
What is the difference between cover stock and cardstock?
Cover stock, more commonly known as card stock, is paper stock that is a lot thicker than normal paper, making it more durable. Read more about cover stock vs cardstock here. Unlike cover stock, cardstock is NOT the same as construction paper.
How thick is a cardstock card?
Cardstock thickness ranges from 0.188 mm all the way up to 0.445 mm. General Rule: The higher the number, the greater the weight and thickness. These thicknesses can be used in paper flyers, business cards, and wedding menus. And, of course, all manner of paper crafting.
What is the difference between cardstock and paper?
As a general rule, cardstock is thicker, sturdier and more durable than standard paper. Cardstock is typically classified by weight, measured in pounds (lbs) per 1000 sheets of paper. Cardstock weight ranges from around 65 lbs (thinnest cardstock) to 110 lbs (thickest cardstock). Cardstock can also be measured by GSM (grams per square meter).
What is cardstock used for?
The heaviest cardstock is often used for double-thick business cards, book covers, and heavy folders. Heavy-duty cardstock can also be used as a form of gift wrap for those who like to make their own wrapping paper. Is Cardstock the Same as Crafting Paper? Both cardstock and crafting paper can be used in many of the same activities.

Is paper stock the same as cardstock?
Also called cover stock, cardstock is thicker than paper stock but is more flexible than a paperboard. The thickness makes it ideal for business cards, postcards, and greeting cards. Cardstock is measured in points (pt.) derived from the thickness of a single piece of paper.
Is cover stock thicker than card stock?
Paper that is sold as either "card stock" or "cover stock" is thicker and more durable than standard drawing or construction paper, but thinner and more flexible than cardboard.
How thick is cover stock paper?
It comes in a variety of thicknesses. 10pt, 12pt, 16pt and 24pt are all common thickness for cardstock prints.
What does cover mean for cardstock?
Card stock, also called cover stock and pasteboard, is paper that is thicker and more durable than normal writing and printing paper, but thinner and more flexible than other forms of paperboard.
What is the thickest cardstock?
The higher the number, the heavier, and usually thicker, the paper....You may have noticed that our specialty papers are split up into four categories:Light Weight - Up to 169 gsm.Medium Weight - 170-216 gsm.Heavy Weight - 217-284 gsm.Extra Heavy Weight - 285 gsm & Up.
What is the thickest paper?
Cardstock weight ranges from around 65 lbs (thinnest cardstock) to 110 lbs (thickest cardstock). Cardstock can also be measured by GSM (grams per square meter). GSM refers to the actual weight of the cardstock sheet itself. There are several commonly sized sheets that cardstock paper can be cut into.
What is cover stock paper used for?
Cover stock refers to a heavier type of matte or glossy paper that your business can use for heavier items like business cards and posters.
How thick is 100lb cover stock?
14pt thickWhat is the difference between 100 lb Text and 100 lb Cover?Paper ThicknessPaper TypeApprox. Caliper (Thickness)80lb Opaque Cover — uncoated.011″ (11pt thick)100lb Opaque Cover — uncoated.014″ (14pt thick)Gloss Coated Text Weight Paper23 more rows•Jan 6, 2022
What does 80lb cover mean?
Most reams of paper will have both the basis pound weight and the grams per square meter or gsm. 20lb bond = 75 gsm, 60lb text = 90 gsm, 70lb text = 90 gsm, 80lb text = 120 gsm, 80lb cover = 216 gsm, 110lb Index = 200 gsm.
What is cover paper?
: a strong durable printable paper of a type suitable for booklet or magazine covers.
What does cover weight mean?
Cover weight paper refers to paper that's thicker and sturdier than text weight paper. At its heaviest, cover stock weight can be similar to the material used to make cereal boxes. Sometimes referred to as cardstock, bristol, index or tag paper, cover stock paper weights can be both coated or uncoated.
What's the difference between cover stock and index?
"Cover" is a generic name for a variety of heavier and thicker paper stocks that includes Bristol, Index, Tag, and Card paper. It is more durable than Text paper. Cover paper is more rigid and must be scored (i.e., dented or creased) before it can be folded. This type of paper is usually smooth, but can have a texture.
What is the best way to choose between card and cover stock?
While the thickness and weight will obviously play a part in your selection -- a heavier paper, for example, works best for a handmade birthday card -- the best way to choose between card and cover stock is often simply by its feel between your fingers.
How is cover stock measured?
