Coated Paper Vs Uncoated Paper

Both are good news for the publishing industry, as well as businesses leveraging the power of magazine advertising and direct mail to engage customers.

Printed communications have to work hard for the company behind them but the content alone isn't responsible for its success.

How your magazine, brochure, catalogue or flyer looks and feels also has a major role to play. That is determined by the material they are printed on.

But which is best: coated paper or uncoated paper? Let's examine them in greater detail.

As their names suggest, the biggest difference between the two is that one form of paper is given a coating during the manufacturing stage.

Several coatings are used to create coated paper, including calcium carbonate, bentonite and talc, but the most common is kaolinite, also known as China clay.

This coating seals the paper, restricting the amount of ink it absorbs. Instead, printed ink sits on top of the paper, remaining crisp and defined. The whiter and brighter the paper, the greater the contrast for printed images.

Uncoated papers are, naturally, more porous. Ink printed onto them soaks into the paper, giving the final results a softer appearance.

Coated and uncoated papers are both categorised in several ways.

Whiteness levels are generally measured on a scale known as Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage, and can vary from 80 to 100+. The higher the number, the brighter and whiter the paper will appear.

This is important, as the majority of inks are transparent, so the reflection from a bright paper will give the appearance of crisp vivid images.

A paper's weight is measured in grams per square metre (gsm), and is determined by how much a ream of uncut paper weighs. As a rule, the higher the gsm, the better the paper quality:

70-100gsm: standard office paper, magazines and book pages

100-115gsm: premium stationery for envelopes and letterheaded paper

130-150gsm: a durable weight for posters, flyers, leaflets and newsletters

Opacity, or how much printing will show through to the other side of a page, is expressed as a percentage of reflection. Total opacity is 100% while complete transparency is 0%. A paper's opacity can be determined by its weight, as well as the materials used to make it.

As well as having different weights and varying degrees of whiteness, there are several types of coated paper, and each has a range of printing properties.

With its warm white, smooth finish, silk coated paper (also known as satin) is the ideal choice when it comes to printing photography and dark backgrounds.

Thanks to the silk coating, this paper type has zero texture, so all the colours of your designs will burst from the page. It offers sharp, vivid colours with less of a shiny surface than gloss paper but a similar, luxurious feel.

For businesses looking to showcase artwork that includes amazing high resolution photographs or detail-filled, creative digital drawings, silk paper will produce the best print colour results.

Like paper with a silk finish, gloss paper also has no visible texture. However, as its name suggests, this paper type has a glossy finish, giving the final products such as magazines and brochures a glossy and luxurious feel.

Gloss coatings reduce ink absorption while ensuring your print images remain eye-catching and vivid, ideal for intricate designs.

Sometimes confused for uncoated paper, matt coated paper is great for print communications that need to look professional and refined.

The smooth, non-glossy surface reduces glare and enhances readability, while also offering a little more of a tactile experience.

Inks do not soak into matt coated paper, so colours will pack a real punch and the quality of the print stays true.

Uncoated paper doesn't necessarily have the same smoothness as coated paper, instead there is a slight, natural texture to the surface which is barely noticeable after printing.

As well as providing a quality, natural feel, uncoated paper can be overprinted and is more absorbent than coated papers.

While that can impact how much images pop from the page, when it comes to printing written text, uncoated paper can offer better clarity and readability.

Like coated paper, uncoated paper comes in a variety of finishes.

This uncoated paper lives up to its name, providing a very smooth, opaque sheet surface to suit a range of printing options.

Knowing the difference between coated papers and uncoated versions is only half the story. Now you need to determine which is the best solution for your print project.

The answer depends on several factors:

Coated papers consistently provide crisp, sharp results on every sheet, whether you use silk paper, gloss or matt coated papers. Their smooth coating is the perfect canvas for highly detailed images, and provides a slick contrast between the printed image and white space, known as 'ink snap'.

Paper with a silk or gloss coating is often used for luxury magazines and high-end catalogues featuring aspirational products such as cars or jewellery.

Uncoated papers are defined by their natural warmth and tactility. This form of print media suggests authenticity, responsibility and trust, which is why they are ideal for the educational, non-profit and environmental industries.

They are also robust enough for direct mail and catalogues. Depending on the finish, uncoated paper can give a subtle twist to a photograph of home furnishing materials, fabric or fine art images.

Silk paper, a gloss coating and other coated papers are flexible, working well with heavy solid colour printing and metallic inks, as well as varnishes and foil stamping. They also offer excellent ink holdout.

However, they do have a few drawbacks. The smoothness of gloss coated prints makes them hard to write on with a pen, while the glare can make printed projects with a lot of text trickier to read.

Papers with silk, gloss and matt coated paper may also need an overall coating to protect the sheet from fingerprints or scratching.

Uncoated papers are ideal for printers' techniques such as embossing/debossing, letterpress and foil stamping. They are also suitable for folding brochures, even on heavier weights, and are a great choice for tactile packaging.

Unsurprisingly, the way uncoated papers absorb ink during printing can be a drawback, though it is less of an issue with the smoother versions. It is worth bearing in mind that highly detailed, mid-toned images can seem 'muddy'.

Depending on the amount of ink required for your printed project, uncoated sheets may need extra drying time, which can impact deadlines, while heavy solids and metallics can end up with a mottled appearance.

Some uncoated papers also have coatings and varnishes purely to protect the paper.

There are many things to consider when determining the budget for your printed project, and which type of paper is going to provide the best value.

There is a large range of coated and uncoated papers to choose from, to suit every business and budget.

Things to bear in mind include opacity and caliper specifications, and the possibility that a lighter weight could suit all your needs at a lower cost. Our team can help with this.

For example, if your company currently uses a 115gsm gloss coated text paper, we can recommend a 100gsm uncoated paper with equal or greater opacity and caliper.

As well as using and paying for less paper, you may also save shipping or mailing costs.

More and more businesses are thinking differently about sustainability and actively incorporating it into every aspect of their decision-making.

That includes when it comes to choosing silk or gloss coated, or uncoated papers.

No matter which materials or coatings you decide to use in your print project, we have a wide variety of papers that will enhance your sustainability profile.

Our range of coated and uncoated papers are made from virgin or recycled fibres, or a combination of the two, and many are Carbon Balanced at source.

Whether you want to launch a glossy, luxury magazine, or are keen to showcase your company's care for the environment, we can find a paper to meet your every need.

Email our team with a request for a quote or any other questions at info@denmaur.com, and we will get back to you straight away.