The distinction between the professional-appearing printed piece and the amateur one may be the paper stock you use. Whether you are printing business cards, wedding cards, or you are printing high-end packaging, it is just necessary that you get to know about the cardstock paper so that you can get the quality and durability your project requires.
What is Cardstock Paper?
It is a type of paper that is characterized by cardstock paper and is stiffer and thicker than normal printing paper. Cover stock, also known as cardstock or pasteboard, is a flexible material whose remarkable resilience ensures it is the product of choice in operations that require both aesthetic and structural reinforcement.
The quality and professionalism that a normal sheet of thinner paper cannot imbue can also be found in cardstock because it is a stiff sheet that can easily bend or be ripped. It is an all-purpose material, and it is applicable not only to a business card, invitation, postcard, and other tasks of craft requiring permanent quality and appeal, but also to other objects.
Cardstock vs Regular Paper: Understanding the Key Differences
The differences between cardstock and different types of normal paper are more than the thickness. This is how they compare:
Cardstock characteristics:
- A heavyweight, 50 lb to 110 lb. Generally, this weight increases with the magnitude of the body.
- Hard and somewhat stiff construction that does not flatten out
- Tear-proof, bend-proof, and wear-proof in general
- High quality that adds value to the perception of it being premium
Regular paper characteristics:
- Lightweight, say, 20 lb to 32 lb
- More moving and liable to injury by manipulation
- Does not have a rich durability to meet its high-end usage, but at a lower cost
- Appropriate to use in printing, but not when a high-impact presentation is needed and is sought.
Common Uses of Cardstock
Cardstock is universal and is thus capable of being used in a very large number of personal or business applications that appeal to various customers. The most common applications include greeting cards, where they need to be robust to handle and ship, wedding invitations, where a formal presentation is required, and covers of reports, where the value of the paperwork needs to be preserved and the presentation needs to be highly professional.
Another commonly used product in the creative sector is cardstock, since scrapbooking enthusiasts would use the product to ensure their recollection will last. Restaurants are known to use cardstock to get menus that people use day by day, and it is also known that some businesses need cardstock to print cards, postcards, tags, and labels that are anticipated to make a long-lasting impression.
Weight and Thickness Categories
Cardstock weights are often measured and obviously make sense to understand so that one can properly choose the right material that would cater to his or her particular needs. Weight groups have usually been categorized in three broad divisions:
Lightweight cardstock (50lb, 65lb) is durable and flexible enough to use in projects that require some amount of folding (eg, in greeting cards or invitations where the invitation might be required to fit into normal envelopes).
The medium-weight cardstock (80 lb -90 lb) also has better sturdiness and yet can make an informed decision. The weight packs suit business cards and postcards as well as presentation materials to portray quality, but not to be too stiff.
The thickest cardstock (100 lb, 110 lb, or more ) offers the greatest durability and a high-quality standard. This type would be most appropriate when the cardstock’s thickness requires supporting itself without a backing, i.e., for example, tent cards or product tags, or higher-end invitation cards.
Finishes and Textures
The quality of cardstock finishes has a huge effect on the look and usefulness of cardstock. There are different advantages in each finish based on your project’s needs.
The finish is smooth, which gives an edgeless surface that is ideal for print quality, making the output sharp and clear, and the color bright. This finish is suitable for business materials and any other use where the readability of print is of utmost importance.
Linen finish
The outside is of a soft finish, giving the printed works the appearance of business, and it looks smooth. It is used more specifically in business correspondence and official invitations.
This makes the card’s stock material appear vintage and traditional with the pattern laid finish. Such texture brings interest to the eye and will be a frequent option both in high-quality stationery and in official documents.
Vellum or matte finish is a non-glossy surface with low glare and excellent print. It is also flexible and can be applied to text-rich and image-rich designs.
Glossy Well, the famous Glossy finish is a shiny finish that is perfect for pictures or designs requiring saturation of colors. However, it is easy to reveal fingerprints as compared to other finishes.
Printing on Cardstock
The majority of the new inkjet and laser printers support the use of card stock; however, certain factors regarding the type of paper are worth considering when using the card stock. The average weight of cardstock works just fine with the home and business printers; however, settings might be altered to produce the best output.
Heavy cardstock paper cover stock
Consistency might be beyond what the printer can handle easily, and this can include commercial printing. When printing on heavy card stock, always be sure to look at the specifications of your printer in regards to the maximum thickness of paper and weight capacity of the paper or card stock before you decide to print on it. Cardstock that is larger than your printer design might end up jamming the printer, and low quality of print.
To get the best outcome, make sure that you have the right paper type setting on your printer, that the cardstock is properly loaded, and test it out on a smaller piece before rolling with it on your entire project.
Tips for Working with Cardstock
With the cardstock, some special tricks are required to achieve professional effects. Cutting: when using cardstock, you need to have a proper tool, e.g., the paper trimmer or the craft knife, which will cut straight corners and at the same time a straight line. Scissors can be applied in basic cutting, but are not accurate enough to be applied in professional work printer paper.
It is suggested that cardstock (and especially heavier cardstock) be scored along the fold line before folding kraft paper. This prevents cracking and produces a sharp and clean fold. With the assistance of the bone folder or similar like you will be in a position to produce sharp edges without marring the paper.
Storage is also very important regarding the quality of cardstock. Leave store sheets lying flat in a dry space to prevent any form of bending, warping, or moisture damage. Store cardstock by keeping it in the box it came in or in a flat box to keep dust off and keep it damage-free watercolor paper.
Choosing the Right Cardstock
There are various factors, including cardstock thickness, that determine the choice of cardstock to be used based on the needs of the individual projects. When making your choice, consider the purpose for which it will be put, the durability needed, and how it is desired to look.
When we have projects where we need maximum durability e.g., postcards that should be mailed or business cards that would be handled a lot, we should use heavier weights of cardstock copy paper. These are what add the structural integrity needed to ensure they can retain their looks over time.
Lighter-weight cardstocks (130-lb or less)
Provide the strongest combination of durability and ease of working with, particularly when an item that can be folded easily, such as greeting cards or invitations, is needed. They have a nice texture to them, yet they are flexible to be able to fold and assemble playing cards.
The printing, as well as the final appearance, is dependent on the type of finish you use. Think about whether you use fine text in your architecture (which is served well with the smooth finishes) or need to create some textural interest (where linen or laid finishes would be outstanding).
Conclusion
One should have an idea of what cardstock is, since it is a huge investment rather than using plain paper, in cases where quality, durability, and business appearance of your work are needed. Information on the different weights, finishes, and applications of cardstock can help you make wise decisions and embellish your print material, and leave a lasting impression final product.
Whether it is business content, personal invites, or any type of craft projects you need, with the correct choice of cardstock, your final items will be created to the highest level and with the highest quality. The net advantage of the cost billed to the cost of your printed materials and their ultimate performance is the value of the cardstock of high-quality cardboard.
At Crown Win Packaging, we are very sensitive to the application of quality materials that ensure the outcome is exemplary. We also help our customers in choosing the best materials to use, provided the application, in addition to providing high-quality packaging solutions, among others, as well as the type of packaging solution to use, under the condition that their brands deserve stationery.