Cover stock, on the other hand, is often coated and textured, and is typically measured by caliper, or thickness, in points. One point is equivalent to 1/1,000 inch. In comparison, card stock that is labeled 80 pound -- or 80# -- is roughly the same as a cover stock labeled 10 point. Advertisement.
What is the difference between card stock and cardboard?
Paper that is sold as either "card stock" or "cover stock" is thicker and more durable than standard drawing or construction paper, but thinner and more flexible than cardboard. While these heavier mediums are sold under different weights, thicknesses and labels, they serve basically the same purpose in crafting projects and could be used interchangeably.
Where is Danielle Fernandez?
Danielle Fernandez. Based in Tampa, Fla., Danielle Fernandez been writing, editing and illustrating all things tech, travel, lifestyle and education since 1999. A part time nomad, she does her best to squeeze a road trip or an out-of-town adventure into the confines of every chaotic work week.
How is Card Stock Made?
To understand how card stock is formed, you must understand the materials and the process. Both are key to the quality of the final product that results.
What determines the quality of card stock?
If card stock is not created equally, what determines a quality card stock? Many people are under the misconception that the quality of a card stock is determined by its thickness, stiffness or weight. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Depending on personal taste and what the paper will be used for, some prefer thick, heavy stock, some prefer a lighter, softer stock. Therefore, the quality of a card stock is determined by the fiber quality and manufacturing process, not by thickness.
Why are there variances in the weight of paper?
Variances in weight are simply due to the amount of fiber that is dispersed onto the wire at the start of the paper making process. The opening at the bottom of the headbox is adjustable, allowing for different amounts of fiber to be dispersed. In a nutshell, the more fiber that is present at onset, the thicker the paper in the end.
How is card stock sheet guided?
Sheet is guided through a series of roller presses and heat dryers until it is a flat, uniform, dry sheet of card stock
What is the quality of card stock?
Therefore, the quality of a card stock is determined by the fiber quality and manufacturing process, not by thickness.
Where is the fiber blend dispersed?
The fiber blend is dispersed from an opening at the bottom of the headbox – a storage container at the start of the paper-making machine
What is cover stock?
Cover stock: is a specific term reserved for heavy weight paper of a decorative nature; found in an assortment of colors, finishes, textures, and coatings. Sticking with technicalities, cover stock is generally classified by paper basis weight, rather than caliper, or thickness.
How is cardstock classified?
As a general rule, cardstock is thicker, sturdier and more durable than standard paper.
What is the most common cardstock thickness?
As mentioned, varying projects call for different cardstock thickness.
What is double thick cardstock?
Double thick cardstock is heavier and thicker than standard cardstock. Used for very specified products, double thick cardstock is made of two sheets of cardstock pasted together.
Can you print on cardstock?
Cardstock is heavier and thicker than regular printer paper and typically uses more ink. While many printers can handle lighter sheets of cardstock (such as a 65lb or 80lb card stock), thicker cardstocks (over 80lb) don’t bend as easily, so using commercial printers is preferable.
What if I need more help choosing the right cardstock?
If you need help choosing the right cardstock thickness, our comprehensive Paper Finder can help you locate the most appropriate type of cardstock for any project.
Why buy cardstock from Paperworks?
At Paperworks, we are dedicated to assisting you through all stages of your cardstock buying process. From start to finish, our paper pros will ensure that you have all of your questions answered.
What is 110 lb cardstock?
110lb cover (284 GSM): on the thicker end of the cardstock spectrum, this extra-heavy cardstock is used for deliverables including thick business cards and thick invitations.
What is Cardstock Used For?
For example - invitations, resumes, and even menus are all great uses of card stock. Although they aren't mandatory for any of these media, they give whatever you are passing out the impression that it is more polished rather than using your typical 8.5x11 paper.
What is the thickness of cardstock?
It comes in a variety of thicknesses. 10pt, 12pt, 16pt and 24pt are all common thickness for cardstock prints. 12pt cardstock is one of the most popular choices for today cardstock printing needs although there are other sizes on the market.
What is the difference between coverstock and cardstock?
There is some confusion between cover stock and cardstock. Cardstock is generally measured by weight, and coverstock is measured by points. Many printers and people use the same measurements for both. You can read more about cardstock vs coverstock here. Cardstock weight for postcards depends on your preference.
What is 12pt cardstock?
12pt card stock is a more durable and much thicker than ordinary printing paper or writing paper. 12pt Cardstock is also more versatile than other kinds of paperboard of a similar size. They're sold in sheets (as opposed to paper reams).
