Which printers work with cardstock? Choosing cards and printers. Why some card won't print well

Summary

In this video, Keith Cooper from Northlight Images discusses the challenges of printing on cardstock using inkjet printers. He explains that most consumer-grade inkjet printers are not designed to print well on generic cardstock due to its lack of proper coating for ink absorption. He covers issues like poor color quality, ink bleeding, and the need for specialized paper profiles. Keith advises using media designed for inkjet use or opting for commercial printing solutions if high-volume, professional-grade prints are required. He also touches on borderless printing limitations.

Takeaways

• 🖨️ Inkjet printers typically struggle with generic cardstock printing, often resulting in poor print quality.
• 🎨 Commercial printing uses different technology that can handle cardstock, but it's not the same as home or small office inkjet printers.
• 📄 Cardstock is usually not coated for inkjet printing, which is why it doesn't work well with standard printers.
• 🖼 When printing on cardstock, the right type of cardstock with the correct coatings is crucial for good print results.
• 💧 Inks can run or bleed on uncoated cardstock, leading to a lack of color depth and sharpness.
• 🌈 Watercolor paper has properties that allow watercolors to spread, but these properties don't work well with inkjet printing.
• 🖥 Printer drivers and media settings can alter how ink is laid down on the paper, affecting print quality.
• 🚫 Most printers do not support custom paper sizes for borderless printing, limiting creative options.
• 🔍 Printer profiles are essential for accurate color reproduction when printing on specific cardstock types.
• 📚 High-volume card printing is more efficiently done through commercial printing processes rather than home printers.

Q & A

What is the main issue people face when trying to print on cardstock using inkjet printers?

The main issue is that most cardstock is not properly coated for inkjet use, which results in poor quality prints. The ink may bleed, colors may lack depth, and lines may not appear sharp.

Can inkjet printers produce good prints on any type of cardstock?

No, most inkjet printers cannot produce good prints on generic cardstock because it is usually not coated for inkjet use. For successful printing, the cardstock needs to be specifically designed for inkjet printing.

Why do people experience poor print quality when using watercolor paper with inkjet printers?

Watercolor paper is designed to absorb and spread liquids like watercolors. When inkjet ink is used on it, the ink tends to spread and bleed, preventing the prints from looking sharp or accurate.

What is the difference between commercial printing and inkjet printing when it comes to cardstock?

Commercial printing uses different technology that can handle cardstock more effectively, producing sharp and accurate prints. Inkjet printers, on the other hand, struggle with cardstock unless it’s specifically designed for inkjet use.

Why do printer drivers have media settings for different paper types?

Printer drivers use media settings to control how ink is laid down on different types of paper. This helps ensure that the ink adheres properly, colors are accurate, and lines stay sharp.

Are there any specific printers that can handle thicker cardstock for personal printing?

Some inkjet printers with a straight-through print path can handle thicker cardstock, but even then, the cardstock must be coated for inkjet printing to produce good results.

What happens if you try to print on uncoated cardstock using an inkjet printer?

If you print on uncoated cardstock, the ink will likely bleed, colors will appear dull, and the overall print quality will be poor due to the paper not being designed to hold the ink properly.

Is it possible to achieve borderless printing on custom paper sizes with consumer-grade printers?

No, most consumer-grade printers, including those from Canon and Epson, do not support borderless printing on custom paper sizes. This is a limitation in their software or firmware.

Why are printer profiles important when printing on specialty paper or cardstock?

Printer profiles ensure that colors are reproduced accurately when printing on different types of media. Without the correct profile, prints may have incorrect colors, blocked shadows, or other issues.

What is the recommendation for people who want to print high-quality cards but are disappointed by the limitations of inkjet printers?

The recommendation is to use media that is specifically designed for inkjet printing, like semi-gloss or cotton rag cards. Alternatively, for higher volumes or better quality, consider using commercial printing services.

Outlines

00:00

📄 Challenges of Printing on Cardstock with Inkjet Printers

In this video, Keith Cooper discusses the common question of whether cardstock can be printed on with standard inkjet printers. He explains that most consumer inkjet printers aren't equipped to handle cardstock printing due to the lack of proper coating on the paper, which leads to issues like bleeding ink and poor color depth. He notes that while commercial printing technologies can handle cardstock well, these processes are not available for home inkjet printers. Cooper emphasizes the importance of understanding the coatings on paper designed for inkjet use.

05:01

🖼️ Borderless Printing and Paper Sizes

Keith addresses the challenges of achieving borderless printing with inkjet printers, especially when working with custom paper sizes. He provides an example using A4 paper folded into A5 and mentions that no printer he has tested supports borderless printing on arbitrary custom sizes. He also shows a watercolor print and explains how smaller images can look sharper when reduced in size. Additionally, he highlights the need for printer profiles to ensure color accuracy and avoid mistakes like blocked shadows or incorrect hues.

