Paper Types
Print On The Right Paper Stock
Choosing the right paper stock to print on can be difficult. There are a number of options and it's not always obvious which paper to choose.
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Print On The Right Paper Stock
This little guide should help you identify which paper would be right for your book requirements. If you still are unsure please request some paper samples and you can see and feel the differences with our paper range.
- I need to choose a low weight gsm paper because it will save me money. or
- I will choose a high weight paper because it will be better quality
These are the main two assumptions
These are not always correct as it all depends on the amount of pages, print coverage, colour density and the type of book you are printing. Please see below the types of books fit best with paper weights.
What does Gsm stands for? 'grams per square meter' and refers to the substance weight of the paper, relating to a specific are of paper (1mm x 1mm), that remain constant irrespective of sheet size.
Paper weights
The paper stock is the weighting of the paper. As a general rule, a higher stock paper is a little more expensive to print on, but higher stock is also perceived as being higher quality.
Uncoated - 90gsm/100gsm
This produces a matte finish. The majority of books that you read have an uncoated finish.
Perfect for: novels, poetry books, anthologies, short stories, biographies.
Uncoated - 120gsm/160gsm/200gsm/250gsm/300gsm
This super smooth bright white uncoated sheets are perfect for: Mixed colour novels, poetry books, anthologies, short stories, biographies, photo books, Childrens Books, high graphic books, magazines, booklets
Uncoated - 140gsm
This is a mid range uncoated sheet which we have added, its not as smooth as the above range but still give a bright white apperance with a less smooth matt finish.
BookWove - 90gsm/100gsm Off White
This produces a matte finish. The majority of books that you read have an uncoated finish. Bookwove is the same as uncoated but its off white. Some people say its easier to nead novels on this paper as there is the glare like the bright white Perfect for: novels, poetry books, anthologies, short stories, biographies.
Types of Paper
Paper types refers to the finish of the paper, this affects the look of the pages rather than the feel or the weight.
Silk
Paper with a silk finish has a low sheen coating and is extremely smooth. This improves colours and sharpens images. Silk is somewhere between uncoated and gloss, it provides a high quality look in a more subtle way than gloss.
Perfect for: photo books, posters, leaflets, brochures
Gloss
Paper with a shiny finish and is extremely smooth. Great for vibrant colours where you want things to look very sharpe.
Perfect for: photo books, Childrens Books, high graphic books, magazines etc
Matching paper weight with book type
See below the paper weight which best matches with your book.
90gsm/100gsm
- This is a standard paper for Novel type books, opens well for reading.
120gsm/130gsm/140gsm
- Great for brochures, or mixed colour books with the odd photo throughout the book.
150gsm/160gsm/170gsm/190gsm
- Great for high colour books, photobooks or full colour coverage.
200gsm/250gsm/300gsm
- This is normally used for books when they have to be durable, ie kids books or books where there is few pages and it needs bulking out into a book to make a spine of a minimum of 3mm
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