Choosing the right paper for a printing job can be a
daunting task. It doesn't have to be though. When selecting the best
paper type for a particular job, you're often faced with an overwhelming
number of options. Asking your printer for "white" is like asking your
waiter for "food" - you'll have to be more specific than that.
To
the educated consumer, the choices don't seem nearly as intimidating.
Before you order though, you've got to know the menu. Paper has ten
characteristics that affect its cost and appropriateness for a given
job.
Surface
The surface of paper affects its look,
feel and printability. When paper is pressed at the mill, it passes
through a series of rollers in a process called calendaring. Calendaring
affects paper in numerous ways. As the extent of this process
increases, paper is made smoother, glossier, more capable of retaining
ink, thinner, less opaque and less bright. Why does surface matter?
Because people do judge books by their cover.
Color
The
color of paper is perhaps the most salient of all characteristics.
White is by far the most popular color and is generally optimal for
conventional usage. Not all white is the same, however - it runs the
gamut from ultra-severe hues to softer, more antique shades. Photo white
paper is best for accentuating the contrast between light and dark
hues.
Off-white sheets produce less glare, and are best used for
publications such as novels or technical manuals that demand long and
uninterrupted attention from readers. When comparing color, always
examine paper under standard viewing conditions and with minimal
atmospheric distractions.
Brightness
The brightness of
paper measures the percentage of light that it reflects. Most papers
reflect approximately 60 to 90% of incoming light. Remember: brightness
and color are not the same thing. Unlike the color characteristic (which
is highly subjective and imprecise), brightness is a strictly
quantitative, or measurable, attribute. Brightness is important because
it affects readability - high brightness can cause eye strain, while low
brightness can produce a blurring effect.
Opacity
The
opacity of paper is the degree to which other printing is visible
through the page. High opacity, or density, minimizes the visibility of
printing on subsequent pages, thus enhancing readability. Opacity
increases with the bulk and weight of paper, and is influenced by
numerous other factors, including paper color, ink color, coatings,
chemicals and coverage.
Grain
The grain of paper
describes the direction, or alignment, of its component fibers. Paper
grain is either grain long or grain short. When fibers are patterned
parallel to the length of a sheet, the paper is grain long. When fibers
run parallel to the width of a sheet, the paper is grain short. Grain
direction is a critical factor for print jobs because it directly
affects usage - for example, paper strength, flexibility, tack and
versatility are all impacted by grain direction.
Weight
The
basis weight of paper is calculated as the weight in pounds of one
ream, or five hundred sheets. Each main grade of paper has a basic size
that is used to determine its basis weight. Remember that paper of
equivalent basis weight is not necessarily of equivalent basic size.
Smaller sized paper that is thicker can possess a basis weight identical
to that of larger, thinner paper. Since paper is sold by the pound,
understanding paper weight is imperative to successful cost control
programs.
Caliper
The caliper of paper is its
thickness. Caliper is measured in thousandths of an inch and referred to
as point size. In this system, .001 inch equals one point - and
eight-point paper would have a thickness of .008 inch. Do not confuse
type point with caliper point. Type point describes the height of a
particular font; caliper point describes paper thickness.
Bulk
The
bulk of paper denotes its thickness relative to its basis weight. For
example, uncalendared paper would have a higher bulk than gloss coated
paper. Remember though that paper may be bulkier or thicker than another
grade, yet still have the same basis weight.
Size
The
size of paper describes its physical dimensions. An 8.5 x 11 sheet is
8.5 inches wide and 11 inches long. Access to specific information
concerning the range of paper sizes available for any given printing job
is essential to containing costs and ensuring efficient usage.
Quantity
The
quantity of paper refers to the number of sheets bought, sold or used. A
ream is a standard unit of numerical paper quantity. Paper that is
"ream-wrapped" is packaged in a bundle of 500 sheets. Cartons of paper
are not defined by exact numerical specifications, but approximate
weight. Cartons typically weigh around 150 pounds and are used in
practice as a standard unit of sales.