How much does cardstock weigh?
What weight is cardstock? Although there are different definitions of cardstock across countries, in the US the typical weight is about 250 g/m. In the U.S., card stock thickness is usually measured in points or mils which is the thickness of the sheet in thousandths of an inch. For example, a 10 pt. card is 0.010 in (0.254 mm) thick (roughly corresponding to a weight of 250 g/m^2, and 12 pt. is 300 g/m^2. Of course, there are other thicknesses and therefore weights of this type of material, but these are the most common thicknesses.
How much does a 12 pt cardstock cost?
At Printmoz you can get a discount on cardstock if you are ordering printed cardstock in bulk. The average price of 12 pt cardstock is $3.95 per square foot. While 24 pt cardstock runs at $4.99 per square foot. If you order in bulk, you’ll save $0.02 per square foot on 12 pt cardstock and $0.01 per square foot on 24 pt cardstock. Postcard printing on cardstock will help you simplify your message into sound bites that are easy to read. So if you want to send out a promotion using printed postcards, it’s always a good idea to work on the design elements before you decide so you know exactly how much space you will need for your postcard. Cardstock printing is also great for text bubbles for photo booths!
What type of cardstock is used for printing?
Here are the most common card stock printing types of cardstock: Textured— Thie kind of cardstock has options for texture and color. You can pick the kind that is best for your needs Colored— Many cardstock printing ideas can tie in the right color that goes in with your color scheme.
How Do You Choose the Right Paper Weight?
So, if paper weight is so variable and the actual metrics used to determine it aren’t actually concrete, how do you know what paper weight is the right fit?
Why do you use weight on cardstock?
This is actually a good thing for consumers, even though it is confusing. Because weight takes into account the actual thickness of the paper, you can use weight to determine whether a sheet of cardstock is too thick for your home printer to handle.
How much weight is medium paper?
Medium weight paper is generally between 65 lbs to 80 lbs–picture the type of paper typically used in cards and you’re in the right ballpark. Heavyweight paper runs from 80 lbs to 200 lbs and can be used in anything from business cards to hang tags to booklets, as it is sturdy and substantial.
How to find point in paper?
Point is calculated by the thousandths of an inch thickness of sheets of paper. A sheet of paper 0.010 inches thick is 10 pt cardstock, 0.015 inches thick is 15 pt cardstock, etc.
How is paper weight measured?
Paper weight is measured using three measures of sturdiness: By pounds (lbs) By point. By density. You may wonder why the weight of a cardstock says 65 lb when the reams of paper don’t weigh 65 lb. That’s because weight in pounds isn’t calculated by the ream, but rather by the weight of the uncut paper. So, if 500 sheets of uncut cardstock weigh 65 ...
How much paper can a printer handle?
Most consumer-grade printers can handle 80 lb to 100 lb paper, but not all can, so make sure to check your printer’s weight capacity. That said, heavy papers typically start at 80 lbs and up, and bond paper, for example, can be as light as 20 lbs or as heavy as 72 lbs.
What scale do you use to determine the right cardstock?
To understand how that happens, you have to understand the US paper density scale, which will, in turn, help you identify the right cardstock for a given situation.
What is cut cardstock?
To keep things simple, we at CutCardStock refer to all text weight as paper and all cover weight stock as card stock.
What is 32/80 lb text paper?
32/80 lb text weight is a thicker paper that is used for wedding programs, menus, fine brochures, and more. A popular paper choice among the 80 lb text paper is the Stardream Metallic paper and envelopes. The shimmer paper is often used for wedding and special event programs. The 80 lb text paper, equivalent to 118 gsm, is often used to convert fine envelopes. Envelopes converted from 80 lb text are much more substantial and are often used for DIY invitations, especially wedding invitations. 32/80 lb text weight envelopes are generally thick enough that consumers will only use one envelope to mail their invitation, rather than using inner and outer envelopes.
What is 24/60 lb paper used for?
24/60 lb text weight paper could also be used for copy paper. It is commonly used for inkjet and laser printing. This 90.3 gsm paper is used for converting economy envelopes. It is great for flyers, newsletters, letterhead, and everyday printing. Our Astrobright papers are a fun 60# paper for getting your flyers and posters noticed!
What type of paper is used for copy and printing?
20 bond/50 lb paper would commonly be used as copy and printer paper. It is inexpensive and it would not be a good idea to use this 72 gsm paper for wedding programs, brochures and any other type of printing in which you want to make a statement.
