Ask your printer what their house stock is. Most companies have one — a paper they keep well-stocked and use as their default because it's a solid, reliable option. As one example of what that looks like in practice: a shop might run a particular line as their uncoated house stock, a couple of specific coated options (silk and gloss finishes), and a cast-coat line for things like premium business cards, plus a dedicated stationery line that comes with matching envelopes. That's just one shop's real answer — every printer's house stock is their own, and none of it is a universal recommendation. Asking the question is the useful part.
What this means for your order: asking for the house stock is often the fastest path to a good, ready-to-run paper. When you do compare specs yourself, don't assume two papers listed in different units are directly comparable — pounds and gsm both measure weight, but points measures thickness, a different kind of thing entirely. When you're not sure how two papers actually stack up, ask your printer or ask to feel a sample.
Why are there three different units for paper weight?
Because paper weight and thickness measurement grew up differently in different corners of the industry, and none of them got fully replaced.
- Pounds (lb) is the traditional U.S. system, and it's the trickiest one — the same "lb" number can mean different actual weights depending on the paper category. A 20 lb bond (typical copy paper) and a 65 lb cover (cardstock) aren't scaled the same way, because each paper category (bond, text, cover) has its own base sheet size the weight is calculated from.
- Grams per square meter (gsm) is the metric alternative, and it's simpler precisely because it doesn't have that category problem — a gsm number means the same thing regardless of what kind of paper you're weighing. One square meter of the paper, weighed in grams. That consistency is why gsm is useful for comparing weight across categories.
- Points (pt) measures thickness directly, in thousandths of an inch, rather than weight. It shows up most often on cardstock and cover-weight papers — a 16pt card is a common weight for something like a sturdy postcard or business card.
How do the units actually compare?
Pounds and gsm both measure the same thing — weight — so an lb figure can be converted to gsm (or vice versa) once you know the paper category, and that's a real, useful comparison. Points is a different kind of measurement altogether: it's a direct read of thickness (caliper), not weight, so there's no universal conversion that turns a pt number into a gsm or lb number. A paper can be heavy and thin, or lighter and thick, depending on how it's made. If you're comparing papers across these systems, the straightforward move is asking your printer directly, or asking to feel a physical sample — that tells you more than a converted number can.
Does the coating matter as much as the weight?
Coating changes how the surface looks and feels, separate from weight. Uncoated stock has a natural, non-shiny surface. Coated stock comes in finishes like silk (a soft, low-glare sheen) and gloss (a brighter, more reflective finish). Cast coat is a finish, not a weight — a very glossy, shiny surface on the outside of the sheet, and not one you see that often; it shows up on things like premium cards. None of these is universally "better" — they're different looks and different feels, and what fits depends on the job.
Are those the only paper decisions I need to make?
They're the two big ones — weight and coating — but they interact with what you're printing. A flimsier weight might be exactly right for a flyer meant to be handed out and read once, while the same weight would feel wrong for a business card meant to sit in someone's wallet for a year. That's part of why "what's your house stock" is such a useful question — it gets you a shop's already-proven answer for common jobs, instead of starting from zero on weight and coating together.
What this article can't tell you
There's no single "right" paper for a given product — weight, coating, and stock all vary by shop, by region, and by what look you're going for. This article decodes the units and explains the house-stock concept; it can't hand you a specific recommendation without knowing your job. That's a conversation with your printer, not a formula.
Want a paper recommendation for your specific job? Get a quote and ask what the house stock is.
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