Printer Paper Exposed

There are a lot of things to know about copy paper and you can be at a serious disadvantage if you don’t know them.  There are a combination of features that go into good printer paper and so you should know those features before buying paper online or in the store.  While sometimes all that information can be a little overwhelming, with proper research and an open mind, you can find the copy paper right for you.

One of the first things you should think about before buying copy paper is what you’re going to be using the paper for.  If you’re going to be using the paper to show off your new business portfolio, you will want to choose printer paper that is much higher quality than paper that your kids are going to print on and then throw away.  Many things go into the quality of copy paper which include:  brand name, brand technology, paper weight, and brightness.  Believe it or not, but Hammermill copy paper will be much better for certain print jobs whereas say Staples brand copy paper may be better for others.  It’s all about what you’re using the paper for.

Paper technology varies from brand to brand.  As an example, HP paper has technology that works very well with HP brand ink.  When printing on their brand of copy paper, you’ll see much more brilliant color that is resistant to water damage and running.  Even though their paper can be a little more expensive compared to the competition, you’ll see much better results if you’re printing off some impressive marketing stuff.  On the other hand, off-brand or store brand paper will have little to no added “technology” and their price will reflect that.  You’ll want to choose off-brand paper when you’re looking for decent looking but cheap copy paper.

Next, paper brightness and weight play a major part for choosing the right copy paper for you.  In terms of paper brightness, the brighter the paper the greater the “pop” from a marketing persepective.  If you are printing a resume, you’re going to want paper that is nice, white, and bright.  Paper brightness varies from the lowest and cheapest (88 bright) to the more expensive high (98 brightness or higher).  Also, another factor in choosing paper is paper weight.  While paper weight isn’t very important for paper you’re just going to throw away, it is important if you’re making a presentation.  For a good paper weight you’re going to want to have about 28 lb paper.  Paper weight in copy paper will range from about 20 lb to over 32 lb.  If you go any higher for paper weight you’ll end up getting cardstock which is a whole other topic.

Tags: brightness, copy paper, everyday paper, finish, weight

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 6th, 2009 at 9:48 pm and is filed under Information. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.