First Class School & Office Supplies' Blog

Have you ever noticed how many choices you have when purchasing paper for your office?  Bond, brightness, inkjet, multipurpose, recycled….how do you know which one is the right choice for you?  The answer is:  it depends.  It depends upon the type of machine you are using to print your project, if you are printing text or pictures, and what your project is going to be used for.

Paper types explained:

• 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 a heavier feel, 24 lb. paper is also available.  Copy paper tends to have a very smooth surface, therefore it may not produce good results in inkjet machines.

• Multipurpose Paper

When appearance is not critical, such as for drafts and faxes, this is the most cost-effective choice for use in inkjet printers as well as laser printers and copy machines.  In fact, it runs smoothly in all office machines.  It produces a better result and tends to be brighter than standard copy paper which offers better contrast to printed text and images.  In-other-words, multipurpose paper is exactly what the name suggests, a good choice for general office printing jobs.

• 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 of color toner.

• 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 especially important in double-sided printing.  For a true photographic look, choose a high gloss finish.  For a softer, non-reflective look, pick a matte finish.

• Recycled Paper

Better paper-making technology, such as stronger fiber and improved pulp, has meant a continuing improvement in the quality of recycled papers.  In fact, now recycled paper and virgin stocks are almost indistinguishable.  Today, the federal government spurs the conservation of our country’s resources by requiring a minimum of 30% post-consumer content in copy paper for their use.  It publishes a list of the many recycled papers that meet this requirement, are free from lint and fuzz, and produce no more than once paper-caused jam per 5,000 continuous copies.

A way to add a formal feel to your documents is to use paper with a higher bond weight.  Bond paper weight is determined by weighing 500 sheets of 17″ x 22″ paper.  20 lb. is the weight of commonly used paper.  By using 24 lb. or 28 lb. paper, you will add a heavier feel to your documents.  Greeting cards, business cards and cover papers usually range from 60 to 79 lbs.

Finally, the brightness of the paper you choose can affect the way your printed document looks.  Like I said before, brighter paper provides a better background for vivid images and color.  There are a couple different scales that measure the brightness of paper, but the general rule is, the higher the number, the brighter the paper.

If you are going to be archiving documents, you should make sure to choose a paper that is acid-free.  This will extend the life of your documents.

You need to figure out what is important to you and what results you are looking for when selecting paper for your printing needs.  Multipurpose paper is a good default paper, but there may be times when a different paper choice can make the difference from a good document and an outstanding one.