Card making is a very enjoyable hobby. After all, who doesn’t love receiving cards? However, if you don’t choose the perfect card base, the card-making procedure might get messy & confusing – and it may even not work out.
If you’ve been wandering around the internet looking for the answer to “What are the different types of paper for card making?” you’ll have to look no longer. We have the answer here.
So, what’s the best type of paper for card making? Cardstock is the best paper for card making.
However, cardstock has many varieties. Different shapes, sizes, and even different weights of paper have distinct purposes in the card making world. So, without any further ado, let’s get into the details!
What Are the Different Types of Paper for Card Making?
Let’s get to know about various kinds of paper for card making.
- White 100 – 120 Lb. Cardstock
Among the different types of paper you will need for card making, white 100-120 lb. cardstock comes first. If you ask why, the answer is pretty simple – it’s clean, sturdy, affordable, easy to write on, and easy to glue on as well. Overall, it’s the most comfortable cardstock paper you can use.
We recommend you get the sizing of 8 ½” x 11″ or A4. The sizes are available internationally at most stationery shops.
One of the reasons why people don’t get white 100-120 lb. cardstock as their first choice is the plain white color. However, you can always make it enjoyable for yourself.
If you’re looking around the internet to find the perfect card making base which is ivory white and not at all faded, this is going to be a holy grail for you.
Once you start using this particular cardstock paper, you’ll keep buying it again and again for how smoothly it gets the job done.
- Ultrasmooth Cardstock
The ultrasmooth cardstock is a cardstock paper that will make you want to rub your hands against it forever for how smooth it is.
However, that’s not the purpose we’re looking for. The ultrasmooth cardstock paper is going to be the perfect finesse to the base of your cards.
Its primary purpose is to retain color. Whether you want to stamp some ink on it or have your toddler do some watercolor magic – this paper is the perfect one to go for. When you compare this to regular cardstock, you’ll find a massive difference in quality.
The card can retain artificial coloring so well that it almost becomes indistinguishable from a printed card.
You’ll surely want to get your hands on this paper if you want a personal touch of colors in your cards. The perfect sizing is around 8 ½” x 11″, so make sure to get some!
- Colored 80 Lb. Cardstock
It’s obvious- when you think about scrapbooking, making envelopes, greeting cards, and embossing – you think about colors! And that’s what colored 80 lb. cardstock is all about.
You can use colored cardstocks for every kind of paper out there. From layering the borders of your glittered greeting cards to giving your textured cardstocks a fresh pop of color, this cardstock does it all. You can make blank cards look assorted with colorful cardstock paper.
The textures of the colored 80 lb. cardstock are impressive as well. Although it’s not the perfect heavy bright-white cardstock paper, it’s more suited to be used as decorations. However, if you’re aiming to make a card that doesn’t require heavy paper, you can always use colored cardstocks to get the job done!
And the perfect sizing for this cardstock is around 8 ½” x 11″ and A4. You can also pair it up with Kraft paper in a scrapbook to make it look vivid and eye-catching.
- Patterned Paper 65 Lb.
When in doubt, use patterned paper. The most alluring paper is, without a doubt, patterned paper. It comes in different designs, shapes, and forms.
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of decorating an entire card by yourself, you can pick a patterned paper and go with a simplistic card base.
Patterned paper can also be used to make your pre-made cardstock card base look prettier. It adds a little bit of depth that differentiates your card from the rest. Who doesn’t love a little diversity, after all?
One other thing with patterned paper is that you can find numerous designs. You won’t be limited to choose from a specific pattern of designs.
Rather, you can go for whichever suits your mood and occasion. There are many sizes available, so make sure you get the one that suits your needs.
Although the most commonly seen patterned paper is 65 lbs., you can find one which has assorted elements on top of it such as embossing, glitter, metallic foils, and such, which can make the paper heavier.
- Foil Sheets
Foil sheets are amazingly dazzling. You can attach them to anything, including an envelope, vellum, or even stationary stamps. They have a metallic feel to them, which is highly reflective. And, they can always add a little bling to your project.
- Vellum Cardstock
Vellum is essentially called parchment paper. In ancient times, it used to be made by using animal skin. However, now it’s completely vegan. No animals are harmed in the process. Vellum can add a little vintage vibe to your card.
People typically use it for wedding invitations, and it adds a rustic vibe to invitation cards.
- Glitter Cardstock
Glitter cardstock paper adds the perfect bling to your cards. Who doesn’t love a cherry vibe when they receive a card? Glitter cardstocks can add a festive look easily, while not being messy.
You won’t have to buy glitter & glue and stick them on the cardstock. You can get glitter cardstock to avoid the hassle.
Conclusion
We had fun answering your queries about “What are the different types of paper for card making?” And we hope you’ve learned tons from this article about the amazing and handicraft.
However, make sure to check out other papers, such as laser-cut, watercolor, acetate, origami, etc. They all have different purposes and are used to create beautiful cards according to the makers’ preference.
Nevertheless, for the card base, you should get the best cardstock paper that is rigid enough to hold your card in place.