes as standard parcels up to specific size limits,
beyond which they move to large parcel or courier-only categories with higher pricing.

Royal Mail's standard tracked services accept tubes up to 900mm in length, with a combined measure of length plus twice the diameter not exceeding 104cm in total. Tubes from 900mm to 1,500mm fit Royal Mail's large parcel categories at higher rates, and tubes above 1,500mm usually require courier services like DPD, Parcelforce, or specialty couriers.

The practical implication is that A1 prints and smaller sizes (which fit in tubes up to 900mm) qualify for the most cost-effective postal rates; A0 prints typically require large-parcel or courier handling; and oversized banners and architectural drawings often require specialty courier quotes. When pricing poster tube shipping for an e-commerce listing or service offer, working backward from courier size break points to tube selection often produces meaningful savings on total fulfillment cost.

Where to Buy Poster Tubes in the UK

Online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay are a common starting point, offering a wide variety of poster tubes from multiple sellers in one place. They work well for one-off purchases or small quantities, and delivery is typically fast. The trade-off is inconsistency: wall thickness, end cap quality, and board grade vary significantly among sellers, and bulk pricing is rarely competitive.

Craft and stationery retailers stock basic poster tubes in limited sizes, making them a practical option when you need a single tube quickly. However, their ranges tend to top out at standard A3 and A2 sizes, and they rarely carry heavy-duty, triangular, or telescopic variants. For the full range of standard cardboard, heavy-duty, triangular, and telescopic tubes across diameters from 50mm to 150mm and lengths from 305mm to 1,520mm, specialist packaging retailers like Globe Packaging are the strongest option.

Choosing the Right Poster Tube: Why Globe Packaging Is the Smarter Buy

Globe Packaging supplies the full poster tube range from a 60,000 sq ft UK depot with same-day dispatch on orders placed by 4pm.

The right poster tube comes down to three things: the size of what you're shipping, the value of the contents, and the courier handling the parcel. Standard cardboard tubes cover most needs; heavy-duty and triangular variants enhance protection for higher-value contents; and telescopic tubes eliminate wasted space for variable-length shipments.

For UK businesses and individual senders who need reliability and range in one place, Globe Packaging supplies the complete poster tube lineup: cardboard, heavy-duty, triangular, and telescopic. With same-day dispatch on orders placed by 4pm, free next-working-day delivery on UK Mainland orders over £50, and a price-match guarantee, Globe Packaging takes the guesswork out of sourcing the right tube at the right price.

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Note: Product listings, prices, and delivery times shown are approximate and subject to change. Contact Globe Packaging for the latest information.