Copy Paper vs Printer Paper - Aren’t They the Same Thing?
by Diana L. Martin
Have you ever wondered why there are so many different descriptions for office paper? Some websites list it as copy paper, some list it as printer paper and some list it as multipurpose paper. Aren’t they all the same thing? Why can’t everyone list it the same way?
Well. truth be told, they’re not all the same - there are two main differences. It’s pretty simple, so let’s look at each of them and I’ll explain.
Copy paper is thinner than printer paper and, therefore, less expensive. It’s designed to be used for everyday printing - rough drafts and documents for internal use that are just text, where quality isn’t an issue. Standard copy paper is 20lb and the standard brightness is 92. You can use copy paper for printing images but they won’t look as nice as they would if they were printed on printer paper and, depending on the type of printer you have (inkjet or laser), the images may come out heavily saturated and wet.
In today’s world, multipurpose paper and copy paper are the same thing. In the old days, when I first started in the office products industry, copy paper was the paper you only used in your copy machine. Copy paper didn’t work well in printers back then. Now, copy paper and multipurpose paper both refer to paper that has been manufactured to be used in a variety of types of office machines - copiers, inkjet printers, laser printers, multifunction printers and fax machines. I said above that standard copy paper is 92 bright. You can get premium copy/multipurpose paper that is brighter but is still 20 lb paper.
Printer paper is heavier than copy/multipurpose paper, normally 24 to 28 lbs, tends to have a smoother finish and is almost always brighter than 92. Because of the heavier weight and the brightness, it is also more expensive. Printer paper is designed for documents with images (graphs, photos, etc). The heavier paper will produce crisp, clear images that don’t saturate the paper. Use printer paper for client presentations, company reports and other documents that need a high-quality, professional appearance. It’s a good idea to have both copy paper and printer paper on hand for the different purposes.
And that, my friends, is the difference between copy, multipurpose and printer papers. I told you it was simple!
