What Are the Different Types of Finishes on Printers?
If you're printing a piece that you designed but don't like the results, a different finish may improve its appearance. The term "finish" refers to the type of paper you use, which affects the look of your final copy; for example, it may end up shiny with colors that pop or reveal a subtle deepening of colors. Choosing the right finish for your printed piece can transform it from lifeless to vibrant.
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Printer Specifications
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Not all finishes work with all printers. For example, iron-on transfer paper typically melts in laser printers, while certain glossy stocks smear when used with ink-jet printers. Most manufacturers recommend using their brand of paper with their printers for best results.
Standard Finishes
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Most basic printing jobs require a choice between standard paper finishes. Glossy paper is slick on at least one side -- sometimes both -- and makes colors appear crisp and bright. Commonly used for printing photos as well as other colorful pieces, such as sales brochures, it shows fingerprints and dirt easily. Matte paper is duller, with no slickness or sheen. Colors often appear darker on matte paper than on glossy paper, but it doesn't show smudges as much as glossy finishes do.
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Less Common Finishes
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Vellum paper is a relatively rigid, nearly transparent paper used as a cover page in formal invitations or small add-ins inside cards. Vellum-finish paper is made specifically for either ink-jet or laser printers; the ink won't adhere to the wrong kind of vellum. It also doesn't absorb ink as well as other paper finishes, and needs time to dry before you handle it.
Iron-on transfer paper helps you make crafts with your children or shirts for the school ball game. By its nature, this finish comes loose from its backing when you apply heat to it. Because laser printers use heat to help the ink adhere to the paper, you should use this finish only with ink-jet printers.
Considerations
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The fine print on a package of paper reveals if it will work with your printer type. For example, you may see a glossy-finish paper described as "swellable," which means the paper fibers swell as they absorb the ink. The package directions should tell you it works best with dye-based inks, which are found in many inexpensive inkjet printers. Cotton-rag paper, also known as fine-art paper, works best with inkjets using pigment-based inks, which often include a slightly textured finish.
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References
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