10:01

🖨️ Printer Limitations with Cardstock and Alternatives

In this segment, Keith emphasizes the limited ability of printers, such as Epson and Canon models, to handle cardstock. He explains that although some laser printers or commercial office printers can manage thicker materials, he has not personally seen these models handle cardstock effectively. The alternative for high-volume printing is commercial offset press printing, which uses a different technology that is better suited for such tasks. Keith also mentions that while some specialized media are available for card printing, they often come with limitations and the need for proper profiles.

Keywords

💡Cardstock

Cardstock refers to a type of thick, sturdy paper used for crafting, greeting cards, and other printed products. In the video, the creator explains that most inkjet printers cannot print well on generic cardstock unless it is specifically coated for inkjet use. Cardstock plays a central role in the discussion as the video addresses the limitations of printers when using this material.

💡Inkjet Printers

Inkjet printers are a type of printer that uses tiny droplets of ink to print onto paper or other media. The video emphasizes that most inkjet printers, even high-quality ones, struggle to print properly on cardstock due to the lack of coating on the material, leading to issues like ink bleeding and poor image quality.

💡Coating

Coating refers to a layer applied to paper or cardstock to make it receptive to ink from an inkjet printer. The video explains that without this coating, ink droplets do not stay in place, resulting in poor print quality, including blurry images or bleeding colors. Coating is a critical factor in achieving sharp, high-quality prints.

💡Watercolor Paper

Watercolor paper is a special type of paper designed for watercolor painting. The video discusses how some people attempt to print on watercolor paper, but because it is designed to absorb watercolors and spread ink, it does not work well with inkjet printers, which require precise ink placement.

💡Commercial Printing

Commercial printing refers to professional-grade printing done using specialized equipment, often for high volumes and larger sheets of paper. The creator contrasts this with inkjet printing, noting that commercial printing can handle thicker materials like cardstock more effectively, producing higher-quality results.

💡Printer Profiles

Printer profiles are software settings that tell a printer how to print on a specific type of paper or material. The video highlights the importance of using the correct printer profile to ensure that colors and other aspects of the print are accurate. Without the proper profile, prints can have incorrect colors or other defects.

💡Borderless Printing

Borderless printing refers to printing that extends to the edges of the paper without leaving any white margins. In the video, the speaker mentions that most printers struggle to print borderless on custom paper sizes, which is a common issue when trying to print greeting cards.

💡Pigment Ink vs Dye Ink

Pigment ink and dye ink are two types of inks used in printers. Pigment ink is made of small particles and is more durable, while dye ink dissolves in liquid and produces more vibrant colors. The video notes that the type of ink does not significantly affect the ability to print on cardstock, as the main issue is whether the cardstock is coated for inkjet use.

💡Greeting Cards

Greeting cards are printed cards typically used for special occasions, and many people attempt to print these at home using inkjet printers. The video discusses the challenges of printing high-quality greeting cards on inkjet printers, especially when using uncoated cardstock, and suggests using appropriate media to achieve better results.

💡Custom Paper Sizes

Custom paper sizes refer to non-standard paper dimensions that users might want to print on. In the video, the creator explains that most printers, especially those from brands like Canon and Epson, do not support borderless printing on custom paper sizes, making it difficult to print certain types of cards without leaving unwanted borders.

Highlights

Cardstock is not typically suited for inkjet printing unless specifically coated for inkjet use.

Commercial printing uses different technology, making it more suitable for printing on cardstock compared to consumer inkjet printers.

If you use the wrong type of paper, such as uncoated cardstock or watercolor paper, the ink may bleed or the colors may appear washed out.

The key to successful inkjet printing on various media is using the right coatings designed to accept ink properly.

Many inkjet printers struggle with printing on thicker cardstock due to the lack of a straight-through paper path.

Printer driver settings for media types can adjust how ink is laid down, but this only works for media designed for inkjet printers.

Most cardstock referred to as such in the crafting community is not compatible with inkjet printers and results in poor print quality.

For high-quality results, it is essential to use printer profiles that match the media being printed on, especially for color accuracy.

Many printers, including models from Canon and Epson, do not support custom paper sizes for borderless printing.

Commercial offset printing is often the only viable option for high-volume or specialized cardstock printing.

Inkjets are not ideal for card-making in large quantities because you spend too much time loading and unloading sheets manually.

Some office printers may handle cardstock better, but typically they don’t offer borderless printing or consistent results.

