How to Ship a Poster

Step 1: Start with a heavy-wall tube

Use a rigid mailing tube 3 inches in diameter or larger, with walls at least 1/8 inch thick — the cheap 2-inch thin-wall tubes crease posters when a sorting machine grabs them.

Length matters: the tube should be 4-6 inches longer than the rolled poster so nothing touches the ends. For a standard 18 x 24 print, a 24-26 inch tube is right; most 2026 show posters fit a 3 x 26 tube.

Step 2: Roll the poster in clean paper

Lay the poster face-down on a clean, dry surface and roll it loosely around itself — never tighter than the tube demands. A loose roll relaxes flat again; a pencil-tight roll takes a curl for weeks.

Wrap the rolled poster in kraft paper or acid-free tissue before it goes in, so the print surface never touches the tube wall. Never rubber-band a poster.

Step 3: Cushion both ends

Crumple kraft paper or bubble wrap into both ends of the tube so the roll cannot slide. End impact is how corners get crushed — the poster should not move when you shake the tube.

Step 4: Cap, tape, and label

Push the end caps in fully and tape around each cap twice with packing tape — caps that pop off in transit are the number one cause of lost prints.

Put the shipping label along the barrel (not on a cap), and write DO NOT BEND / DO NOT CRUSH on the tube. It will not stop every handler, but it helps.

Step 5: Ship USPS or UPS, with tracking

USPS Priority Mail is the default for most tubes: typically $15-25 across the US, 2-3 days, tracking included. UPS Ground is comparable and often better for very long or heavy tubes.

Always ship with tracking (marketplace orders require entering the tracking number), and add insurance for anything that sold over $100. Get a receipt with the tracking number before you leave the counter.