Best paper for flyers: weights, finishes and when to use them

Text weight or cover weight: the first decision

US paper comes in families, and the two that matter for flyers are text and cover. Text weight is the flexible sheet used for most flyers, brochures and booklet pages. Cover weight is the stiffer sheet used for postcards, rack cards and anything that should stand up or survive handling.

The confusing part is that the pound numbers are not comparable across families. Paper weight in pounds is the weight of 500 sheets at a basis size, and that basis size is different for each family: 25 × 38 in for text, 20 × 26 in for cover and 17 × 22 in for bond. That is why 80 lb cover is much heavier than 100 lb text even though the number is smaller.

Use this decision rule. If the flyer will be read once and discarded, text weight. If it will be kept, pinned, posted or handled repeatedly, cover weight. If it will be mailed without an envelope, cover weight at a minimum, and check postal thickness rules.

Paper weight conversion table

Grams per square meter (gsm) is the metric measure and is the same for every paper family, so it is the clearest way to compare. The values below are converted from each family's basis size and rounded.

If a printer lists only gsm, this table lets you translate. As a rough guide, anything under 120 gsm feels like a flyer, 150 to 200 gsm feels premium, and over 250 gsm feels like a card.

Gloss, matte, silk and uncoated

The coating changes how ink sits on the paper, and that changes the look more than the weight does.

• Gloss: ink sits on a shiny surface, so colors look saturated and photos pop. Glare can make small text harder to read under bright lights.
• Matte: a smooth, low sheen surface. Colors are slightly softer, text reads easily from any angle, and it feels modern.
• Silk or satin: a middle ground with a gentle sheen. Good when you have both photos and a lot of text.
• Uncoated: natural paper texture with no coating. Colors look muted, but you can write on it with any pen, and it feels honest and warm.

The matte vs gloss comparison was written for business cards, but the same trade offs apply to flyers. If your flyer is mostly photography, gloss. If it is mostly text or will be read under shop lighting, matte or silk. If people will fill it in, uncoated.

Match the paper to the flyer's job

Paper choice becomes easy once you name the job. Here are defaults that work for most small businesses.

• Street and event handouts: 80 lb or 100 lb gloss text. Light enough to carry in bulk, cheap enough to give away freely.
• Bulletin board flyers: 100 lb text. Thin paper curls around pushpins and tears in the wind.
• Counter and bag stuffers: 100 lb text or 80 lb cover, depending on whether they need to stand in a holder.
• Price lists, takeout menus and schedules: 80 lb or 100 lb cover. People keep them for months.
• Sign up sheets, coupons to fill in, surveys: uncoated text so ballpoint pens work.
• Door to door drops: cover weight, or switch to purpose built door hangers.

When in doubt, pick 100 lb text in a finish that suits your content. It is the most common professional flyer stock for a reason.

A quick worked example shows how the defaults combine. A landscaping company plans two pieces for spring: 2,000 handouts for a neighborhood canvass and 300 price sheets for customers who ask for rates. The handouts go on 100 lb gloss text, because they show before and after photos and most will be read once. The price sheets go on 100 lb matte cover, because customers pin them to the fridge and need to read small print easily. Two jobs, two papers, each matched to what the piece has to survive.

Thickness, caliper and how paper feels

Weight and thickness are related but not identical. Thickness, called caliper, is measured in thousandths of an inch, or points. A 14 pt card is 0.014 in thick. Two papers with the same weight can differ in caliper, because some are bulked up with air and some are pressed dense and smooth.

For flyers, feel matters because it signals quality in the first second of contact. A flimsy flyer suggests a flimsy business, even when the design is good. If you are choosing between spending more on design and spending more on paper, fix the design first, then move up one paper step if the budget allows.

Also consider folding. Cover stock must be scored before folding, or the fibers crack along the fold and leave a white line through dark ink. Text stock folds cleanly without scoring.

Special situations

A few jobs need something other than the usual stocks.

Outdoor posting: paper absorbs moisture and fades quickly in sun. For anything outside longer than a few days, consider a foam board sign indoors or a yard sign outdoors instead of a flyer.

Recycled content: many stocks are available with recycled fiber. Uncoated recycled paper has a natural look that suits eco messaging, and coated recycled options print photos nearly as well as virgin stock.

Heavy ink coverage: large areas of dark color can show cracking on folds and can smudge on uncoated paper. Choose a coated stock and allow time for drying if your design is mostly black or navy.

Mailing without an envelope: a flyer that travels through the post on its own takes a beating from sorting machines. Text weight paper can crumple or tear, so use at least 80 lb cover for a flat self mailer, and fold heavier stock only after scoring. Check postal thickness rules on the finished piece, not the unfolded sheet.

Home and office printers: if you plan to print some flyers in house, remember that most desktop printers jam on heavy cover stock and smear on gloss. Keep an uncoated 28 lb or 32 lb bond on hand for those quick jobs, and leave the heavier, coated sheets to a professional press.

Test before you commit to a large run

Photos of paper on a screen do not tell you much. Order a small run or samples, then handle them the way your audience will: fold one into a pocket, pin one to a board, write on one with a ballpoint, and look at one under the lights where it will be displayed. Score each paper on readability, feel and durability with the free sample scorecard.

Once you have a favorite, note the exact weight and finish so every reprint matches. Consistent paper is part of a consistent brand. If you print flyers alongside business cards, postcards or menus, choosing finishes from the same family, such as matte across the board, makes the whole set feel planned rather than assembled from whatever was cheapest that week. For a broader look at stocks across all product types, see the paper stock guide.

Get the free Small Business Print Planner

The free Small Business Print Planner includes an order checklist with a line for paper weight and finish, a quote comparison sheet and a 12 month calendar, so every flyer run is specified the same way.

Flyer paper checklist

• Decide whether the flyer will be discarded, kept or written on.
• Choose text weight for discard, cover weight for keep.
• Compare options in gsm if printers use different systems.
• Pick gloss for photos, matte or silk for text, uncoated for writing.
• Plan scoring if cover stock will be folded.
• Handle a sample the way your audience will.
• Record the exact stock so reprints match.