Select the Right Paper
For the Machine
I. CHOOSE THE RIGHT PAPER FOR THE MACHINE
Standard Copy Paper: Regular copy paper is the least expensive and works fine for everyday use in both high-speed copiers and plain paper fax machines. The most popular weight is 20 lb. For heavier feel and greater opacity choose 24 lb.
Multipurpose Paper: When appearance is not critical, such as for drafts and faxes, this is the most cost-effective choice for use in inkjet as well as laser printers and copy machines. In fact, it runs smoothly in all office machines and produces a better result than standard copy paper.
Laser Paper: Especially engineered for today's laser printers, these papers are smooth enough to ensure superior toner bonding. They are thick enough to resist jamming, And their low moisture content means they won't curl with the heat from the fusing roller.
Color Copy Paper: These papers are specially coated to produce excellent results from color copiers and color laser printers. They have the surface characteristics needed to handle the often heavy application color toner, with less show through of text or graphics.
Inkjet Paper: The surface characteristics of these papers allow water based inks to quickly dry without bleeding. This reduces the chance of smearing and allows sharper image resolution.
Inkjet Photo Paper: These specialty papers are heavier and thicker than typical business papers to accommodate the greater ink coverage of photo images. They are coated to reduce ink absorption, and their greater opacity prevents bleed through, which is expecially important in double sided printing. For a true photographic look, choose a high-gloss finish. For a softer, nonreflective look, pick a matte finish.
Bond paper weight comes from weighing 500 sheets of 17" x 22" paper. If it weighs 20 lbs., then it is common. Also other weights in bond papers (24, 28, 32, etc.) are measured the same way. Greeting cards, business cards and cover papers are generally in the range of 60 to 79 lbs. Usually the application determines the paper weight most suited. Photo paper and card stock are examples of items where thickness is important. Thickness is usually expressed in "mil" (or .001 inch).
II. BASIS WEIGHT
III. BRIGHTNESS
The amount of light reflected from the surface of paper is its brightness. The more light, the highter the brightness value. The brighter the paper, the better the background for vivid images and color. Differenct measuring scales cause confusion, but the highter the reading the highter the brightness.
