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When considering the print of your book, it’s good to know the difference between the paper types available for book printing. This blog will give you a basic guide to the different kinds of paper and treatments available for the paper you can use in your book.

1. What paper-types can I use for my publication?

There are three main types of paper that you can use to print your book on: white paper, cream paper, and book-cream/groundwood paper. Each are useful for different purposes in printing:

White paper:

• Best for colour clarity in images
• Bad for readability of text due to glare
• Most expensive
• Higher GSM
• Retailers associate certain genres printed on white paper with self-published books and are less likely to stock them

Cream paper:

• Great for readability
• Not as good for colour clarity
• Less expensive but still pricey
• Higher GSM

Book-cream / Groundwood paper:

• Great for readability
• Bad for colour clarity
• Thinnest GSM
• Inexpensive
• Trade-novel standard

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2. What does different GSM paper mean for printing?

GSM (Grams per Square Metre), is used to indicate the thickness of materials such as paper.

2.1 A basic guide to GSM

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3. Uncoated paper vs coated paper

Paper can go through a process of coating before it is printed on and bound in a book. As a general rule for most standard trade publications such as novels, uncoated paper is used for the interior pages while coated paper is used for the cover. However, this is not necessarily the best course of action for all publications depending on its contents and intended use.

There are pros and cons to both coated and uncoated paper, of course, and whichever you choose will depend on your personal preferences and what your project needs.

3.1 Uncoated paper

Uncoated paper is just that: uncoated. Unlike coated paper, it does not undergo the process of clay coating. It is best for the interior of text-heavy publications (trade novels, etc.) because it is lighter, and allows for great readability. It comes in two different finishes:

1. Smooth finish: Smooth and clean paper stock. Allows for best absorption of ink and therefore prints images and text in a high definition. Smooth finish uncoated paper is best for the interior of your book.
2. Vellum finish: Rougher to the touch than a smooth finish due to the raised paper fibres. This paper finish interferes with ink absorption and therefore does not always give the best image and text definition.

3.2 Coated paper

Paper that has been coated is most commonly used for the covers of paperback books or the interiors of books that are image-heavy (such as photography books, manuals, textbooks, etc.). This is because it allows for a level of image vibrancy and durability that uncoated paper does not. When a paper stock is coated, it means that it has had a clay coating applied during the paper making process. There are three different levels of finishes achieved by clay coating:

1. Matte finish: This finish is the least coated of the three. It has a non-shiny appearance and a rougher feel to it, which is currently quite trendy. Colour is often subdued on this finish but can still be effectively executed. Matte finishes, however, are more prone to damage from creasing and bending so thus publications made with
2. Silk / Satin finish: A silk finish has more clay coating than matte, but less than a gloss. As a result, silk finishes have a slight sheen to them without giving off the same glare that a gloss does. This finish allows for good readability and great colour, however it is prone to cracking easily and therefore is not good for books that need to last a long while, such as manuals and training publications.
3. Gloss finish: With the most coating of the three, a gloss finish achieves the highest shine-factor. This finish is excellent for getting the most contrast in colour and is therefore great for printed images. Gloss finishes are also long-lasting and will keep your publication looking fresher for longer.

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