Now that you know the difference between printer paper and copy paper, let’s go over the six different types of printer paper you need to be aware of:
1. Regular Matte Paper
The most common type of paper used to print documents is regular matte paper, which is suitable for most basic print jobs.
Consider this paper to be the classic “copy paper” that we discussed in the previous section. It’s not shiny, and the smooth matte texture absorbs ink and dries quickly, preventing smudges and smears.
2. Glossy Paper
This is the gleaming stuff. Glossy paper is coated with a polymer, which gives it a smooth shine and allows it to produce richer, more vibrant colour output than regular paper.
This paper can be used to print photographs or vibrant images, but it has a much longer dry time than regular paper, so smudges may occur if handled improperly. As a best practise, only use a laser printer to print on glossy paper.
3. Bright White Paper
I know regular paper appears white, but this paper has been specially formulated to have an exceptionally smooth surface and a brilliant white coating.
It’s considered “fancy copy paper,” and it provides an aesthetic presentation, which is ideal for documents with photos that require a vibrant finish without a glossy shine.
4. Photo Paper
Photo paper, as the name implies, is primarily intended for printing photographs or images.
If you recall the last time you held a photograph printed on photo paper, you will recall that the front and back sides have very different textures and appearances.
It is thicker than most other types of paper and has a high-gloss sheen on one side and a matte on the other.
5. Heavyweight Paper
The most common type of heavyweight paper is cardstock, which you may have heard of before since it is a common paper term among print consumers.
However, there are several different weights of paper that you can choose from, which will determine the thickness of the paper.?When you think?of?paperweight, think?of a piece of paper that’s?thin, or thick and hard to bend.??
Pro-Tip:?When selecting heavyweight paper, you need to be careful about the paper your?copier/printer?can handle, and which tray is?recommended for such paperweight. ??
6. Inkjet Paper
The final type of printer paper you should be aware of is inkjet paper, which is simply paper designed to work exclusively with inkjet printers, which are smaller desktop printers.
Inkjet printers use liquid toner as opposed to laser printers that work with a dry (powder-like) toner. Read our blog on the differences between inkjet and laser printers to learn more.
