How to Buy Printer Paper

How do you choose the right paper? Answer just two questions: What type of printer do you have, and what do you want to print?

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Determine what type of printer you have. Most people own ink-jet printers, but some have laser printers.

2. Decide what weight of paper you want. Everyday paper is 20 lb. and works with any printer. The higher the number, the heavier the paper. Card stocks are 60 to 100 lb. or more.

3. Pick ink-jet stock for important projects. The printing is crisper because the paper is smoother and less absorbent.

4. Select photo paper to print pictures on an ink-jet printer. This coated stock is very smooth and somewhat stiff, so the finished prints feel like photographs. Matte photo paper is less shiny than glossy. Buy special archival paper and ink if you're printing photographs that you'll want to last a long time without fading.

5. Choose color laser printer paper only if you have a color laser printer. It's not good for ink-jet printing. Laser prints are more permanent than ink-jet prints, and less likely to run and bleed because they use toner rather than water-based ink.

Tips & Warnings

• Ink-jet prints will always run or bleed when wet, no matter what sort of paper you use.
• Make sure that transparencies, labels, stickers, and other specialty media work with your type of printer.