How to choose the right types of printing paper

Based on the quality of print you want to take, you can choose from many types of printing paper available in the market. With so many options, it often becomes confusing to even identify which one to use for which purpose. Here is an article that will sort out this issue, and give you a summary of all the printing paper types available today. In addition to what is printed on a piece of paper, it is also equally important to make sure that it is printed on the right type of paper. If you are going to print an image, it is better to print it on glossy paper than on matte paper, to give it a professional look. Photographs need a glossy finish, which is difficult to achieve using matte paper. But at the same time, it is necessary to note that glossy paper faces the problem of glares and fingerprints, while matte does not. Let us see how many printing paper types are there to choose from.

Glossy Paper

The glossiness of this type of paper can be attributed to a clay called kaolin. This clay settles in the gaps between the fibers in the paper and gives it a smooth and glossy finish. But glossy papers are not as nice as they look. Kaolin contains the decay series of Uranium and Thorium, making this paper slightly radioactive! Bet you never thought that a glossy paper could be radioactive, huh? This glossy paper is most suited for photographs, color or monochrome, because this paper does not absorb the ink. It lets it remain on the surface. Also, the amount of dispersion of ink is less in glossy paper, which means the ink will remain concentrated and not spread around like it does on a blotting paper, thus giving a far better effect than matte paper. There are following types of glossy paper:

Matte Paper

Matte paper lacks the coating of clay provided to the glossy paper, leaving pores between the fibers of the paper, which is why it is lusterless. The effect of photographs printed on matte paper is dull. This type of paper is more porous, and due to increased capillary action as compared glossy paper, it absorbs the ink and makes it less concentrated than it looks on glossy paper. While this paper is not very suitable for printing photos, it is the best choice if you want to use it for the purpose of printing pamphlets without pictures. Due to the total absence of glare, it is convenient to read the print on this paper, while it is cumbersome to do so on glossy paper.