Paper weights and finishes explained: satin, gloss, uncoated

Paper is the part of your book readers touch on every page, yet the labels printers use for it can be hard to read. A number like 80 lb, and a word like satin, each tell you something specific. Once you know what they mean, choosing paper for your interior and your cover becomes a much simpler decision.

What paper weight means

In the US, paper weight is listed in pounds, written as lb. The number is the weight of a stack of 500 full size sheets of that paper, before it is cut down. A heavier stack means a thicker, sturdier sheet.

The catch is that different kinds of paper are measured using different full sheet sizes. Text weight paper (for pages) and cover weight paper (for covers) start from different sheets, so 80 lb text and 80 lb cover are not the same paper. The cover stock is much heavier.

That is why many printers also list gsm, grams per square meter. It measures every paper the same way, so it is the clearest way to compare. As a rough guide, 80 lb text is about 118 gsm, and 100 lb text is about 148 gsm.

What weight feels like

• Lighter paper turns easily, keeps the book slim and keeps shipping weight down. It can show a little of the next page through, especially behind dark images.
• Heavier paper feels more substantial, hides more show through and stands up better to small hands turning pages. It also makes a thicker book and a wider spine.

Finishes: uncoated, satin and gloss

The finish describes the surface of the paper. It changes how ink sits on the page and how the page feels.

Uncoated paper has no coating on its surface. It feels like good writing paper, soft and slightly textured, with no shine. Ink soaks in a little, so photos look softer and colors a bit quieter. Text is very comfortable to read on it, with no glare under a lamp. It is also easy to write on, which matters for journals or workbooks.

Satin paper has a light coating with a gentle sheen. Ink sits on top of the coating, so photos and color art look sharp and rich, but the surface does not reflect light the way gloss does. It is a good middle ground when a book has both images and a fair amount of reading.

Gloss paper has a smooth, shiny coating. It gives the brightest colors and the crispest photo detail. The tradeoff is glare under direct light, and it can show fingerprints more easily.

Recycled paper is made with recycled content. It usually looks and feels like an uncoated sheet, sometimes with a slightly warmer tone. If that matters to you, it is a simple way to make your book a little greener.

What to choose for a novel

Most novels are mostly text, printed in black and white. Uncoated paper is the classic choice: it reads well, feels like a book from a bookstore and has no glare. Recycled paper is a good alternative with a similar feel.

If your novel includes a color photo section, maps or illustrations you want to look their best, satin is worth a look. Gloss is less common for novels, because the shine works against long reading.

What to choose for a picture book

Our 10 x 8 in landscape picture books are printed in full color on heavier coated paper. The coating keeps colors bright and lines crisp, and the extra weight helps pages survive being turned again and again.

Between the coated finishes, satin is a good fit for most picture books. Colors stay rich, and the softer sheen is easier on the eyes when reading aloud under a lamp. Gloss suits books with bold, saturated art or photography where you want maximum punch.

Interior and cover are chosen separately

With us, you pick the paper for your interior and the paper for your cover on their own. The cover is a heavier stock, and on a hardcover it wraps around the boards. The cover's look is also shaped by its lamination, which you choose separately. Our guide to choosing a cover finish covers matte, gloss and soft touch.

Remember that a heavier or bulkier interior paper also changes your spine width. If you switch papers after designing your cover, download a fresh template. The spine width guide explains why.

Feel it before you decide

Paper is much easier to choose in your hands than on a screen. Order a sample pack to hold real sheets of each finish and weight, and see how print looks on them. Every book we print uses our house paper, so there is nothing to choose in the spec picker. If your book needs something different, tell us and we will quote it.