{"id":5660,"date":"2025-08-11T10:52:51","date_gmt":"2025-08-11T16:52:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.printingcenterusa.com\/blog\/?p=5660"},"modified":"2026-05-22T14:20:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T20:20:00","slug":"best-paper-for-book-printing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.printingcenterusa.com\/blog\/best-paper-for-book-printing\/","title":{"rendered":"What’s the Best Paper for Book Printing?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A great book starts with good paper.  Let’s paint the visual: think about what happens the moment you open a book. Subconsciously, you see how the light shines on the page, you feel the weight between your fingers, you hear the sound it makes when you turn it and you smell the ink and paper. Without realizing it, the paper sets the tone for the entire reading experience.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The presentation of the book gets the attention. The content keeps the audience engaged. The paper builds the experience. Making a workbook? You need paper that can hold up well and be written easily. Making a program? You need paper that is lightweight and easy to handle. Making a high-end catalog? You need paper that is thicker and makes your products stand out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are the most common paper types used in book printing, what each one does well, and how to match the paper to your end goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Kind of Paper is Used for Books?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Book printing paper is the paper used for the cover and interior of a book. It establishes how images and text show. The first thing to know how to pick the right paper is understanding paper specs. There are 2 key determinations to make when choosing paper: Paper Weight and Paper Finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Weight measurement varies between pounds (LB) and grams per square meter (GSM). In the U.S, paper weight is measured in pounds, and GSM is the international standard and describes the paper weight. For cover stock paper, it\u2019s measured in Points (PT) measure the thickness of the paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cover stock is almost always measured in points rather than pounds or GSM because thickness matters more than weight when it comes to how cover holds up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key here is: the higher the number, the thicker it is!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Book Paper Finishes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Paper finishes refer to the surface of the paper. Paper finishes are in matte, gloss, and uncoated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Paper-for-Booklet-Printing_glossy-booklet\"<\/figure>
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Glossy paper<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Glossy paper is known for its shiny finish which is excellent at getting attention. It brings out excellent vivid color depth but is very reflective. Best for books where the visuals carry the project.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Matte Paper<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Matte paper is known for a non-reflective finish. It has minimal glare, making it the easiest finish to read text. Photos look good just not as vivid as gloss. Because of the elimination of glare, it brings out the texture in images. Best for: text heavy books. <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>

\"Paper-for-Booklet-Printing_matte-booklet\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n
\"Paper-for-Booklet-Printing_uncoated-booklet\"<\/figure>
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Uncoated paper<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Uncoated paper has no coating. With the natural texture, it makes it easy to write on. This is the paper typically used in at office and home printers. Best for books where writing needs to be done. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

For a more in depth guide on paper finish comparison, read our guide here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

TIP: Request a free sample packet <\/a>to feel the difference between each paper and coating side by side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Paper Should I Choose to Print my Book?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now that you understand book paper specifications, to make a choice, the right paper depends on the content. Answer these questions and the answer becomes obvious: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. What will readers be doing with it?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Are images important? <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. What impression do you want to leave? <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Paper Type Recommendations By Book Type<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Comic Books<\/strong>: Matte paper works best here so you can read easily without glare. Gloss can work for covers or special editions. These are typically lightweight, so a self-cover works best meaning the inside and outside use the same paper stock. Our recommendation: 80# matte text.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Children’s Books: <\/strong>Gloss paper works best since children\u2019s books are image driven and makes the illustrations pop. Our recommendation: 100# gloss text paired with 12pt gloss cover<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Coloring Books:<\/strong> Uncoated paper is the only option here. You need a surface that will work with pens, colored pencils, markers and crayons without smearing. If your design has color on the cover, go with a gloss cover to make the artwork stand out. Our recommendation: 70# uncoated text paired with 80# gloss cover<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Workbooks:<\/strong> Uncoated or matte paper. They need to be practical and are built to be written in but also carry a lot of information. Consider how much visual content there is compared to writing. If there are more diagrams, charts, and content with small note sections, matte will be better. Our recommendation: 60# or 70# text paired with 100# Cover. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Photography Book, Art Book, and Coffee Table Books:<\/strong> Gloss or matte paper. These books live on the visuals and you want every image to look as rich as possible. It comes down to personal style and presentation. Black and white: matte. Color images: gloss. Our recommendation: 100# text paired with a 12pt cover.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Cookbook<\/strong>: Matte paper. Cookbooks need to be easy to read more than anything. Matte also won’t show fingerprints as much as gloss. Our recommendation: 100# matte text with 100# matte cover. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Lookbook and Brand Books: <\/strong>Gloss paper. These are marketing tools and the paper needs to feel as premium as your brand. The first impression counts here. Our recommendation: 100# gloss text paired with 12pt cover <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Yearbook: <\/strong>Gloss paper. Yearbooks are photo-heavy and meant to be keepsakes. Gloss will make the images pop. Our recommendation: 100# gloss text paired with 14pt cover. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    \"workbook<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
    \"cookbook<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
    \"coloring<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    What Size Paper is Best for Books?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Book size depends on the type of book and how it will be used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n