Paper Options for Printables

There are a plethora of wonderful papers out there, and I kind of have a thing for beautiful paper. But… when printing photo props, regular white cardstock works great. It’s easily accessible and holds up well to typical party antics.

TEXT/COPY VS COVER WEIGHT PAPER
• Copy weight paper is thin. It is used for everyday paper needs in copiers and printers.
• Cover weight paper, often referred to as cardstock, is thicker and sturdier – making it a better choice for printing your props.

COPY PAPER
• Regular copy paper is typically 20lb weight with a brightness rated at 92.
• When printing party decor, I prefer to print on a slightly better quality paper – meaning it’s a little heavier with a higher brightness. The three papers I lean towards are:
HP Bright White, 24lb, 100 brightness
HP Premium, 32lb, 100 brightness
Staples Premium, 32 lb, 98 brightness

110lb CARD STOCK
• The most common cardstock you will find is 110lb.
• It might also be listed as ‘index’
• White 110lb cardstock is a great choice for printing photo props.
• White 90lb cardstock also works well.
• I don’t recommend printing on colored card stock. The images will not have as much contrast as printing on white paper, resulting in a duller prop.

OTHER
• It’s not as sturdy as cardstock, but I also like the print quality of printing props on matte photo paper.
• If you are printing a photo booth sign that will be placed in a frame, regular copy paper works fine.

Paper Options

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