Printer Paper Exposed

The paper you choose for a given project can spell the difference between making it a success or a flop.  There can be so many types of paper to choose from, however, that it can be very difficult for the average person to decide.  Many articles on the internet are very poor at helping you determine what may be right for you.  You can try to ask your local office supply business and come up even more empty-handed than you did on the internet.

So, in order to help you make the right decision for your printer paper, we prepared this article to solve your problems.  There are three things you should know about printer paper:

1. The brightness of the paper.
2. The weight factor.
3. The type of finish used on the printer paper.

To begin, the brightness of the paper is a measurement of how much light is reflected by the paper’s surface.  The higher the brightness, the more white your paper will appear and the better printed blacks and colors will look.  Most copy paper starts at 92 bright.  In the United States, you can expect your paper to be the brightest at 99 bright.  If you need paper for everyday printing that you will end up throwing away, 92 bright is all you need.  If, on the other hand, the paper is going to be used for a marketing or business presentation, you’ll want paper that is 96 bright or higher.Next, the weight of your printer paper is another important factor of the paper choosing process.  The higher the weight of the paper, the more substantial and better quality it will feel.  The cheapest copy paper will be about 20 pounds for paper weight.  20 pound printer paper is very thin and will show through when printed double-sided.  For most business documents, you will want paper that’s around 24 or 28 pounds.  If you’re printing in full color, you’ll want 32 pound paper.

The finish of the paper is a rating that runs from matte to glossy.  There is also a major difference in the finish used in laser paper and ink jet paper.  Ink jet paper’s finish is scientifically designed to allow ink to dry faster and be more smudge resistant.  Laser paper, however, is designed for toner use and will make the text and color appear much sharper when used with a laser printer.  It’s important to choose the paper designed for your type of printer.  While multipurpose paper is a good all-around paper for offices with both ink jet and laser printers, you’ll discover that specifically designed printer paper will work better in the long run.

Besides ink jet and laser finishes, there are also printer papers made with different materials.  Business stationary, for example, are made from special linens and often have a much higher cotton content.  This type of finish is designed for people seeking high quality paper for resumes, letterheads, and documents branding a corporate identity.

This article only covers the basics of choosing printer paper.  Besides the three major factors that determine the quality of the paper, their are tons of things to look for–especially if you’re printing glossy photos or brochures.  If you want to know more about finding the best printers and paper for printing, check out the rest of this website.