The purpose of this investigation was to study the origin of the differences in paper-to-paper friction of linerboards based on old corrugated containers (OCC). The sheets were subjected to two extraction stages and analyzed with respect to, surface roughness, and their content of low-molecular-mass lipophilic compounds (LLC). Friction was measured using a friction tester based on the horizontal plane principle. The surface roughness was measured using a Perthometer profiler and the low molecular mass lipophilic constituent of the paper sheets was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. The sheets were imaged using environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), and the relative compositions of inorganic ions on the paper surfaces were determined by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The results showed that a high amount of LLC in the sheets lead to low friction, due to lubrication. It was also observed that large CaCO3 particles on the surface had a friction-increasing effect, and that there was no relationship between the surface roughness and the friction.