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Helpful Guidelines For Paper Usage

• Prior to use, paper should be in the environment in which it will be used for at least 48 hours. Optimum storage facilities retain temperatures between 70-80 degrees F with 50 percent relative humidity.
  
  
• Before loading paper, fan the sheets on all four sides. This creates a small layer of air between the sheets which should help printer feeding mechanisms.

Paper Glossary

Basis Weight—The basis weight of a paper is the designated fixed weight of 500 sheets, measured in pounds, in that paper's basic sheet size. It is important to note that the "basic sheet size" is not the same for all types of paper.

Caliper—Caliper refers to the thickness of a sheet of paper expressed in thousandths of an inch. This measurement is taken with a micro meter. Normally, paper caliper should not have more than plus or minus 5 percent variance within a sheet. The relation between caliper and basis weight is the greater the caliper (the thicker the paper), the greater the paper weight.

Equivalent Weight—While different paper types have different basic sizes, papers can still be compared by using equivalent weight.