Pallet wrap usually tears for one of four reasons: sharp edges cutting the film, the film being too thin for the load, poor wrapping technique, or damaged rolls. Work through them in that order and you will find the cause. Most tearing is fixed by protecting sharp corners and moving to a thicker film.
Tearing is a symptom, not the problem. Find what is actually cutting or overstraining the film and the tears stop. Here is how to diagnose each cause and fix it.
Cause 1: Sharp Edges and Corners
This is the most common cause by far. Box corners, exposed metal, timber edges and protruding items concentrate all the force onto a tiny area of film, and it cuts through.
How to spot it: the tears happen at the same points, usually at corners or where something sticks out of the load.
The fix: protect the sharp points before wrapping. Edge protectors, simple angled cardboard or plastic pieces over the corners, spread the force so the film is not cut. A taped piece of stiff card works in a pinch. Wrapping straight over a bare sharp edge will keep tearing no matter what film you use, so fix this first.
Cause 2: Film Too Thin for the Load
If the film is under-specified for the weight or awkwardness of the load, it does not have enough material to take the strain, and it splits.
How to spot it: tears appear across the film generally, not just at corners, especially on heavier or more awkward loads. A film that is fine on light boxes but tears on heavy pallets points here.
The fix: move to a thicker film. Our 23 Micron has about a third more material than our 17 Micron, so it resists punctures and holds tension better on heavier and more demanding loads. For anything beyond light, stable, uniform pallets, 23 Micron is the safer choice. If you are wrapping mixed loads on 17 Micron and getting tears on the heavier ones, this is likely your issue.
Cause 3: Poor Technique
How the film is applied causes tearing as often as the film itself.
Too much tension overstretches the film to its limit, so any small weakness or snag tears it. Uneven tension puts sudden strain on parts of the film. Yanking the film rather than pulling smoothly shocks it into tearing. Not enough overlap leaves thin single-layer sections that fail easily.
How to spot it: tearing varies by who is wrapping, or happens when wrapping is rushed.
The fix: wrap with firm, even, smooth tension, not maximum tension. Let the film stretch steadily rather than snapping it tight. Overlap each pass by about half the film width so there are no thin single-layer sections. Consistent technique makes a bigger difference here than most people expect.
Cause 4: Damaged or Poorly Stored Rolls
A roll with a damaged edge or a degraded surface tears from the weak point, however carefully you wrap.
How to spot it: the film tears from the edge of the roll inward, or a specific roll tears while others are fine.
The fix: check the roll. A dented or nicked edge, from being dropped or dragged, is a starting point for tears; discard or trim past the damage. Film that has been stored in sunlight, heat or damp degrades and tears more easily, so store rolls indoors, out of direct sun, off the floor, and use older stock first. If one roll is bad and the rest are fine, it is the roll, not your process.
A Quick Diagnostic Order
Run through it in this sequence:
- Do tears happen at corners or sharp points? Protect the edges.
- Do tears happen on heavier or awkward loads generally? Go thicker (23 Micron).
- Does tearing depend on who wraps or how fast? Fix technique: firm even tension, more overlap.
- Is it one roll while others are fine, or tears from the roll edge? Check the roll and how it was stored.
Most tearing is caused by the first two, sharp edges and film too thin, and fixed by protecting corners and moving up a thickness.
Stopping Tears Before They Start
Fixing tears is reactive. It is cheaper to prevent them, and prevention comes down to a few habits.
Protect corners as standard on sharp loads. If a load type consistently has hard or sharp edges, make edge protectors part of the routine rather than something you add after tears appear. It removes the most common cause up front.
Right-size the film for each load type. Once you know a load tears 17 Micron, move it to 23 Micron and stop fighting it. Matching thickness to load prevents the general tearing that comes from under-specified film.
Train consistent technique. Firm, even, smooth tension and half-width overlap, applied the same way by everyone, removes the tearing that comes from rushed or uneven wrapping. It is worth showing new staff how to wrap rather than leaving them to work it out.
Store and handle rolls properly. Keep rolls indoors, out of sun, off the floor, and do not drop or drag them. Undamaged, well-stored film tears far less than film that has been knocked about or left in the sun.
Put these in place and tearing stops being a recurring problem you diagnose and becomes a rare event. The five minutes spent protecting a corner or picking the right film saves the wasted film, re-wrapping and damaged stock that tears cause.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does my stretch film keep tearing at the corners?
Sharp corners concentrate force on a small area and cut the film. Protect corners with edge protectors or stiff card before wrapping. This is the most common cause of tearing.
Will a thicker film stop tearing?
Often, if the cause is the film being too thin for the load. Moving to 23 Micron gives more material to resist punctures and hold tension. But if the cause is bare sharp edges, you also need to protect the corners, because thickness alone will not save film on a genuinely sharp edge.
Can wrapping too tight cause tearing?
Yes. Too much tension overstretches the film to its limit, so any snag or weak point tears. Wrap with firm, even, smooth tension rather than maximum tension.
Why does one roll tear when the others are fine?
That roll is likely damaged or was stored badly. A dented edge or film degraded by sun, heat or damp tears more easily. Check the roll, trim past any damage, and store rolls indoors and off the floor.
Does storing film badly make it tear?
Yes. Sunlight, heat and damp degrade film so it loses strength and tears more easily. Store rolls indoors, out of direct sun, off the floor, and use older stock first.
Conclusion
For the full breakdown of terminology, thickness, core type and colour in one place, see The Complete Guide to Stretch Wrap Film.
Pallet wrap tears for four main reasons: sharp edges, film too thin, poor technique, and damaged rolls. Diagnose in that order. Protect sharp corners, move to a thicker film like 23 Micron for heavier loads, wrap with firm even tension and good overlap, and check your rolls are undamaged and well stored. Most tearing traces back to sharp edges or an under-specified film, and both are quick to fix once you know that is the cause.