Printing made simple
Paper Print Guide
Every sheet we sell is uncoated and printer friendly. A few small settings make the difference between an okay print and a great one.
- Inkjet friendly
- Laser friendly
- 100% uncoated
- Made in the USA
Find your weight, find your settings
Check your label or listing for the weight. These three cover nearly everything we sell.
60# Text
89 gsm, light and flexible
A touch heavier than everyday copy paper.
65# Cover
176 gsm, light cardstock
Sturdy like a postcard, still light enough for almost any printer to feed.
80# Cover
216 gsm, medium cardstock
Feels like a premium greeting card. Stands on its own and holds a clean edge.
Know the difference between Cover and Text.
80# Cover and 80# Text are not the same paper. Cover is the heavier cardstock, Text is the lighter, foldable sheet. The pound number only compares papers within the same family, so always read the word next to it: Cover or Text. When in doubt, gsm is the honest number. And a quick note on chipboard: it is a rigid board for backing, packaging, and tags, and it is not meant to feed through a desktop printer.
Dial in your printer
Inkjet or laser, both print beautifully on uncoated paper. Every printer words the settings a little differently, so look for the closest name in your print window.
Inkjet printers
Inkjet sprays liquid ink. Uncoated paper drinks it in, so colors look soft, warm, and matte. Give prints a minute to dry.
60# Text
65# Cover
80# Cover
Tip: For photos and solid color, set quality to Best or High. Give sheets a minute to dry before stacking.
Laser printers
Laser fuses dry toner with heat. Prints are dry instantly and text comes out crisp. The right paper type slows the fuser so toner bonds to heavier stock.
60# Text
65# Cover
80# Cover
Tip: if toner looks dull or rubs off, the paper type is set too light. Step it up to Cardstock or Heavy and print again.
Step by step
65# and 80# Cover
- Load a few sheets in the rear or manual feed tray.
- Set paper type to Cardstock or Heavy, quality to Best.
- Turn off automatic two-sided printing.
- Print one test sheet, check it, then run the rest.
- Let inkjet prints rest a minute before stacking.
60# Text
- Load it in the main tray like everyday paper.
- Set paper type to Plain. Use Best quality for color.
- Print your test sheet, then the batch.
Sizing your document
- Match the document size to the actual sheet size.
- If you're printing on a 5 x 7, set the paper size to 5 x 7 too.
- Turn off Fit to Page so nothing shifts or scales.
Troubleshooting
My ink is smudging or smearing
Almost always the paper type is still set to Plain. Switch it to Cardstock or Heavy so the printer lays down the right amount of ink, give inkjet prints a minute to dry, and pull prints off the tray as they land instead of letting them stack on each other.
It keeps jamming or grabbing two sheets
Use the rear or manual tray, fan the stack so sheets separate, load fewer sheets, and set the paper guides so they touch the edges lightly without pinching.
My design prints cut off or shifted
The document size does not match the sheet. Set both the document and the printer paper size to the exact dimensions, and turn off Fit to Page or any scaling.
Colors look dull or streaky
Set quality to Best and double check the paper type. Those two changes fix most dull or streaky color. Keep in mind uncoated paper has a soft matte look by design, it will never look like glossy photo paper.
Toner rubs off or flakes (laser)
The fuser is not getting hot enough for the thickness. Set the paper type to Cardstock, Heavy, or Thick so the printer slows down and bonds the toner properly, and feed through the bypass tray.
Sheets curl after printing
Heavy ink coverage and heat can curl paper. Let prints cool flat, store paper flat in its packaging, and if curl persists, flatten finished prints under a heavy book overnight.
FAQ
Will this paper work in my printer?
Yes. Every sheet we sell is uncoated, which both inkjet and laser printers are built for. Text weight runs like everyday paper. For cardstock, set the paper type to Cardstock or Heavy and use the rear or manual tray.
Can my home printer handle 80# Cover?
Most printers take 80# Cover through the rear or manual feed, one sheet at a time on the Cardstock or Heavy setting. Fair warning: some entry level laser printers are only rated to 163 to 176 gsm, and 80# Cover is 216 gsm. Check your manual for the maximum paper weight before running a big job, and if your printer is on the light-duty side, 65# Cover is the safe pick.
Which side do I print on?
Both sides of our paper print well. If a print looks dull or stays tacky, flip the sheet and run a quick test to compare.
Can I print double-sided?
On text weight, yes, automatic two-sided printing works fine. On cardstock, turn auto duplex off. Print the front, flip the stack by hand, then print the back.
Can I print edge to edge with no border?
Laser printers cannot print borderless at all, they keep a small border by design. Some inkjets offer borderless, but usually only on photo paper settings, not cardstock. Design with about a quarter inch margin, or do what print shops do: print your art slightly oversized on a larger sheet and trim to the final size.
Does uncoated mean lower quality?
Not at all. Uncoated simply means no plastic or clay coating on the surface. Ink absorbs and dries fast, toner bonds cleanly, and you can write on it with any pen. It is the classic look for invitations, menus, and stationery.
Shop our most popular papers
Jammed? We are happy to help.
We are real people in Nampa, Idaho, and we answer for real. Send us your printer model and a quick photo of what you are seeing, and we will point you to the right settings.
Contact usPaper should be simple. Happy printing.