What is oaktag?

[buzzlady]

I have a friend that just moved from NJ to MO. She just emailed me asking if oaktag is the same as what we call poster board. Her DS has a project that must be done on oaktag. Is there any difference between the two and if so what exactly is oaktag?

 

[goofy4tink]

I believe that they are the same thing. When I subbed in our elem. school, what I called poster board, the teachers called oaktag. Not sure why the name difference tho.

 

[DukeStreetKing]

Oaktag was, probably still is, basically the same as posterboard. It is a fairly thick piece of paper, shiny on one side and duller on the other. It is usually sold in sheets of 3' by 4', if I remember correctly. It is somewhat rigid. I haven't had to use it since I was in grade school, so I don't know for sure if it is the same.

 

[kasar]

I always call the beige-ish, yellowish cardboard stuff oak tag. Kind of what files are made out of. Maybe it's a generic term for all cardboard but I've always thought of it as the beige stuff.

 

[SplshMtn99]

I too was going to say like the stuff manilla folders are made of.

Edited to add from google:
oaktag is a general term for sturdy poster board type paper

 

[kasar]

Manilla! That's the term I was searching for!

 

[ADisneygirl]

I always called it oaktag, but found that people here in Florida call it poster board. Either name, it's the same stuff.

 

[Carl]

I, too, thought the Manilla (cream colored) paper was oak tag. Just like Manilla folders are made of.

 

[sjh801]

Originally posted by Carl
I, too, thought the Manilla (cream colored) paper was oak tag. Just like Manilla folders are made of.

You are right! Oaktag is not posterboard. They are two very different kinds of cardboard. Oaktag is easier to cut than posterboard, especailly if you are cutting curves. It is not as thick and is single ply. There are different kinds of posterboard, too. Some are so thick and sturdy that you can't cut them with regular scissors.

Sandy
(an elementary teacher who has filled out many school supply orders!)

 

[flaps]

I've heard tags similar to these called "oaktag"