Brochure Paper – How To Select the Best Paper For Your Brochures

A great brochure can be ruined if it is printed on the wrong kind of paper. In this article, I will give you step-by-step guides on how to use the correct brochure paper for your needs. Simply follow the advice given in this article, and you will never make the mistake of painstakingly creating and designing a brochure, only to have it wasted on insufficient paper.

There are many different paper options to print your brochure on. In general, heavy stock is preferable for brochure paper. This is not your normal desktop printer paper, but is a lot thicker. It also requires that the printer which will use the heavy stock, have the correct settings to make sure the right type of ink and heating is used.

Traditionally, brochures are printed on the stock that is most commonly associated with textbook paper. If your brochure is a simple trifold, and only one sheet, then this should be sufficient. However, if your brochure is multiple pages, and requires a cover, then heavier stock will be best utilized for the cover of the brochure. The cover is often done in card stock -- which is the heaviest grade of paper there is.

The way the stock is measured is by how much 500 sheets of that type of paper weigh.

Besides the weight the paper, the finish on the paper also matters. You can have a high-gloss or low gloss finish, rough or smooth. Most of the commonly used finishes in brochures are as follows - dull coated, matte coated, gloss coated, felt, smooth, linen, antique, and wove.

If you're unsure which paper work best for you, then you should go to a printer and look through their swatch book. A swatch book will have all the different thickness and heaviness of paper available, as well as all different kinds of finishes offered. Keep in mind, depending on the weight to the paper, and the type of finish, the price for your brochures can vary greatly.

In conclusion, I have given you a general overview of brochure paper. I've discussed what to look for in terms of the stock of the paper, as well as the finish on the paper. Take these into consideration, before you decide to design your next brochure. A brochure is only worth as much as a paper that it is printed on.