Paper is the part of a print job that people specify last and notice first.
Nobody picks up a leaflet and thinks about the ink. They register the weight of it in the hand, whether it feels substantial or flimsy, and whether the surface looks right. Those impressions come from the stock rather than from anything printed on it.
A little knowledge here goes a long way, because the choices are fewer than they look.
What gsm actually measures
Grams per square metre. The weight of a single sheet measuring one metre by one metre.
It is a measure of weight, not thickness, which matters because two papers at the same gsm can feel quite different. A bulky uncoated stock at 120gsm is noticeably thicker than a coated stock at the same weight, because the coating adds density rather than bulk.
So gsm is a useful shorthand and an imperfect one. For anything where the feel matters, a sample tells you more than a number.
Rough ranges and what they suit
As a general guide.
Around 80 to 100gsm is everyday paper. Office printing, letterheads, compliment slips, inserts. It folds easily and feels light.
Around 115 to 170gsm is the standard range for leaflets, flyers and brochure pages. Substantial enough to feel deliberate, light enough to fold cleanly and to post economically.
Around 200 to 300gsm moves into card territory. Brochure covers, postcards, folders, invitations. It does not fold without creasing first.
Above 300gsm is board. Business cards, packaging, presentation pieces, anything that needs to stand up on its own.
The step that matters most is the one from paper to card, because it changes how the piece behaves rather than only how it feels.
Coated and uncoated
This is the other main decision, and it affects print quality more than weight does.
Coated stock has a surface layer that stops ink soaking in. The ink sits on top, so colours stay bright, images stay sharp, and detail holds. It comes in gloss, silk and matt finishes, from shiny to nearly flat.
Uncoated stock has no such layer. Ink absorbs into the fibres slightly, which softens colours and reduces contrast a little. What you get in return is a natural, tactile surface that feels warmer in the hand.
Neither is better. They suit different jobs. Photography and vibrant graphics generally want coated. Text-heavy pieces, anything with a craft or premium positioning, and anything that will be written on generally want uncoated.
The writing test
A practical point that catches people out regularly.
You cannot reliably write on gloss coated stock with a normal pen. The ink sits on the surface and smudges.
So anything with a form to fill in, a reply section, an appointment card or a space for a signature needs uncoated or a matt coating that will take ink. Discovering this after ten thousand appointment cards have been printed on gloss is an expensive lesson.
How finishes interact with stock
Finishing choices depend on what is underneath them.
Lamination needs a coated stock to bond properly. Applied to uncoated it can behave unpredictably.
Spot varnish works by contrast, so it shows best against a matt surface rather than a gloss one.
Foiling and embossing work better on stocks with enough substance to hold the impression. On light paper an emboss shows through the other side.
Folding heavier stock requires creasing first, and heavier still may crack along the fold regardless. That is a stock question rather than a machine question.
There is more on how these decisions interact in Birch’s guidance on design for print.
Weight, postage and cost
Two practical constraints that pull in the same direction.
Paper is priced by weight, so heavier stock costs more per sheet. The difference on a short run is small and on a long run is not.
Postage is banded by weight, and a direct mail piece that crosses a band costs more on every single item. On a large mailing, dropping from 170gsm to 150gsm can save more in postage than it costs in perceived quality.
Working this out before the stock is chosen, rather than after, is worth doing on anything going in the post.
Recycled and certified stocks
Recycled papers have improved considerably and most now print well, though they tend to be uncoated and have a slightly warmer base colour that shifts how inks appear.
Certified stocks, where the fibre comes from managed sources, are available across most of the range and generally cost little or nothing more. If sustainability forms part of your positioning, this is a straightforward thing to specify.
The useful shortcut
Rather than specifying a stock outright, describe what the piece needs to do. Whether it will be handled repeatedly, posted, written on, displayed, or kept.
A printer can pick from that, and will usually suggest something you would not have thought of. Asking for samples before committing takes a day and settles the question properly.
If you have a job coming up and are unsure what suits it, get in touch through the contact page.
