Not all protective cardboard is the same. Sounds obvious. But which ones are worth the 'extras' depend on you and your work.

Some products are designed to withstand paint spills, others allow newly laid floors to breathe, while some are built for heavy commercial traffic or projects that require fire-certified protection. If you're trying to decide which protective cardboard is right for your next project, this write-up explains the aspects that actually matter, compares the UK's leading brands, and helps you choose the right product for your budget and the type of work you're carrying out.

Whether you're a decorator, builder, flooring installer, kitchen fitter or commercial contractor, temporary floor protection is one of the simplest ways to avoid costly damage, reduce customer complaints and keep projects running smoothly. Yet many contractors discover there are significant differences between products only after they're halfway through a job.

Rather than asking "Which brand is best?", the better question is Which protective cardboard is best for my project?

That's what we'll answer here.

Before Comparing Brands, Let's Ask These 5 Questions

Most manufacturers begin by talking about GSM, coatings or proprietary technologies. Professional contractors usually think differently. They start with the job in front of them.

Before choosing a protective cardboard, ask yourself these five questions.

• Will the project involve paint, plaster or water?

• Is the floor still curing?

• How much foot traffic will the floor experience?

• Does the site require fire-rated protection?

• Will the protection stay down for one day or several weeks?

These answers determine which features are genuinely valuable...and which you're unlikely to need.

1. Will Paint, Water or Plaster Be Spilled?

Why spill resistance matters

Decorating and refurbishment projects rarely stay dry for long. Paint splashes, plaster, cleaning water and muddy boots are all part of everyday site life.

Standard untreated cardboard absorbs liquids quickly. Once saturated, the fibres weaken, making the protection easier to tear while increasing the risk that moisture reaches the finished floor beneath.

Premium protective cardboards use treated surfaces to slow liquid absorption, giving contractors valuable time to clean up spills before damage occurs.

Examples

• Ram Board incorporates Spill Guard® technology to help repel liquids.

• TI-Pro Protective Cardboard uses Spillux® technology to delay liquid penetration.

• Proguard Recycled Card features a moisture-resistant PE-coated surface for improved durability.

Worth paying for if you're:

• Decorating

• Plastering

• Installing kitchens

• Working in bathrooms

• Completing occupied residential refurbishments

Probably less important if you're:

• Carrying out dry maintenance work

• Protecting floors during office furniture installation

If your project involves heavy paint work or multiple trades, you may also want to compare Correx and protective cardboard, as waterproof polypropylene boards can be a better choice for long-duration wet projects.

2. Is the Floor Still Curing?

Why breathability can be critical

One of the biggest misconceptions about temporary floor protection is that waterproof always means better.

That's not always true.

Fresh screeds, newly installed timber floors and some adhesives continue releasing moisture after installation. Covering them with an impermeable material can trap moisture, potentially affecting drying times or even the floor finish itself.

Breathable protective cardboard allows moisture vapour to escape while still protecting the floor from site traffic.  

Some products that deliver this includes

• Ram Board uses Vapor-Cure® technology.

• Florprotec Breathertec. ® is specifically designed for curing floors.

• Selected Proguard products also offer breathable protection.

• TI- Pro Cardboard Floor protection

Worth paying for if you're protecting:

• Newly laid timber flooring

• Fresh screeds

• Newly sealed concrete

• Resin flooring

But this is usually unnecessary for:

• Decorating completed homes

• Commercial offices already in use

• Existing tiled or timber floors

3. How Busy Will the Site Be?

Why GSM and impact resistance matter

Not every project requires the toughest protection available.

A decorator repainting a spare bedroom doesn't face the same challenges as a contractor refurbishing a hospital corridor.

Higher GSM generally provides:

• Better resistance to dropped tools

• Improved durability

• Longer service life

• Better performance under heavy foot traffic

However, higher GSM also means:

• Heavier rolls

• Higher purchase price

• More difficult handling

The right choice will depend on how much work you expect on the site floors.

4. Does Your Site Require Fire-Rated Protection?

This may sound obvious, but most domestic decorators rarely need certified flame-retardant floor protection. But commercial projects are different.

Many schools, hospitals, public buildings and large construction projects require temporary protection products that comply with recognised fire performance standards or project-specific insurance requirements.

Florprotec is particularly well known for its range of flame-retardant temporary protection products designed for these environments.

Worth paying for if you're working on:

• Hospitals

• Schools

• Universities

• Commercial office developments

• Projects operating under Joint Code of Practice (JCoP) requirements

 

5. How Long Will the Protection Stay Down?

Protecting a floor for one day is very different from protecting it for six weeks.

Longer projects place greater demands on the material.

Premium protective cardboard generally resists tearing for longer, withstands repeated foot traffic more effectively and often remains serviceable throughout multi-week refurbishments.

For contractors completing regular refurbishment work, durability should be considered alongside purchase price.

Comparing the UK's Leading Protective Cardboard Brands

Brand	Best Known For	Best Suited To	Key Strengths	Delivery
TI-Pro	Excellent value and Spillux® technology	Decorating, residential renovations, commercial fit-outs	Competitive pricing, spill resistance, next-day delivery	Free next-day.
Ram Board	Spill Guard® and Vapor-Cure®	Premium refurbishments and high-value flooring	Excellent spill resistance and breathability	Widely stocked by UK merchants
Proguard	Commercial floor protection	New-builds and commercial construction	Recycled content, coated protection, breathable options	Merchant and online delivery
Florprotec	Fire-certified protection	Schools, hospitals and commercial developments	Fire-rated and breathable specialist products	Specialist distributor network
Economy Cardboard	Low purchase cost	Short domestic decorating projects	Affordable	Varies by supplier

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Price Comparison: Cost Per Square Metre

Comparing rolls alone can be misleading.

Professional contractors compare cost per square metre, because different brands supply different roll lengths and widths. Note - that is a common trick - where the advertiser shows one price, only to reveal that its on a smaller size.

Brand	Approx. Coverage	Approx. Price ex VAT*	Approx. Cost / m²	Typical Supplier
TI-Pro	50 m²	~£21	~£0.43/m	Trades International
Ram Board	30.1 m²	~£68	~£2.26/m²	Travis Perkins
Proguard	50 m²	~£40	~£0.80/m²	Proguard / merchants
Florprotec	50 m²	~£52	~£1.04/m²	Specialist suppliers

Prices should always be checked before purchase as supplier pricing changes regularly.

 

So Which Protective Cardboard Should You Choose?

Choose spill-resistant cardboard if:

• You're decorating.

• Wet trades are working.

• Protecting expensive timber or tiled floors.

Choose breathable cardboard if:

• The floor is still curing.

• You're protecting new timber flooring or fresh screeds.

Choose heavy-duty cardboard if:

• Multiple trades will be working simultaneously.

• Heavy foot traffic is expected.

• The project will last several weeks.

Choose fire-rated cardboard if:

• The specification requires it.

• You're working on hospitals, schools or commercial developments.

Choose value-focused protection if:

• You're carrying out standard residential decorating.

• You need dependable protection without paying for specialist features your project doesn't require.

TI-Pro Protective Cardboard 

If you are ready to see the Kingdom's best floor protection Card board, see our TI-Pro protection.