Over the years I have used a LOT of different types of paper for printing and so today I thought I would share some helpful tips + resources for choosing the best paper to get great high-quality prints at home!
There are really only two kinds of papers I like to use: Cardstock and Premium 32 LB Copy Paper. While you can certainly use any other kind of paper, these two types of paper will always give you great results.
110 LB + 65 LB Cardstock for printing
Neenah White Index, Heavyweight Cardstock, 300 Sheets, 110 lb/199 gsm, 94 Brightness, 8.5" x 11" - MORE SHEETS! (91635)
2 used from $14.31
Cardstock is a heavier weight paper and is a great choice for making your own printables where sturdiness counts! If you are printing checklists, greeting cards, printables that get a lot of use in the classroom or at work and anything else like that you are definitely going to want to go with cardstock!
There are two commonly found weights of cardstock and generally speaking, the higher the weight, the heavier the cardstock will be. 110 lb cardstock is usually the thickest type of cardstock you’ll find readily available, but you will also often see 65 lb card stock.
The 65 LB cardstock is a lighter weight so if your printer doesn’t like the heavier cardstock it is often a good choice. Because it is thinner and more flexible, it’s also a great choice for things like journal and planner pages and anything else you might need to fold.
Printing Tips for Cardstock
If you are printing on cardstock, usually all you need to do is load the paper into your printer. However, a lot of printers actually have a specific print setting for cardstock, so check to see if yours does. If your printer has a setting for it, it’s best to make sure that it’s covered that way!
You will also want to use less sheets of cardstock at a time in your printer. Because it is heavier, if you overload the your printer it is going to be more likely to jam up and nobody wants that!
Best Brands of cardstock for printing
I’ve used many different brands of cardstock over the years, here are my top picks. They are each great quality products so I generally recommending just checking prices and delivery times and choosing whichever of these brands best suits your budget + needs!
- Neenah White 110 LB Cardstock – I love this paper!
- Hammermill 110 LB White Cardstock – Hammermill has been making paper a long time and you can usually get in bulk – great economical choice!
- Accent 65 LB Cardstock – Great Lightweight and Affordable Cardstock
32 LB Premium Copy Paper
Hammermill, 10263-0, Premium Color Copy Print Paper, 100 Bright, 32lb, 8.5 x 11, Photo White, 500/Ream
$21.50 in stock
If you don’t need the weight or strength of cardstock, the next best paper to get is 32 LB premium copy paper. Most major paper brands sell this kind of paper and if you compare it side by side to your regular standard office copy paper you can definitely feel a big difference!
This paper is smoother, so it’s typically less likely to jam up in your printer. It’s also slightly thicker and heavier than the standard copy paper, so it is less prone to wrinkles and tears.
The biggest difference however of course can be noticed in the print quality! You will notice that your colors are brighter and bolder and you will also see that images are much clearer and more crisp!
Best Brands for 32 LB Copy Paper
Here are some brands of 32 LB Premium Copy Paper I have personally tried with a lot of success:
- Hammermill Premium 32 LB Color Copy Paper – Again, Hammermill makes great paper. This is my absolute favorite + I order it all the time!
- HP Premium 32 LB Paper – HP makes a lot of printers so you can trust they sell a type of paper gives you great prints!
- Accent 32 LB Premium Copy Paper – This is another brand I’ve bought + loved over the years and again a great price!
The Right Paper Makes a huge difference!
I never really believed that the type of paper mattered or made a huge difference until I tried it – now I won’t use anything else when I am printing printables!
Your typical standard copy paper is fine for a lot of things you might be printing – forms for school or work, large documents like your tax returns or quick school worksheets – but when you’re printing printables like gift tags or even your own scrapbook and planner dot grid paper, it’s well worth the splurge for a high quality paper!
I hope this post is helpful for you for all of your print + copy needs for creating lovely printables and of course now that you have the best paper you may also want to check out our printing tips as well as all of our other great printables here at DailyPrintables.com!
Do you have any questions about the best paper for printing printables? Ask away in the comments below – I have been printing stuff professionally for over 20 years and am happy to answer any questions you may have!