GSM – Different thick

papers
What is GSM?
it’s short for “Grams per Square Meter” and this
acronym is used often in paper or in the printing
industry. Basically, GSM determines the thickness
or thinness of paper that reveals its weight per
area of a standard paper. GSM is important for
the printers so they know how to process the
project. Quality is also known when GSM is
identified. In an equation, GSM is the weight of
reel over the length of paper on a meter.

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Formula
GSM = (Weight of reel in kgs * 100000) / (Length
of paper on meter * reel width in cms)

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GSM samples
In a gist, higher GSM means heavier paper or
perhaps thicker in size. The usual paper used is
often only 80gsm. These are often found in
copier machines and offices. Letterheads are
often thicker with 100-120gsm while flyers or
business cards are much thicker at 350gsm. As
you can see, each type of paper suits different
needs and different projects so higher GSM
doesn’t always equate to better.

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Different types of
paper and GSM
Thin papers
Weight Samples and highlighted benefits

10-35GSM Tissue paper

40GSM Tracing paper

Newspaper, paper mats, Bible pages

35-55GSM
Made for projects that are one-time use or should be disposable.
Saves resources because it's so thin.

Beginning with the thinnest available paper, we will find the newspapers who
incredibly have a 35-55GSM but more than 4x the length of a letter paper.
Some other industries also use similar paperweight, including fast food who uses
paper mats on their restaurants. This type of paper may be too thin for your
reports but it will do the job for something easily disposable.
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Common papers
Everyday paper, your usual letter, office printer paper a.k.a. offset
paper
80-90GSM
Great in absorbing color ink

100-120GSM high-quality letterheads, premium stationery,

Posters, promotional materials, visual marketing, flyers, brochures

100-180GSM UV resistant and great for outdoors

Often has a coating with a smooth surface

Everyday paper, your usual letter, office printer paper a.k.a. offset
paper
80-90GSM
Great in absorbing color ink

On the photocopy machine, a4 or letter-sized papers can be found in forms of bond paper. These types
have around 80-90GSM in weight and can also be found in mid-market magazines. Certainly, this has been
the most popular weight for paper as it has been a standard use for school, work and home.

If you’re running for mayor, trying to gain brand recall, or creating a poster ad, the best weight to fit these
projects are papers at 100-180GSM. These thicker stocks can become good quality letterheads or
promotional materials. Flyers, some brochures, and leaflets can also fall into this weight.
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Thick papers
Magazine cover, photo paper, sturdy paper, premium
250-300GSM
brochures, banners, greeting cards

Calling card, wedding invitations, menu cards,

postcards, folders, door hangers,
350-400GSM
Great for projects that need to stand up on its own.

>1000GSM Hardcover book

Magazine cover, photo paper, sturdy paper, premium

250-300GSM
brochures, banners, greeting cards

Not so satisfied with 180? Try 250 instead and imagine your work printed on the
magazine cover – because that’s usually how thick 250GSM feels. If you’re
familiar with a photo paper, that’s exactly the sample for that. If you’re still not
satisfied with that, the last and thickest one available in the market is 350GSM.
Though they’re not really ideal for simple homework, rather, it was made to fit
something like a business card, invitations or menu card. 8
Why is it so important
to know your GSM?
“ Knowing the right kind of paper for your project means
having a great output. Plus, it’s more likely that your
printer will be able to understand what you want to
achieve. Being specific on the GSM eliminates the
miscommunications, the errors on all trials and makes
everyone efficient.

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So how thick
should I pick?

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“ With the guide we’ve set, we hope you’ve already got
an idea of how each kind of paper is used in the
everyday life but of course, don’t limit your creativity to
what’s usual. You can use any kind of paper that you
see fit to your creation. This is just a guide to help you
decide and picture how it may look like using existing
print outs.

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What else should I consider
in the paper?
Other than the weight and thickness, there is also the factor of paper coatings and opacity. With paper
coatings, there are only three common types – Varnish, UV, and Aqueous. These different coatings
affect the visibility, vibrancy of the color and the impact on the finish.

VARNISH
Varnish coatings are usually
glossy, satin or dull but it can
vary in color and are useful for
photos. More often available to
the public, this type of coating
is cheaper than laminates as it
does not provide much
protection.
UV
The second common type is the
UV coating, which we often find in
outdoor projects. Why? Because it
offers better protection than
normal gloss and can be as thin or
thick as you prefer. It can even be
in matte, gloss, or tinted varieties
that will provide texture and
enhanced color to your project.
AQUEOUS
The last type of coating is called
Aqueous. These environment-
friendly coatings are water-based,
applied to the printout for the
distinct purpose of fingerprint
protection. Mostly used to
important artwork, this coating
shields it from markings or imprints
that may damage the material.
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