Can Printers Print On Cardstock

So you have done normal paper printing? Now looking to print on cardstock due to its unique and versatile? Is that right?

You might be confused: can printers print on cardstock or not? Well, no need to be worried anymore because yes, you can print on cardstock but…

But, printing on regular paper and cardstock varies! How?

Regular paper works very fine as it facilitates you in printing directions and recipes, but cardstock printing is somehow different. Are you wondering what specification you need for cardstock printing?  Want to know how you need to do your printer’s setting for cardstock printing?

 Then dig out the information from the article below!

Can Printers Print On Cardstock?

Yes usually all printers can give you the option to print on cardstock, but not every printer can handle the cardstocks, unless or until you set them properly.  It is only the technique and compatibility that matters, you know cardstock range from 135 to 200 g/m2 in weight, and not all printers can accept this much thick paper.   

How To Print On A Cardstock Conveniently? 

If you want to print on cardstock rather than on normal paper, it is best to use a special tray, and also change the printer settings. Cardstock is thicker, so to print conveniently, it is suggested to put one at a time.

1.) Start By Choosing The Right Cardstock Paper:

There are two things to consider, before going using a printer for a professional printing job, the thickness, and coatings of the cardstock paper. Most of the time it does not matter as commercial printers can handle almost anything; they are best for handling a wide range of materials.

For an at-home printing project always go for the right material as choosing the wrong stock not only ruining your project but also damage your printer. Most often 65-pound, 80-pound or 100-pound cardstock are available for printing different things. Most of the time cardstocks are categorized by points, which range from 10 to 16 points, and higher means thicker. The home printers can handle 80-pound or 10-point. 

Many cardstocks use a coating to give them a glossy and polished appearance, e.g. business and wedding cards are printed on slightly shiny cardstock. 

Remember- coated cardstock is harder, and the ink doesn’t absorb well as it happens in uncoated cardstock.

The printer’s compatibility narrows a little with coated ones as using coated cardstock may not work well.

2.) Prepare Your Printer Before Printing:

If you are using the printer for normal paper printing, the printer will work fine, but now you are trying to print on different material. Place cardstock in the tray, and take prints as many as you can but firstly adjust the settings, carefully.

As you know every model is different and has no one-size-fits-all approach. Some printers work efficiently with “heavy paper” settings that are specially used for cardstock others are just enough to program the printer for the exact weight being used. All you need to do is move the paper tray accordingly. 

One more thing to mention here the printer’s online manual may contain guidance so take help from them. There is no need of buying new ink, as already used ink for normal paper printing is enough for cardstock printing also.

What Are Some Common Cardstock Printing Problems? 

Before investing in any printer checking the specification, is highly suggested to see if the printer can handle the specified weight or not. You can go through the specifications by reading the documentation or sometimes a manual feed is also available in the printer’s box.

It is so obvious that using the wrong media might trigger issues and damage your printer internally. All printers come with minimum and maximum media sizes that are supported with them, so it is necessary to find your printer’s media type, and also find the maximum media weight.

Entering the wrong media size will cause paper jams. Printers come with a paper tray to handle your many papers at a time so keep in mind using the wrong tray also causes jams or misprints. 

Cardstock is thicker so it is better to allow one sheet at a time so media shouldn’t be creased or ripped. It will be good to run a test print beforehand.  Open the printer’s driver setting to select what media type you need for a print. In short set, the printer correctly to keep your printer safe from all these jamming issues.

Some Tips For Getting The Best Prints On Cardstock:

So you are going for printing some invitations, don’t ever try to put many cardstocks in a printer at once because thick cardstock may jam easily. Always try to feed as one sheet at a time otherwise you may face issues. 

A single bent edge or curled corner can trigger a jam, which is not a good sign. Many in-house printing services allow you to inspect the print quality keenly. So if your printer is finicky, and you are trying your best to make it work with the cardstocks to have your printing job handled professionally.

Once it makes perfect then you can print whatever cardstock you prefer to print.

Final Note: