Cardstock vs Paper: Compare the Properties Before Printing
Cardstock generally describes a stiffer, heavier stock, but there is no single GSM threshold that guarantees how every product feels or prints. Choose by the finished use and the printer’s media specification, rather than by the label alone.
The same mass per area can still behave differently
A Letter sheet is 0.2159 × 0.2794 = 0.06032246 m². At 200 GSM, its calculated paper mass is 12.064492 g, about 12.06 g. That calculation does not tell you the sheet’s thickness or bend resistance. Two stocks at 200 GSM can have different bulk, coatings and feed behaviour.
Compare the properties that affect the project
| Project need | Check before choosing |
|---|---|
| A card that stands upright | Stiffness and a folded sample |
| A clean home-printer feed | Supported weight, thickness, coating and tray |
| Double-sided handouts | Opacity and duplex media compatibility |
| A sharp photo | Surface and ink/toner compatibility |
| A precise fold | Grain, scoring method and cracking on a sample |
A cautious printer setup
- Read the exact model’s supported media range and any manual-feed restrictions.
- Match the media type in the driver to the stock manufacturer’s guidance. A paper setting can affect feed and ink/toner handling.
- Print one sheet first. Inspect the feed, drying or toner adhesion, then make a fold or cut sample.
- Use duplex only if the printer supports it for that media. Do not force repeated feeds after a jam or ignore an unsupported-media warning.
When a pound rating is ambiguous
A pound number needs the grade’s basic sheet dimensions. Cover, text and bond use different bases, so comparing their lb values directly can mislead. GSM makes the mass-per-area comparison clearer, while a caliper specification is still needed for thickness.
Sources and method
- WCP Solutions: paper basis weight and GSM: grade-specific basis weights and mass-per-area comparisons.