The Stationary Paper

The stationary paper includes the paper that’s used for magazines, books, office print, letters, wedding invitations, birthday cards, icon prints and vital documents, like diplomas, certificates, and Social Security cards. These papers have continually custom-made to suit the needs of every new generation, serving a vital role in enabling the flow and exchange of data throughout all sectors of society and around the world.

In America, the stationary papers are technically divided into four major categories: coated freesheet, coated mechanical, uncoated free sheet, and uncoated mechanical papers.

The largest category of stationary papers is uncoated freesheet writing and printing paper, which includes papers commonly used for office print jobs, envelope paper and business forms paper.

Uncoated mechanical papers are known as the alternative to free sheet paper.  These papers are used in paperback books, newspaper inserts, newsprints, and directories.

High-quality posters and advert pieces, magazines and highly illustrated books are the examples of products that use the coated free sheet paper. Coated mechanical papers are used for magazines, catalogs, and coupons.

The mechanical paper is manufactured from the pulp by several processes in that include the separation of food fibers mechanically from logs or chips. On the other hand, the free sheet paper is made by the isolation of wood fiber through pressure, certain heat, and various chemicals. The term free sheet was earlier meant for the paper that was “free” from mechanical pulp but currently, it stands for the papers that have minimum 10 percent or less mechanical fiber.

From a usage point of view, the most commonly used types of stationary paper are listed below:

Writing or Bond Paper:

It is a standard paper that is used for writing purposes and making notes for educational or official purposes. The standard weight of this paper is 20lbs. It is also available in lighter and heavier versions of 16lbs and 24lbs respectively. The size of this paper was 17” x 22” and now it is cut to 8 x 11.5 inches. It is common for the letterheads, photocopy and laser printer.

Text Paper:

These types of papers are best known for stationary programs and inserts and are used for brochures and presentations. They are slightly thicker as compared to the regular copy papers and less thick than the card or cover papers. The weight of text paper ranges from 60lbs to 100lbs with a standard size of 25″ x  38″.

Cover or Card Stock Paper:

Cover Paper is a high-quality card stock paper which is thicker than the normal text or writing paper, but more flexible than the cardboard paper. It is mostly used for making postcards, business cards, letterhead and file covers and also some craftwork. The standard weight of cover paper ranges from 60lbs to over 100lbs with a size of 24″ x 36″.

For a good impact on your final product, it is must to choose the right paper for your project. However, many of the paper types are similar and can be used with each other for common purposes but the results may differ. Always use the right type of paper for your writing or printing job to get best results. It also improves the cost factor when you choose the right kind of paper for your daily jobs.

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