Good to know
What are the different types of paper stock?
The short answer
Paper comes down to three choices. Its type: text paper is flexible, like a flyer, and cover paper is stiff, like a business card. Its finish: glossy, matte, or uncoated. And its weight, given in pounds or points, which tells you how thick and sturdy it is.
Text and cover
Text paper is the flexible kind: flyers, brochures, letterhead, the inside pages of a booklet. It folds easily.
Cover paper, also called card stock, is the stiff kind: business cards, postcards, booklet covers, folders, tags.
Bond, or writing paper, is the everyday office sheet, used for letterhead, forms, and envelopes.
What the numbers mean
Weight is given in pounds (lb, sometimes written #). The higher the number, the heavier and thicker the sheet, but only within the same type. Text and cover are weighed in different sheet sizes, so 100 lb text is much thinner than 80 lb cover. That one catches almost everybody.
Card stock is often given in points (pt) instead. A point is one thousandth of an inch of thickness, so a 14 pt card is 0.014 inch thick and a 16 pt card is a little thicker.
You may also see gsm, grams per square meter. It is the metric measure, and it works across every type of paper.
| Paper | Feels like | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| 20 lb bond | Copy paper | 75 gsm |
| 24 lb bond | Good letterhead | 90 gsm |
| 70 lb text | A light flyer | 104 gsm |
| 80 lb text | A magazine page | 118 gsm |
| 100 lb text | A heavy flyer or brochure | 148 gsm |
| 80 lb cover | A light card | 216 gsm |
| 100 lb cover | A postcard | 270 gsm |
| 130 lb cover | A thick business card | 350 gsm |
Gloss, matte, and uncoated
Coated paper has a smooth surface that holds ink on top, so colors and photos look sharper and brighter. It comes shiny or flat.
- Gloss. Shiny. Photos and bright colors stand out. It shows fingerprints and glare, and it is hard to write on.
- Matte, dull, or silk. Coated but not shiny. Easy to read, with a smooth, quieter look.
- Uncoated. No coating at all: the natural feel of letterhead or a paper bag. Colors print a little softer, and it takes a pen or a stamp well.
- Coated one side (C1S). Glossy on the front and plain on the back. Common for postcards, so the back can be written or addressed.
What is common for what
These are the usual choices across the trade. They are a starting point, not a rule. Tell us how the piece will be used, mailed, or written on, and ask what we'd suggest.
| Piece | Usually printed on |
|---|---|
| Business cards | 14 pt or 16 pt cover |
| Postcards | 14 pt or 100 lb cover |
| Flyers and sell sheets | 80 lb or 100 lb gloss text |
| Brochures | 80 lb or 100 lb text, so it folds cleanly |
| Letterhead | 24 lb bond or 70 lb uncoated text |
| Envelopes | 24 lb uncoated |
| Booklet covers and folders | 80 lb to 100 lb cover |
Questions
More about paper
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EXCELLENT4.9 from 58 Google reviews, rated 4.9 out of 5. Opens our Google Business profile in a new tabWhat is the difference between 100 lb text and 100 lb cover?
They are different kinds of paper. 100 lb text is a flexible sheet, like a heavy flyer. 100 lb cover is a stiff card, like a postcard, and is nearly twice as heavy. The pound number only compares papers of the same type.
What does 14 pt mean?
It is the thickness of a card stock. One point is one thousandth of an inch, so 14 pt is 0.014 inch thick. A 16 pt card is slightly thicker and stiffer.
Is heavier paper always better?
No. Heavier paper feels more substantial, but it can cost more to mail, cracks if it is folded without scoring, and is wrong for some jobs. A brochure that folds wants a text weight, not a card.
What paper can I write on?
Uncoated paper takes pen, pencil, and stamps best. Gloss resists ink and smears. If part of a piece needs to be written on, such as a postcard back or an appointment card, ask for uncoated or coated one side.
Should I choose gloss or matte?
Gloss makes photos and strong colors stand out. Matte is easier to read and has a calmer look. For a piece that is mostly text, matte or uncoated usually reads better.
What is gsm?
Grams per square meter, the metric way to state paper weight. It works across every type of paper, which pounds do not. Copy paper is about 75 gsm, and a business card is around 300 to 350 gsm.
Can you help me pick a paper?
Yes. Tell us what the piece is, how it will be used, and whether it gets mailed or written on. You'll see a proof before anything prints.
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