Properties
When selecting the most suitable paper or board it is important for designers to look at the many factors that may influence their decision such as:
- cost
- availability
- aestheticHow something looks.
- functionality
- environmental
- social
- cultural
- ethical
All papers and boards have different working propertiesHow materials behave in different environments when subjected to changing conditions, eg force or temperature changes. and physical propertiesA description of the appearance of a substance or how it acts without involving chemical reactions. For example, state, melting point, conductivity, etc.. Common paper, card and boards for commercial and everyday use have a range of advantages and disadvantages.
| Paper and use | Physical and working properties | Advantages and disadvantages |
| Layout paper - for tracing design ideas to develop them further | Smooth finish and some transparency, able to see the image or drawing underneath to further develop a sketch | Strong, low cost but can smudge if altering a drawing with eraser |
| Copier paper - for inkjet printing, photocopying | White or coloured with a smooth finish, lightweight and inexpensive in bulk | Readily available and can be printed on easily but not strong and lacks quality |
| Tracing paper - for tracing images to copy them | Smooth finish and very transparent, easy to see the image and trace | All sizes readily available but can be expensive for better quality types |
| Recycled paper - for toilet paper, paper towels, paper bags | Rough surface, grainy and flexible, can be printed on and coloured | Benefits to the environment and inexpensive but not very strong |
| Mounting board - for mounting work and pictures, model making | Coloured surface with white board behind, thick, strong and lightweight | Good quality and available in many colours, but expensive and does not bend easily |
| Folding boxboard - for food box packaging | Good printing surface, can be scored, bent and creased easily | Relatively inexpensive but not very strong |
| Corrugated board - for packaging boxes, the protection of parcels | Layered card with crimped structure inside, good strength with the option of different thicknesses | Readily available with good impact resistance, but bends easily in one direction and is not water resistant |
| Paper and use | Layout paper - for tracing design ideas to develop them further |
|---|---|
| Physical and working properties | Smooth finish and some transparency, able to see the image or drawing underneath to further develop a sketch |
| Advantages and disadvantages | Strong, low cost but can smudge if altering a drawing with eraser |
| Paper and use | Copier paper - for inkjet printing, photocopying |
|---|---|
| Physical and working properties | White or coloured with a smooth finish, lightweight and inexpensive in bulk |
| Advantages and disadvantages | Readily available and can be printed on easily but not strong and lacks quality |
| Paper and use | Tracing paper - for tracing images to copy them |
|---|---|
| Physical and working properties | Smooth finish and very transparent, easy to see the image and trace |
| Advantages and disadvantages | All sizes readily available but can be expensive for better quality types |
| Paper and use | Recycled paper - for toilet paper, paper towels, paper bags |
|---|---|
| Physical and working properties | Rough surface, grainy and flexible, can be printed on and coloured |
| Advantages and disadvantages | Benefits to the environment and inexpensive but not very strong |
| Paper and use | Mounting board - for mounting work and pictures, model making |
|---|---|
| Physical and working properties | Coloured surface with white board behind, thick, strong and lightweight |
| Advantages and disadvantages | Good quality and available in many colours, but expensive and does not bend easily |
| Paper and use | Folding boxboard - for food box packaging |
|---|---|
| Physical and working properties | Good printing surface, can be scored, bent and creased easily |
| Advantages and disadvantages | Relatively inexpensive but not very strong |
| Paper and use | Corrugated board - for packaging boxes, the protection of parcels |
|---|---|
| Physical and working properties | Layered card with crimped structure inside, good strength with the option of different thicknesses |
| Advantages and disadvantages | Readily available with good impact resistance, but bends easily in one direction and is not water resistant |
