Consider grade, surface, and weight

There are three basic considerations necessary for specifying paper: grade, surface, and weight. In North America, coated papers are categorized by the AF&PA (American Forest and Paper Association) into #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5 grades, based on brightness, as the following chart indicates. AF&PA standard grade classifications (all finishes):

Printing paper grades and brightness ratings

Brightness is reflected light. With lower brightness, overall contrast is reduced and highlights are dulled. Brighter papers cost more, generally speaking, since brightness is a result of adding costly additives such as titanium dioxide to the stock.

Not all papers within a given grade category are equal, however. European and Asian coated papers tend to cost less than American sheets, but tend to contain less paper pulp content and more coating than American sheets. Differences in ink holdout, smoothness, opacity, the amount of coating, side-to-side consistency, and runability must be taken into account as well. It is also important to note that coated papers can have either a blue white or warm white color cast, which can affect the appearance of the printed piece.

Papers come in a variety of surface types and, once again, individual stocks vary within a classification. The most common coated surfaces are cast-coated, gloss, dull, matte, silk, and embossed; uncoated grades come in a wide variety of finishes such as smooth, linen, vellum, and felt. Each of these surfaces will provide different print quality and overall appearance. Each has its strengths and appropriateness for a particular job.

Read more about selecting the right paper.

Paper makes the difference

We Graphics highly recommend that you check actual printed samples when evaluating following paper characteristics. Only when the printed dot pattern is on the paper can accurate comparisons be made. Contact your Lange Graphics' sales representative or click here to request printed samples of papers that you are considering.

Paper Brightness

This indicates the printing paper's ability to reflect a volume of light.

Paper Whiteness

The ability to reflect all colors of light equally.

Ink Holdout

Holdout refers to a paper's ability to hold ink on the surface consistently, so that it will dry in a sharper, more clearly defined dot and produce higher ink gloss. When ink is absorbed into the sheet, it spreads, creating a phenomenon referred to as "dot gain."

Opacity

The ability to hold an image without its showing through the other side of the sheet. There are two types of opacity: "apparent opacity" refers to the actual opacity of the unprinted paper itself; "printed opacity" is affected by holdout, in that the lessened opacity is actually caused by absorption of ink. As ink is absorbed into a sheet of paper the printed opacity of the page decreases, causing the image to show through on the back.

Finish

Ascertain the appropriateness of the paper's finish to the desired end result. For example, a gloss finish offers the ultimate in reproduction detail, while dull and matte finishes offer easier reading for large quantities of text.

Smoothness

The even and consistent continuity of the surface.

Runability

Each grade of paper behaves differently on press. A paper's ability to absorb ink uniformly (absorbency), printed ink gloss (holdout), dimensional stability, and surface texture are all important factors to consider when preparing your design. For example, a paper with excellent opacity will present crisp, full-color images without "showing through" on the back of the sheet, and can provide more flexibility when designing and laying out the printer's form.
          
Read more about text and cover paper weights.

The right weight for the job

Most paper grades come in a variety of text and cover weights. Requesting that Lange Graphics make a dummy of your project before you specify paper weight is invaluable. A dummy will allow you to check for opacity (put a page of type behind one of the unprinted pages) and for the overall tactile feel of the piece.

When selecting a paper weight, it is important to be aware that European and Asian sheets typically contain less paper pulp and more surface coating than American sheets. While an American sheet and a European sheet might both be specified as 100#, for instance, the European sheet would feel less bulky and would likley have less opacity than the comparative American sheet.

While paper types and grades may vary, weights are generally specified in terms of basis weight — this refers to the total weight of a 500-sheet ream of the grade in its standard basis size, as represented by the charts below:

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