Common Mistakes To Avoid When Using Shrink Wrap

Using shrink wrap can be an effective tool for protecting your items from damage. But it’s easy to make errors that can compromise the integrity of the wrap. Learn several common mistakes you should avoid when using shrink wrap.

Making Holes in the Wrap

One error people often make with shrink wrap is that they create holes in it by applying too much heat with a heat gun. Fortunately, you can avoid this by being cautious with the settings of the heat gun. It’ll also help if you take your time as you pass the wrap with the gun to prevent yourself from damaging it.

Not Applying Enough Heat

As we established, it’s possible to make a mistake while applying too much heat to the shrink wrap. But you can also make a mistake by not applying enough. This error can cause your wrap to develop round patterns in the plastic called “fish eyes.”

Unfortunately, this can make your packaging appear unprofessional. You can avoid it in the future by checking your heat source and confirming it’s pushing enough air. Furthermore, you should regularly maintain your packaging lines.  

Not Shrinking Your Wrap Enough

A third common mistake to avoid when using shrink wrap is not shrinking your wrap enough. If you do this, you may get “dog ears,” which are triangle-shaped protrusions at the corners of your package.

You can also prevent this from happening by taking another look at your heat gun. You may want to confirm that you aren’t using a wrap that’s too large for what you’re trying to seal up. Such a mistake can result in the ears forming.

Using a Wrap That’s Not Thick Enough

An error that can be rather costly is to use a shrink wrap that isn’t thick enough. This can cause split seals, which can result in products experiencing damage, the triggering of tampering measures, or products becoming lost in the shipping process. You can avoid this mistake by ensuring that your wrap is thick enough before you apply it to the package, even though using a thicker product may increase your costs.

Avoiding these errors can help you enjoy all the benefits that shrink wrap can bring you. If you want to buy heat shrink wrap to keep your items sealed, contact Buffalo Shrink Wrap. We offer multiple thicknesses for your wrap and several color options for you to choose from.