Tips on Paper Selection

Selecting the right paper for a printing job doesn't have to be a daunting task. The number of paper options can be overwhelming, and simply asking your printer for "white" is as vague as asking your waiter for "food"! But once you know a few important tips, you can make an informed decision.

There are ten characteristics to paper which affect cost and suitability for any project.

Surface
The paper surface impacts its look, feel and printability. At the paper mill paper goes through a series of rollers in a process called calendaring, which has several effects on the paper. Depending on the extent of the calendaring process, paper is made smoother, glossier, thinner, less bright, less opaque, and more capable of retaining ink. Surface matters so much because people do, in fact, judge a book by its cover.

Color
Perhaps the most important characteristic to consider is the color of your paper. The most commonly selected color is white, which is also generally considered optimal for most conventional uses.

But not all white is the same. Just as with fashion or home interior paint, white can run from stark white, to cream, to antique white, off –white, or even vanilla or French vanilla. If your project is to accentuate and contrast light and dark hues, the best choice would be Photo White paper.

For novels or technical manuals its best to use off-white shades which produce less glare and are easier on the eyes. Be sure to compare paper color under standard viewing conditions with minimal distractions in the atmosphere

Brightness
Paper brightness is measured by the degree of light it reflects. In most cases the paper will reflect about 60 – 90% of incoming light. Brightness, unlike color, is a measurable characteristic. It is important to consider the brightness carefully because too bright can cause eye strain and too low a level of brightness can cause a blurring effect.

Opacity
Paper opacity refers to the degree to which other printing is visible through the page. A high level of opacity, also called density, reduces the visibility of printing on subsequent pages. This in turn increases readability. Opacity increases with the weight and bulk of the paper, and is also affected by other factors like ink color, paper color, coatings, coverage and chemicals.

Grain
The alignment or direction of the paper fibers is referred to as its grain. The grain can be either short or long. Long grain is defined as having fibers that are parallel to the length of the sheet. Short grain refers to fibers that run parallel to the width of the sheet. Since paper flexibility, tack, versatility and strength are all impacted by grain alignment, it is a critical factor to consider for any printing job.

Weight
Paper is sold by the pound, so it's important to understand how paper weight is calculated if you wish to keep an eye on cost control. The basis weight is calculated in pounds of one ream, or 500 sheets. Each main grade of paper has a basic size which is used to determine its basis weight. Keep in mind that paper of equivalent basis weight is not necessarily of equivalent basis size; Paper that is smaller but thicker can be the same basis weight as paper that is larger but thinner.

Caliper
Caliper, or thickness, is measured in thousandths of an inch and is called point size. One point equals .001 inch, while eight-point paper would have a thickness of .008 inch. Don't confuse caliper point with type point. Type point refers to the height of a particular font, while caliper point refers to the thickness of the paper.

Bulk
Paper bulk is the thickness of the paper relative to its basis weight. For instance, uncalendared paper has a higher bulk than gloss-coated paper. Keep in mind that paper may be thicker or bulkier than another grade, while still having the same basis weight.

Size
This refers to the actual physical dimensions of the paper. For example, an 8.5 x 11 sheet is 8.5 inches wide by 11 inches long. In order to contain costs and ensure efficiency, it's essential to have access to specific information about the range of paper sizes available for any given print job.

Quantity
Paper quantity refers to the actual number of sheets sold, bought or used. The standard unit of numerical paper quantity is called a ream. Paper that is "ream-wrapped" is packaged as a bundle of 500 sheets. Cartons of paper are defined by approximate weight rather than by precise numerical specs. Typically, cartons weigh about 150 pounds.