Copier Paper

It’s not as simple as it sounds

If you have a copier that uses plain paper or multipurpose paper then your job of deciding what type of paper to use is going to be a lot easier. If you have a copier that accepts a variety of paper, be prepared to choose from many different types of paper. If you’re just printing text documents to hand out to employees you’ll probably be using the least expensive paper out there, but if you’re copying color documents and artwork you should really be using a high quality paper or even colored paper.

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We’ll list some of the basic terms and properties of paper which may help you pick the right type for your copying needs. However, be aware that your copier must be able to handle the paper you want to use. Only use paper that is designed for your brand and model of copier.

Paper Weight
Paper weight varies as it can be as light as newsprint and as heavy as cardboard. Paper weight is described in pounds and most standard business papers range from 20 to 24 lbs. For example, greeting cards are made out of paper that weighs between 60 to 79 lbs and photocopier bond paper is usually a 40 pound stock.
Thickness
The thickness of the paper affects its handling characteristics and is an important point in photo paper. Thicker paper is stiffer and harder to tear and crease. Paper thickness is usually referred to in "mil" or .001 inch.
Size
Paper is referred to by its dimensions and the ISO has set a standard for paper however it may vary from country to country with numerous additions. The most common sizes in America are letter (8.5 x 11 inches), legal (8.5 x 14 inches) and tabloid (11 x 17 inches).
Brightness
The brightness of paper refers to the amount of light that is reflected from its surface. The more light reflected means the higher the brightness value is. A higher brightness will give you crisper text and more vivid images because of a brighter background, especially in color.
Opacity
The opacity refers to how well the paper can block the passage of light. The more opaque a piece of paper is, the less it will show through what has been printed on the other side of it. Opacity is important if you’re copying pages to make things such as brochures, newsletters, calendars and two sided documents.
Finish
The paper’s finish refers to its surface. There are many types of finishes such as matte, glossy, semi-gloss, soft-gloss and satin-gloss. The paper’s finish will have an effect on how the copy will look. For example, a high gloss finish will produce a shiny, mirror-like finish, while matte is a duller type of finish.
Smoothness

The smoothness describes how text and images appear on the copied page. The smoother a paper's finish is, the sharper and crisper the text and images will appear to be.

Most copy papers are specially moisture balanced so they will work without problems in copiers. Paper jams are often blamed on the paper, but the performance of copy paper can be affected by improper storage and handling.

Some paper tips include:

Fan the paper before loading it into the copier to reduce static. This way the paper won’t stick together.
Look for the arrow on the package label to find out which side of the paper should face up.
Don’t store copy paper on the floor and in humid areas. Keep the wrapper on it until needed as the wrapper has a plastic moisture barrier layer to keep out humidity.
Keep the paper flat as much as possible.

Laser and ink jet papers are marketed for those types of copiers, however most copy and bond papers will work fine. Many papers are marketed as dual purpose or multi purpose, to meet the needs for bond, copy, laser, and ink jet papers. Imaging papers are generally used for copying images and color designs. Make sure the paper you use for copying is rated for copier use, especially if you have a high-speed copier.

Because millions of copies are made around the world each year, copy paper has become somewhat of environmental issue as paper leads to the destruction of trees. This has brought about the increased usage of recycled copier paper which is virtually indistinguishable from non-recycled or virgin paper as it has similar performance, color and cost. Office equipment warrantees now permit the use of recycled copy paper and some manufacturers such as Xerox and Hewlettt Packard even sell recycled-content papers under their own brand names.