18 inch stretch wrap: the 1,500 ft hand roll
| Width | 18 in |
|---|---|
| Length | 1,500 ft |
| Gauge | 80 ga (0.8 mil) |
| Core | 3 in |
| Pack | 4 rolls a case |
| Made | Cast or blown |
18 in x 1,500 ft, 80 gauge, 3 in core, four rolls to a case: the hand roll most docks start with.1 At 80 gauge it sits in the band a buying guide gives for loads of about 2,200 to 2,400 pounds.2
Cast or blown
Same size, two films.
Cast 18 in rolls
- Quiet off the roll and clear enough to read a carton label through.
- Even thickness, so every turn goes on the same.
- Best on square stacks of cases.
Blown 18 in rolls
- More cling, so the tail stays where you tuck it.
- Tougher on corners, edges and mixed cartons.
- Louder to unwind and a little hazier.3
When it isn't the right roll
Three signs to change.
If loads over about 2,400 pounds lean or the film splits at a corner, go up a gauge, to 90. If the loads are light boxes and you are using a lot of film, go down to 70 or 63, or try pre-stretched. If you wrap more than a few dozen pallets a shift, a wrapper and machine rolls will cost less in film and in backs.
Dispenser or bare hands
Both work; one saves film.
A roll held in gloved hands is stretched by grip alone, which tires the wrist and varies from person to person. A hand dispenser, a handle through the core with a brake to set the drag, lets the operator lean into the stretch and walk at a steady pace, so each pallet gets a more even wrap with less film. For a dock wrapping more than a handful of loads a day, a dispenser for each person usually pays for itself in film.
Shorter rolls
Same width, less weight.
The same width also comes in shorter lengths, such as 1,000 or 1,200 feet, which some operators prefer because the roll is lighter to carry all shift. Compare price per foot.
Light gloves give better grip on cling film and protect against cut edges.
Questions buyers ask
- How many pallets does one roll wrap?
- It depends on the load size, the turns and the stretch. Our worked example, a 48 by 40 inch pallet 60 inches tall wrapped by hand, comes to about 11 pallets a 1,500 foot roll. The film per pallet guide shows the sum so you can do it for your own loads.
- Is 80 gauge too heavy for light boxes?
- Often, yes. For square loads well under 2,200 pounds, a 63 or 70 gauge roll will usually hold and costs you less film per pallet. Try a case before switching the whole dock.
- Why does my roll keep tearing at the corners?
- Either the film is too light for the corners, or it is cast film on a sharp load. Go to 90 gauge, switch to blown film, or put corner boards on before wrapping.
- Do you supply the 18 inch roll on an extended core?
- Ask for it in the request. Extended-core rolls are wrapped without a dispenser, holding the core ends, which some docks prefer for short runs.
- Do operators need gloves?
- Light gloves give a better grip on clingy film and protect against cut carton edges; they are worth keeping at the dispenser rack.
Related rolls
80 gauge stretch wrap
0.8 mil · 20 micronWhere this roll sits on the chart, and the gauges either side.
Sources
- Interplas, 18 in x 1,500 ft x 80 ga blown hand stretch wrap (product listing) (reviewed 2026-11-13)
- AAA Polymer, "A guide to buying stretch wrap film" (reviewed 2026-11-13)
- Lantech, "Blown vs. cast: how is stretch film made?" (reviewed 2026-11-13)
Facts on this page last reviewed 2026-11-13.
Ask for a stretch film quote
Say cast or blown if you know it, and how many cases you go through a month.
- Step 1 asks what you need, how much a month, the delivery ZIP and how to reach you
- Step 2 asks the film, the width and the gauge; skip what you don't know