…..is there a “right” side….? Context: I am moving house and putting some treasured books into temporary storage. I decided to bubblewrap them and then hit a dilemma: do I wrap them bubble side inwards, providing bubbles against the book but which might also cause dimples on the cover if squashed for a long time, or should the bubbles face outwards? Or is this like tin foil where the shiny side acts exactly the same as the dull side?

It makes bugger all difference IME

(apparently the “correct” way is bubbles facing the object, flat side out)

Flat side out. This makes it easier to tape up and ensures the squishy bubbles sit against the potentially variable surface of the product.

The sort of person who would have the bubbles facing out probably hangs their toilet roll against the wall. Do you really want to be one of those people!?

Of course you don’t

Important Thread

I took receipt of an 8 metre roll of bubble wrap at work once and asked the boss where I should put it. He told me to pop it in the corner of the store room.

I was there for 8 hours……

Or is this like tin foil where the shiny side acts exactly the same as the dull side?

Tinfoil has a ‘right’ side. The dull side faces the food.

Tinfoil has a ‘right’ side. The dull side faces the food.

That depends surely, on whether you are using it to prevent the surface of something burning in the oven (shiny outwards) or to wrap food to keep it warm (shiny inwards)?

I just made that up as I’d never really considered it before, but sounds right?

Bubbles out when wrapping paintings to stop it denting the paint. Otherwise, flat side out.

Or is this like tin foil where the shiny side acts exactly the same as the dull side?

Tinfoil has a ‘right’ side. The dull side faces the food.

Theres nothing functional about the shiny and dull sides of foil, its just an artefact of its manufacture – two pieces of foil are rolled at the the same time so one side is against the rollers and the other side agains the other piece of foil. But they don’t behave in a meaningfully different why unless you want to look at your reflection.

The sort of person who would have the bubbles facing out probably hangs their toilet roll against the wall. Do you really want to be one of those people!?

Of course you don’t

I’m certainly not!

Tinfoil has a ‘right’ side. The dull side faces the food.

No, it really doesn’t. This was a QI question. Absolutely no difference whatsoever.

To the OP, best option is to use more wrapping, and fold it bubbles to bubbles, so there’s a smooth side against the book and smooth side outwards, so maximum protection.

Bubble wrapping books! Madness! Damp is the enemy of the written word. You clearly need to wrap them in a damp proof membrane of some sort and then store them where fire, the other enemy of books, can’t have at them.

Bubbles in ensures airflow around the books innit. Better.