Papers, Cards and Boards

Choosing paper, card and board for a job

Paper-based materials are used throughout designing: for sketching ideas, printing information, making models and producing packaging. They are commonly made from wood pulp, which is formed into sheets at a paper mill. Recovered paper fibres can also supply the pulp.

Paper is generally thin and flexible; card and board are generally heavier and stiffer. Their suitability depends on more than their category. A drawing overlay needs to let you see the lines underneath, whereas a delivery box needs to protect its contents.

Four properties help explain these choices. Strength is the ability to withstand forces without failing, for example by tearing. Folding ability concerns how easily a sheet bends or creases without splitting. Surface finish includes smoothness, texture, colour and gloss. Absorbency is the ability to take liquid into the material. Absorbency can help an art paper accept paint, but is undesirable in packaging that must retain a drink.

Aesthetic properties affect appearance; functional properties affect performance. A smooth white surface can serve both purposes: it looks clean and allows printed information to be reproduced clearly.

Sheet size, weight and thickness are different

The standard ISO A-series runs from A0 down to A10. A0 is the largest in this series, and A10 is approximately postage-stamp size. A3 and A4 are common in schools.

Each successive size has half the area of the previous one. Cutting or folding A3 in half gives two A4-sized sections; two A5 sheets together have the area of one A4 sheet. A4 measures 210 × 297 mm, while A3 measures 297 × 420 mm.

Grammage measures mass per unit area, in grams per square metre, abbreviated gsm. An 80 gsm paper has a mass of 80 g for every square metre of sheet. It does not mean that each A4 sheet weighs 80 g. Sheets of different sizes can have the same grammage.

Grammage is not a direct measurement of thickness. Card and board thickness is measured in microns: 1,000 microns equals 1 mm. For example, mounting board that is 1,400 microns thick is 1.4 mm thick. Designers therefore need to distinguish the size of a sheet, its grammage and its thickness.

Papers for drawing, developing ideas and printing

Different papers offer different combinations of surface, transparency and liquid absorption.

These figures describe typical materials rather than every available grade. A designer should match the actual paper to the task: inexpensive layout paper suits repeated idea development, while cartridge paper is a more suitable choice for a painted presentation.

Boards for models and packaging

Mounting board has a smooth surface and is rigid, with a typical thickness of about 1,400 microns. Black and white are common, although other colours are available. Its rigidity helps picture mounts stay flat and architectural models retain their shape.

Folding boxboard is stiff but scores and folds well, bending without splitting. Typical thicknesses range from 300 to 1,699 microns. It is normally made from recycled paper and suits supermarket food packaging. Its useful combination is stiffness in the finished box and controlled folding at the creases.

Corrugated board has a wavy, fluted sheet between flat layers. This construction produces a strong, lightweight and rigid board. The spaces created by the flutes help it cushion knocks, making it useful for fragile goods in transport. They also provide heat insulation, useful in pizza boxes. Around 3,000 microns is a typical thickness, although different thicknesses and double-wall constructions are available. Untreated corrugated board is recyclable but not water-resistant.

Foam board is a composite: a polystyrene foam core is sandwiched between thin paper or card faces. The different materials work together to produce a lightweight, rigid board with a smooth surface. A common thickness is 5 mm, or 5,000 microns. It suits models and point-of-sale displays where low weight and rigidity matter.

These materials solve different problems. Mounting board suits a flat, firm display; folding boxboard suits packaging assembled from a flat sheet; corrugated board suits protective transport packaging. Greater rigidity is not always an advantage if the design must fold easily.

Lamination and surface finishes

Lamination bonds an additional layer to paper, card or board. The layer changes the properties of the whole material: it can add thickness and strength, improve the surface finish and enhance appearance.

In food containers and drinks cartons, suitable laminated layers help retain the contents hygienically and keep produce fresh. The paper-based material provides structure, while the added layer provides a barrier. Laminated cardboard is also useful in bookbinding.

Other surface finishes change appearance without creating the same layered structure. Varnish can give card a glossy finish, and applying it to only a logo can make that detail stand out. UV varnishing produces a high-gloss surface used on marketing materials such as business cards. Embossing creates raised patterns or lettering, often on greetings cards, invitations and perfume packaging.

The finish should support the purpose. A visually attractive package still needs sufficient strength, suitable folds and protection against liquid where required. For example, a sandwich container can have crease lines for assembly and a waxed inner surface to resist absorption.

Recycled paper: properties depend on the grade

Recycled paper is manufactured using recovered paper fibres. These can come from used paper, rejected sheets or printing offcuts. The recovered fibres supply pulp for new sheets, sometimes mixed with new, unused pulp. This reduces waste and demand for new raw material.

Recycled paper is not one fixed material grade. It can be brown, coloured or white, and its brightness, opacity and surface quality depend on the recovered fibres, additives and finishing treatments. Coatings can improve its texture and printing performance. A designer choosing recycled paper for a leaflet therefore still needs a suitable surface for clear print; recycled content alone does not guarantee a particular appearance.

Fibre quality also affects strength. Poor-quality recovered fibres can reduce performance, so recycled paper must be selected to withstand the tearing and handling expected in use. Its folding ability should be judged for the actual product: a folded leaflet needs a neat crease without splitting, while a package also needs to hold its shape. Recycled fibres do not prevent good folding—folding boxboard commonly uses recycled paper and folds well at scored lines.

Absorbency remains important. Recycled paper can take up water, so it should not be assumed to provide a liquid barrier. Suitable grades can be used for writing, printing and packaging, but liquid-containing or food-contact packaging needs appropriate protective layers and a material suitable for that use.

Recycled fibres are also used in boards. Folding boxboard commonly uses recycled paper; duplex board has layers mostly made from waste paper pulp and can have a smooth, white, medium-gloss finish. This shows that using recovered fibres need not mean accepting a rough or dull-looking product.

Recycled content and recyclability are different: the first concerns what a product is made from, and the second concerns what can happen to it after use. Uncoated corrugated board offers a recyclable packaging option, but added layers and finishes must also be considered when planning the product’s end of life. An effective choice balances the required strength, folding ability, finish and absorbency with responsible material use.

Sizes and measurements

• ISO A-series: A0 to A10; increasing the number halves the area.
• Two A4 sheets have the area of one A3 sheet.
• A4: 210 × 297 mm. A3: 297 × 420 mm.
• gsm: mass per square metre, not thickness or mass per sheet.
• Microns: thickness; 1,000 microns = 1 mm.

Match the material to the task

• Layout: smooth, translucent, inexpensive → developing ideas.
• Tracing: translucent, strong, non-absorbent → copying and overlays.
• Copier: smooth, opaque, white → printing and photocopying.