A paper manufactured to a neutral pH reading. Primarily used for permanent records and to protect other materials when contact with paper acidity would be harmful. Examples: paper used for fine art prints and limited edition printing.
A paper manufactured to a neutral pH reading. Primarily used for permanent records and to protect other materials when contact with paper acidity would be harmful. Examples: paper used for fine art prints and limited edition printing.
The weight of one ream (500 sheets) of paper when cut to the industry standard for that specific paper grade. Example: 500 sheets of 20” x 26” cover paper weighing 80 pounds is Basis 80 cover paper.
Solid or laminated heavy-weight printing paper made to a thickness of .006” or higher. Often used for posters, folders, business and social announcement, etc., requiring repeated handling.
The thickness of paper compared to its weight. A high bulk paper is thicker but less compact than a low bulk paper of the same weight and size. Generally measured by the number of sheets per inc.
Manufacturing process of passing the web of paper between polished metal rolls (the calender stack) to increase the paper’s smoothness and to provide a uniform caliper.
Allowing the temperature and moisture content of paper packed in cartons and skids the necessary time to reach equilibrium with surrounding atmospheric conditions prior to printing.
Often called “rag” paper, containing a minimum of 25% durable and permanent rag or cotton fiber pulp made from textile clippings and cotton linters. Usually manufactured in content levels of 25, 50, 75, and 100%.
General description of heavy, durable paper used as covers for literature such as brochures and booklets, and as the vehicle for menus, folders, posters, etc. Often manufactured to match text paper in the same color and texture (see Text Paper). Standard basis weights for cover paper are based on the weight of 500 sheets in the base 40” x 26” size. Traditional cover weights are 50, 65, 80, 100, 130 lb., and double thick (two sheets pasted).
Refers to paper cut and packaged for small printing press equipment in a dimension of 17” x 22” (basis size for bonds and writing papers) or less. The most common cut size papers are 8.5” x 11” and 11” x 14”.
A wire covered cylinder on a paper machine that marks the top side of the web of paper with a wove or laid impression created by the arrangement of wires on the roll. Also used to give paper a watermark design (see Laid and Wove).
The untrimmed and controlled feather edge of paper created on the outer edge of the moving web of paper during manufacture. Often enhanced for esthetic appearance by using jets of water or air.
Refers to the weight of paper compared to its volume. Related to a paper’s absorbency, stiffness and opacity. High density often indicates high strength.
An exact, handmade format sample created with blank papers to show the desired size, shape, weight and general appearance of a project (brochure, folder, etc.) prior to production. Available from most paper merchants.
A manufacturing term describing the overall design or pattern impressed in paper when passed between metal rolls engraved with the desired pattern. Produced on a special embossing machine after the paper has dried to create finishes such as linen.
A process performed after printing to stamp a raised or depressed image (artwork or typography) into the surface of the paper, using engraved metal embossing dies, extreme pressure, and heat. Embossing styles include blind, deboss, and foil embossed.
Any paper used to bind a book’s cover to its interior pages. Papers with high tearing and folding strength are most preferred as end-leaf, and papers with color and texture the most often used.
Surface characteristics of paper formed at the wet end of a paper machine using woven wool and synthetic felts with distinctive patterns to create a similar texture in the finished sheets. Also called felt mark, genuine felt finish, or felt marked finish.
Thread-like filament of cellulose growth (primarily wood) used in making paper pulp. The pattern created by the alignment of fibers in pulp creates various qualities within paper, such as strength and grain direction.
The general surface properties of paper, determined by various manufacturing techniques. Can describe textures and patterns created by the use of felts, calenders, embossing rolls, and dandy rolls or the smooth and rough characteristics of paper.
The mixture of fibrous materials (pulp), sizing, fillers, dyes and other additives blended with water to create the liquid composite that is processed into paper on a paper machine
The direction in which a majority of the fibers lie in a finished sheet of paper determined by their alignment parallel with the movement of the paper as it travels through the paper machine. Depending on how paper is cut to a finished size, it will be grain long (grain parallel to the longest dimension), or the opposite, grain short. Paper folds easier along the grain, but offers greater resistance to tearing across the grain.
A chamber on a paper machine that distributes the flow of furnish (pulp) to the machine wire, regulating the thickness and weight of the paper being formed (see Furnish).
The degree to which a paper surface resists penetration of ink. An inked image printed on paper with a high degree of ink holdout with dry by oxidation rather than absorption.
Describes the consistent linear watermark pattern or finish in paper created by a laid dandy roll composed of wires running parallel to the roll’s axis and attached by evenly spaced chain wires that encircle the roll. Laid patterns run in a cross grain direction, with chain marks parallel to the paper’s grain.
An overall embossed pattern on a paper surface resembling the look and feel of linen cloth, usually manufactured with engraved embossing rolls (see Embossed Finish).
A device that dries paper as it comes off the wet end of the paper-making machine by pressing one side of the paper against a cylinder that steam-heats it and imparts a glazed finish at the same time.
