The choice that changes everything and receives only two seconds of thought.
Paper is usually the last thing decided but the first thing people notice. Often, a stock is chosen from a dropdown list simply because it was the default option. Later, people may wonder why the printed piece feels wrong, even though the design itself is correct.
Stock influences how colors reproduce, how text appears, and how the piece feels in the hand. It also affects whether it folds without cracking, what it costs to post, and what people assume about your business before reading a word. It deserves more than the last two minutes of an order.
The good news is that most of the decision comes down to one question, and it is not about weight.
Coated or uncoated is the real fork
Every stock is either coated or uncoated, and this single property is what drives most of the differences. It's not about quality; both coated and uncoated stocks can be excellent or terrible.
Coated stock
A mineral coating is applied to the surface, sealing the fibers. Ink sits on top of this coating rather than sinking in, so it stays exactly where it is placed. As a result, colors appear brighter, blacks are denser, and fine details are preserved.
This is why photography is printed on coated stock. An image on uncoated paper loses contrast because the ink spreads slightly into the fibers, and the shadows become muddy.
Coated paper comes in three varieties: gloss, silk, and matt. Gloss is the most vivid and reflective, making it hard to read under bright light. Matt reduces reflections and slightly softens the color. Silk offers a balance between gloss and matt, making it the most common choice.
Uncoated stock
There is no coating. The ink soaks in slightly, resulting in softer colors and a textured surface that you can feel. This gives the print a less punchy appearance, making it feel considerably more expensive. This contradiction in print is one of its more useful aspects.
Uncoated paper is the ideal choice for any material that requires extensive reading, as it eliminates any glare. It is also the only sensible option for materials people write on, as ink pens tend to skid across coated stock and the ink never fully dries. This is why a coated reply card can be seen as a small act of hostility.
| Coated | Uncoated | |
|---|---|---|
| Colour vibrancy | High | Softer, muted |
| Photographs | Excellent | Flat |
| Long text | Glare under light | Comfortable |
| Writing on it | Poor | Good |
| Feel | Smooth, commercial | Textured, premium |
| Cost | Generally lower | Often higher |
Weight is not thickness
Paper is sold by gsm, which stands for grams per square metre. This is a weight measurement, but people often use it as a thickness measurement. While this interpretation is close enough to be useful, it is also wrong often enough to matter.
Two stocks at the same GSM can differ noticeably in thickness because bulk depends on how the paper was made. An uncoated sheet is usually bulkier than a coated sheet of the same weight, as the coating is dense mineral rather than airy fiber. So, a 300 GSM uncoated card can feel chunkier than a 300 GSM coated one, despite weighing the same.
Some useful rough ranges to keep in mind:
- 80 to 120 gsm: office paper, letterheads, and budget-friendly flyers.
- 130 to 170 gsm: suitable for flyers, inner pages of brochures, and posters.
- 200 to 250 gsm: ideal for brochure covers, postcards, and hanging tags.
- 300 to 400 gsm: ideal for business cards, invitations, and any other materials that need to feel sturdy and substantial.
- 400 gsm and above: premium cards, typically bonded from thinner sheets.
The most common mistake is going too light on a flyer. A 100 gsm flyer feels like a leaflet someone shoved into a letterbox, because that is what it feels like. Moving to 150 gsm costs very little and changes the impression entirely. Our note on typical print prices gives a sense of where those steps land.
Where the money actually goes
Paper is often the largest single material cost in a job, and its price does not fluctuate smoothly.
Standard stocks held in the building are the cheapest because they are already there and purchased in bulk. Requesting something unusual often means the printer will order it in, possibly a whole pallet for just one job, and the price reflects that. This is why asking, "What do you have in stock that is close to this?" can save real money without a noticeable difference in quality.
Sheet efficiency is equally important. Paper is purchased in large sheets and then cut down. If your finished size fits neatly with minimal waste, you only pay for what you use. However, if it fits awkwardly, you end up paying for the offcuts that go to waste. A few millimeters of size change can significantly impact the price. It is worth considering whether your size is efficient before making a commitment.
The choices that follow from the stock
Choosing the paper is just the beginning, as several other decisions will depend on it.
- Heavy stock requires scoring before folding to prevent the fold from cracking. Budget for this additional step.
- Uncoated stock absorbs more ink, which can cause heavy solid areas to appear patchy. Design accordingly.
- Coated stock with dark solids shows fingerprints, which can be fixed by lamination, though this adds to the cost.
- Recycled stock is typically more textured and less white, which can affect how colors appear.
- Anything above about 250 gsm will affect the postage bracket for a mailed piece.
The importance of honesty about recycled paper is worth noting. Recycled paper has improved significantly, but it still isn't identical to virgin stock. It tends to be slightly greyer and more textured. If your brand color must match exactly across everything, test it on the recycled stock before committing to it everywhere.
Decide by function, in three questions
Most stock decisions are quickly resolved using these:
- Is it mostly photographs or mostly text? Photographs indicate coated paper, while text suggests uncoated paper.
- Will anyone write on it? If yes, it will be uncoated, and the decision has been made.
- Does it need to feel substantial, or does it need to be economical? This determines the weight.
If those options leave you undecided, a silk-coated medium weight fabric is usually a safe choice. It handles images acceptably, reads well, and does not glare. It is the safe default for a reason, and knowingly choosing it is different from defaulting to it because it was preselected.
Ask for samples, and actually hold them
The most valuable thing we do at this stage is provide you with physical samples. Choosing a stock option from a screen is merely a guess, as no screen can convey the texture, weight, or how a sheet behaves when you bend it. Just two minutes with three samples can resolve disputes that might otherwise drag on for a week.
If you want to know what we have in stock, ask us whether your size is available on the sheet. These two questions often save more than any price negotiation. We prefer to inform you so you don't pay for an offcut.
You can see the range under our digital printing services, and our guide on briefing a printer covers what else to include. Request samples through the contact page before you decide, not after the proof.
