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Cardstock explained! The Art, Science, and Chaos of figuring out which paper is best for you.

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Lbs vs. GSM vs. PT

Choosing cardstock for printing, crafting, or packaging? Or just trying to understand how the big bang went from a pinhead that weighed more than the sun to our entire universe? Welcome to the fun world of understanding paper measurements. Different regions, industries, retailers, paper houses, distributors, uncles...all use different measurement units, it's nuts! And by nuts...whoa.

Heres our initial push, know these acronyms immediately: Lbs (pound weight), GSM (grams per square meter), and PT (point thickness). We won't pretend to know the absolute exacts...but we can drop some wisdom that hopefully helps you along your journey.


We'll dummy this down. It's what we know best. er, know.


1. What is Lbs (Pound Weight) Pay attention.

Lbs (pounds) refers to the weight of 500 sheets (a ream) of cardstock in its uncut size before trimming. Since paper stocks come in different base sizes, two papers with the same Lbs rating may have different thicknesses.


Common Lbs Values and Their Uses:

  • 65 Lb: Thin cardstock, used for lightweight greeting cards and flyers.

  • 80 Lb: Mid-weight, used for premium brochures and postcards.

  • 100 Lb: Durable, often used for business cards and invitations.

  • 120-130 Lb: Extra thick, ideal for high-end business cards and packaging.

  • 160+ Lb: Heavy cardstock, used for specialty prints and rigid packaging.


BIG Pay attention. Lbs refers to how much 500 sheets of the same paper weighs, depending on what's called "basis size." Nothing else.


The same lb weight can feel different depending on the paper type because each has a different basis (size of sheet to measure)


If you're looking for "thickness of paper"...never go by lbs, ever. Unless you order samples. 1 billion lb paper can feel thin as a feather. (Our words)

It's too confusing for us. We moved on.





2. What is GSM (Grams per Square Meter) Pay attention.

GSM measures the weight of paper per square meter. Unlike Lbs, it provides a direct weight-to-area comparison, making it a more standardized unit worldwide. Generally, a higher GSM indicates thicker and more rigid cardstock.


BIG Pay attention. GSM is pure weight baby!


Common GSM Values and Their Uses:

  • 90-120 GSM: Standard printer paper, lightweight flyers.

  • 150-200 GSM: Magazine covers, brochures, posters.

  • 200-300 GSM: Greeting cards, business cards, premium brochures.

  • 300-400 GSM: Thick business cards, postcards, invitations.

  • 400+ GSM: Heavyweight cardstock, luxury packaging.


BIG Pay attention. GSM can be SUPER confusing as well. But...it's a bit more clear.


GSM in simple terms is density. Weight! A high GSM will result in a sturdy feeling paper. Most times thicker...but many times not what you think. A high GSM can be a very good manufactured paper that is super high in density...but no thicker than a sheet of paper you'd throw into your inkjet for normal run of the mill daily printing.


Many home printers can work with around 300gsm paper (give or take 20-30 gsm). GSM is a better basis to measure paper considerations compared to lbs in our opinion.




3. What is PT (Point Thickness) We are ALL ABOUT PT size!

This is the one. The golden goose egg (for us at least.) Points measures the actual thickness of cardstock in thousandths of an inch. One point (1 PT) equals 0.001 inches (0.0254 mm). To be clear...PT is literally how "thick" the paper is. A traditional trading card (Topps baseball, pokemon, cards kids collect...) normally ranges from 18pt to 24pt. 18pt would be quite flimsy for a "trading card", but we'll respect 18. In our opinion, nothing less than 20pt is satisfactory for a trading card. Ours are 24pt (plug!)


Common PT Values and Their Uses:

  • 8-10 PT (0.008"-0.010"): Thin cardstock, standard postcards.

  • 12-14 PT (0.012"-0.014"): Moderate thickness, typical business cards.

  • 16-18 PT (0.016"-0.018"): Premium business cards, durable invitations.

  • 20-24 PT (0.020"-0.024"): Thick, luxury packaging, book covers.

  • 32+ PT (0.032"+): Ultra-thick, specialty cards, high-end prints.

A 16 PT cardstock is roughly equivalent to 350 GSM and is ideal for premium business cards.



Comparison Chart: Lbs vs. GSM vs. PT (take lb. with a grain of salt. Not informative enough for pinpointing needs in our opinion)

Lbs

GSM

PT

Common Usage

65 Lb

175 GSM

~9-10 PT

Flyers, thin postcards

80 Lb

216 GSM

~12 PT

Greeting cards, brochures

100 Lb

270 GSM

~14 PT

Business cards, invitations

120 Lb

325 GSM

~16 PT

Premium business cards, packaging

160 Lb

400+ GSM

~24+ PT

Thick packaging, luxury prints


Key Differences Between Lbs, GSM, and PT:

  • Lbs measures paper weight in bulk, making it inconsistent across paper types.

  • GSM provides a universal, precise weight measurement, allowing better global comparison.

  • PT measures the actual thickness, giving a clear idea of the cardstock's rigidity.

  • Two papers with the same Lbs rating can have different GSM or PT values due to density differences.



Choosing the Right Cardstock for Your Needs

When selecting cardstock, consider your application:

  • For business cards: 14-16 PT (100-120 Lb, 300-350 GSM) is a popular choice.

  • For invitations or luxury packaging: 18-24 PT (120-160 Lb, 400+ GSM) offers a premium feel.

  • For postcards or brochures: 10-12 PT (80-100 Lb, 200-270 GSM) is durable yet cost-effective.

Final Thoughts

We are PT advocates. We want thick, gerthy, feel significant on first touch stuff. If you want a card that feels like a CARD...you want nothing less than 18pt. If you want to go monster plush epic feel...go with 22+ pt...our cards are 24pt.


We'll add more to this topic very soon. So much more detail to go into and we'll do our best. Consider this the foreplay into paper chat.


Always order samples! Paper companies are usually very pro-active and offer great paper sample service.


Best,

FTC

 
 
 

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