The influence of surface treatments including pigment coating, surface sizing and calendering on the mechanical strength of hotmelt adhesive joints in pilot made cartonboards was studied. The mechanical strength of the joints was investigated using the Y-peel test device at 23 degrees C and 50% relative humidity. Some of the samples were investigated with respect to the failure mode by scanning electron microscopy. The surfaces were characterized in terms of surface roughness, surface chemical composition, and adhesion behaviour. A strong adhesive bond displayed fibre tear. In addition to fibre tear, interfacial failure, i.e., failure between the cartonboard and the adhesive, was the main reason for fracture in the bonded assembly. The most important factor controlling the integrity of adhesive joints seemed to be the real contact area. The adhesive joints showed significantly higher strength when the hotmelt adhesive was first applied onto the rougher cartonboard of the assembly and then the smoother cartonboard was pressed on the adhesive than vice versa. The surface roughness of cartonboards mainly depended on whether the surface was pigment coated or not. Calendering displayed only a minor effect. No clear influence of surface chemical composition of the cartonboards on the adhesive joint strength was found due to the fact that changes in surface chemistry in this study also led to changes in surface roughness. The strongest adhesive joint was created between two medium-rough and surface-sized cartonboards. (C) Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2011