Paper Texture, a brief summary of possibilities

Paper textures play a big role in how a printed work  looks when complete. It can affect everything from how bright a color looks, to how the ink fills the paper, and how a printed material feels in your customer’s hands.

We’ve talked previously about the differences between coated and uncoated papers and how they can affect printed materials. On coated papers ink dries on the surface, whereas on uncoated papers ink is absorbed into the fibers of the paper. This often means inks appear more vibrant and intense on coated stocks, and appear softer and darker on uncoated stock. These aren’t the only two things that come into play between ink and paper.

Uncoated papers come in wonderfully varied textures. Each of these impact what the final result will look and feel like. These give a piece a unique sense of completeness that will be immediately noticeable to your customers and clients. Today we look at a few of the more common textures available.

Laid

A paper with a laid texture has the look of a classical hand-crafted paper. There are both horizontal and vertical lines in the sheet that are impressed into the paper during manufacturing. Laid papers are often used for letterheads, presentations, and whenever one desires a distinctive and rich feel.

Linen

The texture in linen paper comes from the fabric it emulates. It has a slight embossed texture that is reminiscent of a table cloth. Linen papers are often used for menus, personal or business stationery, and anytime one is looking for a refined and elegant feel.

Felt

Papers with a felt texture are often described as appearing soft, and appear with a woven or textile like finish. The surface of the paper can be used to great effect when printing images and is used in menus, stationery, and when someone is looking for an artistic flourish to match a design or image.

Column

Much like the name suggests, column paper is imprinted with a series of ribbed columns that would run vertically on something like a letterhead. Papers with a column texture are used in business stationery and on important invitations such as those for a wedding.

Vellum

Vellum generally implies a very smooth paper texture, but it is perhaps best to think of it as having an eggshell texture. In fact many manufacturers use the word eggshell for this variety of paper rather than vellum.

Wove

A paper with a wove texture again has a smooth eggshell like texture that can vary depending on the manufacturer. Generally speaking it is thought to be smoother than a vellum sheet, but it is of course best to get your hands on a sample to really see the difference.

The texture of these papers can have a big impact on the finished design of a printed material. Each of them also have their quirks that need to be understood as well. Some can lead to issues with large solid areas of color, and on other papers the textures could lead to an end product looking splotchy if it isn’t handled properly. Of course an experienced print service provider can help point out issues with your design.

We hope the images above give you an idea of what these papers are like, and if you would like to really check out their differences in greater detail, than feel free to stop by our shop.

cutpasteandprint Printing, graphic design, binding, and promotional product specialists in Huntingdon Valley, PA. We proudly serve the Bucks and Montgomery County areas with superior quality, great customer service, and a commitment to getting you and your the best possible printed materials. Our services include: Digital Printing, Offset Printing, Graphic Design, Promotional Items, Bindery, and Copying.