Paper Grades

"Grade" refers to the category of paper. There are three main categories: bond, text, and offset.

Bond

This is the standard 8.5-by-11 paper, like the paper used in photocopiers. Just plain paper. The standard is 20-pound paper, though it's available in anything from 16-24 pound weights (and in many colors).

Bond paper is good for photocopiers, letterhead, general business documents and forms, and other common needs.

Since you can see through bond paper fairly easily, avoid printing on both sides.

When 20 Pounds Equals 50 Pounds

Paper weight is inconsistent. You can hold a 20-pound bond and an 80-pound text paper and sense no difference.

That's because paper weight is based on the weight of 500 sheets of that paper in its basic size. That's the hitch.

For some papers, the basic size is 8.5 by 11 inches. For others, like offset papers designed to be run through a press in large sheets, it's 17-by-22 inches.

Text Paper

This paper is used by commercial printers for a wide range of printing jobs, including booklets and brochures. It is intended to be printed on both sides, and the finish may be more noticeable than on other papers.

Text paper is usually made in 70-80 pound weights. It comes in many textures and colors, and there's usually a matching cover stock.

Offset Papers

Commercial printers typically use offset paper, since it absorbs ink much better than bond paper and is less opaque (meaning, when you print on both sides, the images don't show through the paper as well as they would with bond paper). You can get offset paper in coated (glossy) or uncoated versions.

Offset paper comes in large sheets which are run through a press and then folded and cut to the appropriate size (some paper will be trimmed off and thrown away). Offset paper weights are usually 50-80 pounds. However, a 20-pound bond paper will look and feel like a 50-pound offset paper.

Offset paper is cheaper than text paper. It's good for commercially-printed projects which don't require high quality, like direct mail, flyers, and newsletters.

Cover Stocks (or Card Stock)

This paper is noticeably thicker than other papers. It works well for postcards, booklet covers, posters, and other needs which require a sturdy paper.

Coated Paper (Also Called Enamel or Glossy Paper)

Coated paper has a lacquer, varnish, or plastic finish which gives it a smooth and shiny surface.

It's best used for good quality printing, and does an especially good job with photos and four-color printing.

Coated paper may fit in either the offset or text category.

Glossy paper, because of the shiny surface, can be more difficult to read, especially for older readers. They prefer a dull matte finish.

Textured Paper

There are many kinds of textured papers, but they all have one thing in common: they don't have a smooth surface.

Textured papers lend a quality look, but they are more expensive than other papers. They are used in professional printing.

Don't try to run textured paper through your laser printer or photocopier. However, you can buy laser papers with the appearance of texture--a marble, granite, or laid finish.

Perhaps the most popular textured paper is linen. It has small grooves in the surface.

Exotic Papers

There are also some very expensive papers with unusual characteristics, like foil embedded into the surface. While these papers are available, churches rarely need them.

Laser Paper

Laser paper is smooth and made to handle heat. Papers with rough surfaces prevent toner from being laid onto the paper smoothly; the strokes on letters can appear to be broken.

Laser paper, like bond paper, comes in many colors. However, laser papers are typically more expensive than bond papers. Most laser papers are 20-24 pound. Some laser printers can handle lighter paper, or even 110-pound card stock.

If you're having stationery printed, make sure it's done on paper which is compatible with laser printers--an uncoated text or offset paper, rather than bond or glossy papers.

Papers in Bright Colors

Paper in day-glo and neon colors seem to be very popular with youth ministers. They certainly won't get lost on someone's desk. These papers cry out for attention. But use them sparingly, and carefully. They are inappropriate if you want a dignified, serious look, since they come across as gaudy, unprofessional, even obnoxious.

Since these colors can't be ignored, they work well with flyers and other materials you produce cheaply and simply, and which you don't want to get buried on someone's desk amidst all the bills.

Don't put a lot of information onto these papers. The colors are hard on the eyes and can be annoying. Use large type and graphics; avoid small type.

Opacity

This is the see-through factor. (The less opacity, the more easily you can see what's printed on the other side.)

Mineral and clay fillers in the paper, along with the thickness and surface texture, make paper more difficult to see through.

If you're printing on two sides of a paper, you need a paper with plenty of opacity so that photos or big headlines on one side don't show through too prominently.

Smooth, but Not Too Smooth

Photocopiers and laser printers need smooth paper--but not too smooth, or the toner won't stick. So avoid using glossy paper in photocopiers and laser printers