Book paper weight choices and finishes
Yes, we have book paper weight choices, and self-publishers have choices in finishes too.
Book paper weight that is available at on-demand services is limited compared to what we provide at Star Print Brokers. They commonly have book paper weight sizes of 60 lb, 70 lb, or 80 lb text weight.
We offer heavier book paper weight that you can’t get at on-demand services. Want to print a book on 100 lb, 120 lb, or 135 lb? That is 150 gsm, 150 gsm, or 180 gsm.
We have these weights, plus and more finishes!
120 lb or 180 gsm are NO problem!
Why use POD when you have choices and the best quality printing and binding?
If you are printing a coffee table book, art book, or photography book, print with us, and print on press. Print on-demand books cannot match our quality. We print only the highest-quality books.
Book weight at Star Print Brokers is provided in grams per square meter instead of pounds or points.
Comparable book paper weight is as follows:
Star Print Brokers
100 lb is comparable to 150 gsm
120 lb is comparable to 180 gsm
135 lb is comparable to 200 gsm
On-Demand Providers
60 lb is comparable to 90 gsm
70 lb is comparable to 100 gsm
80 lb is comparable to 120 gsm
Did you know that our specialty is printing coffee table books? Using 120 gsm book paper weight will suffice for a coffee table book, but when we print art books or photography books, we also use 150 gsm and 180 gsm. While it is possible to bind 200 gsm, it is the maximum paper weight that can be bound in a professionally printed book; that is a book printing on press with ink, not smeary toner.
Paper finishes.
Not only can you select paper weight, but you can also choose the finish.
Coated
First, there is coated as well as uncoated paper. Coated paper is most suitable for coffee table books. It is a thin, clay coating applied to the paper stock.
Matte Art
Coated stock can have one of two finishes, either matte or gloss. We call our coated, matte stock “matte art”.
Gloss
Gloss book paper weight stock is simply matte art stock that has been burnished, to become glossy.
Uncoated
Uncoated stock is what we call wood free. It is like the paper you would use for a paperback novel. It is the least costly and has a slightly rough texture. You can choose between white and cream.
Extras – talk about options and customer service!
If you are already printing in process color, you can print the paper stock’s color! The background color will print with a 0.125 inch bleed. But, we don’t charge for bleeds when printing overseas.
Use this chart for more than books alone:
We also have a general paper weight conversion chart that you might like to bookmark:
