Important printer paper grades - and what they are suitable for

Which types of printer paper are available and when and where they are used always depends on the user. Basically, there are a handful of important varieties that should not be ignored. If you look at the various printers on the Internet, it quickly becomes clear that a printer does not always work with copy paper. Printers can basically work with different types of printer paper, ultimately bringing different results.

When can a printer feed different paper?

If you want to get a printer, you can distinguish between two large models. On the one hand there is the inkjet printer, which prints its pages line by line with liquid ink - on the other hand, laser printers are sold, which print pages completely with heat. Both versions can work with different types of paper, depending on the manufacturer.

Which paper types are suitable for a printer is always to be found out by the manufacturer. Manufacturers indicate either in the operating instructions or on the packaging which types can be fed. Important to mention: Not every laser printer can be equipped with foil paper, but not every inkjet printer can always work with photo paper. Manufacturers change depending on the model and serial number with the available varieties.

If the printer has been purchased privately and used, features on the case may indicate what features the printer has. Generally, a printer always has a normal paper feed. Here you can insert papers usually up to 100 g / m². Thicker papers can then no longer be used because the normal paper feed usually turns the paper once and turns. Such rotation can result in kinks on thicker grades of paper.

The creases are prevented by printers using a second or third paper feed. This is located on the back of the printer and is usually filled from above. If such a second slot is available, usually also different types of paper can be inserted. The format sizes are then marked by sliders or savings on the slot.

An example: Often there is a special slot format for postcards in 10 x 15 cm.

The different thicknesses of the copy paper

The normal copy paper usually has a thickness of 80 g / m². All normal papers - be it for contracts, letters or other documents - have such a thickness. In general, it can be said that every printer on the market can use a copy paper of this thickness. The dimensions of the paper comply with the DIN A4 format and are standardized. There are also printers that work with a DIN A6 format, but is rarely encountered in practice.

In addition to the paper with a thickness of 80 g / m², there are also papers that work with 100 g / m². Such copy papers are not referred to as plain paper, but may be referred to as business paper. The printer can usually move such a paper over the normal paper tray. This type of paper is used, for example, in insurance contracts or policies.

All printer paper over 100 g / m² can be called cardboard. The paper types can be used for postcards or other thicker documents, but are usually not fed through the regular paper tray. A kinking must be prevented here.

The photo paper in detail

Photo paper is also commonly referred to as inkjet printer paper. Such a type of paper is characterized in that it is coated on one side. The photo paper is also not fed through the normal paper slot in the printer, but introduced through the separate paper tray.

The photo paper is usually used in an inkjet printer, since this is the best possible use. A photo paper is initially referred to as coated paper, before it is then through various manufacturing processes to a glossy or even dull photo paper. The coated side is made so that the ink adheres optimally to the paper. Although laser printers can use coated papers, the paper must be labeled as such. Not every normal photo paper can be used in a laser printer!

The photo paper is - as already mentioned - in different versions. Depending on the version, the photo looks different. While glossy photo papers are very popular with photographs of people or landscapes, dull photo papers are often used in drawings or blueprints.

  • Coated paper
  • Matt photo paper
  • Shiny photo paper

With photo papers, gradiation also plays a decisive role in the quality of the photo. If a photo paper is ordered, it can be read directly on the packaging which gradiation the paper has. A distinction is made here between G1, G2, G3 and G4. A photo paper with G1 can reproduce shades of gray very well, but has losses in contrast. The paper with G4 has very good contrast values, but weakens then in the range of shades of gray. The G4 paper is very hard compared to the G1 paper, so you can imagine it better imaginatively.

Photo paper for the laser printer?

Generally, it is said that an inkjet printer offers better results when taking photographs. Although a laser printer can print photographs, it usually gives worse results than a comparable inkjet printer. Laser printers can print photographs on plain paper, but can also use special photo papers. In general, however, no normal photo papers may be used for this because such papers are not designed for the enormous temperatures in the laser printer.

In the laser printer temperatures are up to 200 degrees Celsius, which normal papers for the inkjet printer can not stand. However, there are several specially coated photo papers that are suitable for a laser printer. Most of these have a thickness of 200 g / m² and are referred to as temperature resistant.

Special products for printer paper

Apart from these common types of paper - plain paper and photo paper - printers can usually also print on other types. For example, photo printing on film or on textile surfaces is particularly popular. Foil printing can be done with laser printers and ink jet printers, but must then have different paper types with different heat resistances. A laser printer has to register ever higher resistance to paper.

Apart from the foil paper or a T-shirt, there are the well-known postcard formats that are often used in a printer. Postcards have either a thickness of 265 g / m² or a thickness of 300 g / m². With increasing thickness, the quality of the paper is increased, which ultimately increases the life of postcards. Especially when sending by mail unforeseen accidents can happen, which can be compensated for a thicker postcard rather - they do not buck as fast as other postcard sizes.