Discussing paper weight and thickness often confuses buyers when choosing one product over another. These are two concepts that, although related, serve to differentiate one type of paper from another—and generally, indicate quality.
This also means that paper weight helps determine how the paper will be used and what its finish will be like. In this article, we want to explain everything you need to know about paper thickness and weight. Keep reading for more information!
What Is Paper Thickness?
Talking about the concept of paper thickness, or the thickness of a sheet, might be easier to understand. It is measured by the distance between the two sides of the same sheet, as if you drew a vertical line between them and measured it.
The materials used to make the paper influence its thickness, as do the air or spaces that might exist within it. To clarify, the thickness of a standard sheet of printing paper is not the same as that of parchment paper or cardstock, and the thickness of Kraft paper—which is much greater—is another story altogether.
Another concept to consider is paper caliper, which is essentially another term for thickness.
What Is Paper Weight?
When we talk about paper weight, we refer to the weight of one square meter of a specific type of paper. For example, if we have paper with a weight of 200 grams, it means that a 1 m² sheet weighs a total of 200 grams.
This helps us understand that even if two papers have the same weight, they might not necessarily have the same thickness.
Types of Paper by Weight
Generally, the higher the paper, the thicker and more durable it will be—although this is not a strict rule, as other factors like material, whether it’s recycled, the finish, and other aspects play a role. In any case, the higher the paper weight, the higher the quality it will likely have.
This is a measure that allows us to compare the quality of different papers, but beware! It’s not the only one.
Keep in mind that texture and grain are also important in determining whether a paper is of good quality or not. Below, we explain the different types of paper based on weight. Let’s take a look:
- Tissue Paper: Tissue paper is similar to cigarette paper. It usually has a weight of 12 to 25 g/m².
- Newsprint Paper: Newsprint paper is notable for being very lightweight. As its name suggests, it is used for various printed runs of newspapers, but also for phone books, among other uses. The paper weight, in this case, is around 42 to 45 g/m².
- Standard Paper: Commonly known as printer paper and used for writing or printing. This type of paper has higher quality than the previous types. Its weight is usually 80 g/m².
- Drawing Paper: This type of paper is characterized by its high resistance. It can be thick, translucent, or have a smooth surface. The weight of this paper ranges from 90 to 600 g/m².
- Cardstock: This is a thicker and more durable paper than standard writing or printing paper. It is commonly referred to as thin cardboard. In this case, the weight is usually around 180 to 200 g/m², although thicker cardstock can reach up to 350 g/m².
Uses of Paper According to Weight
Regardless of the paper weight, it’s important to note that paper can be either coated or uncoated (also known as offset).
Coated paper has a layer of mineral pigments on the surface, allowing the ink to dry faster. This type of paper provides a better finish for printing compared to offset paper, which lacks any surface coating.
Generally, coated paper can have a glossy appearance, a matte finish (when no mechanical treatments are applied), or a satin finish.
The latter offers a smoother texture that blends gloss with dullness due to the pressure exerted on it during its passage through the metal cylinders of the calender.
Offset paper is often used for different formats depending on its weight. Here are some general guidelines:
- Weight of 60 to 115 grams: Used for magazine interiors with many pages, book pages, blueprints, and foldouts.
- Weight of 135 to 200 grams: Used for brochures, flyers, short-run magazine publications, and leaflets.
- Weight of more than 200 grams: Used for book covers, folders, and business cards.
If coated paper is used, the weight and function of the paper will also vary. In this case, the guidelines are as follows:
- Weight of 70 to 150 grams: Used for brochures, flyers, leaflets, blueprints, magazines, etc.
- Weight of 170 to 250 grams: Used for catalogs.
- Weight of more than 250 grams: Used for book covers, magazine covers, and sturdy foldouts.
How to Measure Paper Thickness
Measuring paper thickness is quite challenging if you focus only on the thickness of a single sheet. The simplest solution is to stack several sheets together, for example, 100 sheets, and measure the stack with a ruler.
Then, divide the result by 100 to find the thickness of the paper—specifically, the thickness of one sheet.
