Choosing the right paper can make or break your next printing project, and is key to achieving the right look and feel of your final piece. As in good architectural design, your friends at Delta Printing Solutions recommend that you let form follow function when planning a book project. Think first about where your book is going and how it will be used. The project’s purpose should help determine your paper choice.
Paper comes in a vast assortment of grades, weights and finishes, and finding the one most suitable for your needs can be intimidating. That’s why we’re going to review printing papers in two emails. In this one, we’ll discuss some specific technical issues to consider when selecting paper.
Next month’s email will focus on the “look, feel and touch” of paper you can specify that your customers will notice.
Major Characteristics
There are three primary characteristics that influence the quality and use of any paper:
Brightness– Brightness is one of the defining factors in determining paper grade and cost. It refers to how much light the paper reflects. Chemicals are added to enhance the brightness of paper and in general, the brighter the paper, the higher the cost. Paper with high brightness results in greater contrast and a more vibrant printed image.
Opacity– Opacity refers to the amount of “show-through” a specific paper allows. The degree to which a paper blocks light from showing through, and blocks text and images on underlying pages, determines the opacity. Typically, lighter weight stocks are less opaque than heavier ones.
PPI– PPI is the acronym for pages-per-inch and refers to the thickness of the paper. A thicker paper stock can lend additional credibility and gravitas to your project.
Grades of Paper
Grade of paper is determined by brightness and raw material content, and the grade of paper goes hand-in-hand with the cost. The relative quality of paper is now rated on a scale from one to five, with a lower number indicating a higher quality. Higher grades contain no groundwood, and are often referred to as freesheet paper.
Optically “brightened” paper of very high quality, free of soft wood (groundwoods or “newsprint”) and other contaminants may be classified as a #1, #2, or #3 sheet. Paper grades classified as #4 or #5 often are significantly less bright and contain a high percentage of groundwood.
Although groundwood is paper of lower cost and quality, it may still be right for your project. Groundwoods are commonly used for booklets and mailers that will be read once or twice and tossed, like college course catalogs, ad inserts and telephone books.
Basis Weight
The basis weight of paper is the true weight, in pounds, of 500 sheets (a ream) of paper in a basic size, typically 25” x 38” for printing papers. For example, #50 paper means that 500 sheets of that paper, cut to 25” x 38” weighs 50 pounds. Easy!
Weight obviously is a factor in the appearance and feel of a piece, but remember it also impacts shipping and mailing costs.
Common Categories of Paper
Offset Grades – Stable and strong, this paper is widely used for all general offset printing.
Coated Stocks – These come in a variety of finishes, and are denser and smoother. C1S refers to stock which is coated only on one side. Not surprisingly, C2S means coated on both sides.
Cover Weight Stock – Heavier-weight paper frequently used for covers on items such as brochures, catalogs and annual reports, as well as projects like postcards, invitations, reply cards and business cards.
Text Weight Stock – As the name implies, text weight refers to a paper thickness appropriate for interior pages of a book, pamphlet, manual, etc. Text weight stock is also used for fliers, letters, folded self-mailers and many other projects.
Next month, we’ll send you another email that will outline paper differences you’ll take pride in and that your customers and readers will notice.
The Delta Printing Solutions Advantage
Delta Printing Solutions offers you a wide range of options for every project, beginning with the right paper choice. Our state-of-the-art prepress, printing and bindery departments are under one roof. We are your single resource for top-quality, reliable, on-time soft cover book production. Contact us today to learn more about our range of publications management solutions.
Back to Tips |
