Types of Paper You can Use for Book Printing

Posted by Steve Morgan on August 16th, 2023

Printing a book is not as easy as it sounds. It is both technical and creative. One of the most important elements of a book is the choice of paper. The type of paper has a direct impact on the visual and tactile experience of the book.

Selecting the right paper is as important as selecting your words. Since paper is characterized by its weight, composition, and finish, there is no standard paper for book printing.

Some of the top paper options you can choose from book printing services are discussed below-

1. Gloss and Matted Coated Paper

Gloss and matted coated paper are two sides of a visually-attractive coin. Gloss paper has a smooth tactile feel or high shine. It is a popular choice for flyers and leaflets as it enhances colors.

Matte-paper is just the opposite. It has muted surface, which refracts light evenly and subtly, reducing glare. It has a textured, and soft feel to it. Matte coated paper is known for creating books, magazines, and other larger copy-based print since it lacks the reflective ability that gloss paper has. In opposition to gloss, matte paper can be used to easily write on.

2. Bond Paper

Bond paper for a spiral bound book or perfect bound book is a long-lasting or robust paper type. Since it doesn’t have a coating, it can easily be used for pen use or printers. But it is also a disadvantage. It is prone to damage, such as scuffs, tears, and stains as it is uncoated.

3. Silk Coated Paper

Silk-coated paper is a type of paper that comes between matted and gloss coated. It is an excellent type of paper that you can print your book on. The paper comes with a smooth feel but doesn’t have the shine that you find in glossy paper. It is made by combining silk fibers. This gives the paper a luxurious feel.

4. Uncoated Paper

For your perfect bound or spiral bound book printing, you can use uncoated paper. It doesn’t have a coating. So, it makes paper the best medium for absorbency and ink use.

As it lacks coating, it has the benefit of being used for pen use or printers. Even though it is a disadvantage because it is uncoated, it might be more susceptible to damage, such as stains, scuffs, and tears.

5. Watermarked Paper

If you are printing books to represent your company, watermarked paper is the best choice. It has an identifying pattern or image that can be seen when viewed in specific lights.

Watermarks are taken as professional and sophisticated when used in printed documents. It is usually used in currency since it has the best way to guard against forgery or counterfeiting.

For a more cosmic watermark style, you can use debossing and embossing, hammered papers, and laid papers for creating a bespoke watermarked feature. It will give your paper the unique touch that will generally find with premium brands.

6. Carbon-Balanced Paper

Carbon-balanced paper is a sophisticated and unique choice. It is where the paper has been evaluated for the amount of CO2 emitted during its transportation and production. It is an effective and simple way for organizations to reduce the environmental footprints of the book they are printing.

A few print providers have chosen carbon offset techniques as the point of manufacture to ensure that the paper they are using for book printing is carbon neutral.