The right media, such as specially coated greeting cards, can result in excellent prints, but generic cardstock rarely works well.

Inkjet printers are not designed to print on thick or uncoated cardstock; using incorrect media often leads to smudging and color bleeding.

The presenter invites users to suggest printers that work well with generic cardstock, but emphasizes that it’s unlikely to find one.

Transcripts

hi my name's Keith Cooper North light

images in this video I'm going to talk

about cardstock printing on cards cards

it the reason for this is that if

there's a question I get asked about

printing that recurs over and over again

is can I print

such and such cardstock on a particular

printer or I want to print some

particular cardstock and I'll be

something I've never heard of

um on a printer such and such a printer

and almost always and this is the reason

I'm doing the video almost always if

somebody talks to me about cardstock I

can tell you up front that you almost

certainly will not be able to produce

good looking prints on it on any of the

inkjet printers that I've reviewed now

that's not to say there aren't printers

that can print on cardstock obviously

you see printed cards so there must be

but that's Commercial Printing and it's

a very different technology so what do I

mean when when people say cardstock

typically I mean when I say card I'm

thinking of stuff like this these are

cards I produced in the process my

um testing printers and these ones have

come ready cut ready creased I'll

mention some more about types of card

later but typically these are meant for

greeting card printing

cardstock itself typically comes in

large sheets cut it down use it it's

what's used commercially for packaging

and all kinds of things

a similar version of this is somebody

said I would like to print on such and

such watercolor paper or I'd like to be

able to use a paper that I use for my

watercolor prints to be able to print

over them or to print something and then

paint over them similarly that really

works why do you have the problem why is

there the problem why does it print okay

on card like that albeit thin card some

printers will take thicker card but they

have a straight through print path but

even so the key to understanding what

will print and what will print well not

just get ink onto the card is

understanding the coatings

all of these media here are designed for

inkjet use so if you have a particular

card whether it's used for crafting or

anything else like that and you use the

generic term cardstock with it it almost

certainly won't be properly coated to

accept the inks from inkjet printers

what happens when you print on it well

I've got a I've got another video I'll

put a link in that I did quite some time

ago showing the problem of when you use

the wrong card basically the inks may

run they may bleed you don't get much

depth in the colors you don't get any

sharpness of line all those things that

you probably do want to include in your

prints likewise if you use watercolor

paper watercolor paper has certain

properties that the watercolors spread

in it you work with the paper when

you're doing watercolors if you're doing

pen and ink you treat it differently but

you know the characteristics of the

paper and how liquids run in it and how

you can get washers and things like that

well the inks whether they're dye based

inks or pigment inks and it makes no

real difference whether it's a diabase

print or a pigment ink printer in this

the prints the the papers you meant for

inkjet use

specifically don't run

the whole idea is that those tiny

droplets of ink that come out of the

print head and hit the paper they stay

as Tiny dots they don't expand in

reality with some papers they do expand

slightly but that's something you take

care of when you're selecting your

printers and that's also what printer

driver media settings do they alter how

the ink is laid down on the paper for

most inkjet printers so it's all about

the wrong surface so

it really in many ways doesn't matter

what your cardstock is if it's not

intended for inkjet use you're going to

get useless prints out of it and that I

go feeling disappoints a lot of people

because they've already decided on a

cardstock they want to print their

greetings cards or whatever on and now

they want a printer that's the wrong way

around

um if you pick that you may well find

the only if you find the particular

cardstock you may find the only way of

printing on that is to use commercial

offset Press Printing you know a

commercial print process

which then you tend to print things

multiple instances on a larger sheet and

then they're cut to shape cut to shape

also deals with the borderless problem

because many printers

don't perform as well when you want to

do borderless Printing and you can see

on this one it's borders now I've got

templates and things for this but you

can see the image goes slightly over the

curve here over the fold so that you

don't get a little white line on it from

this side now that's a paper size

because that's A4 A4 folded makes A5

that's a paper size

which I can print borderless on many

printers there's some examples here's

the print from it from when I was

testing the at8550 that's a watercolor

print a watercolor image itself an

actual watercolor printed uh painted by

a friend of mine and I've scanned it and

I've printed it now there's all details

and I'll put links again in the in the

art at the notes this video

about how I scanned the original and

produced cards now the cards look spot

on

um they look very good and also because

they're slightly smaller than the

original they even look a little bit

crisper and sharper because of the

reduction on it that one is printed

boardless as well although the image has

white around the edge so you don't

really notice there is a boarded print

now

no printer that I know of that I've

tested

supports custom paper sizes for

borderless printing I do not know where

it is I cannot see any true technical

reasons for this so it's a software

internal firmware issue for both Canon

and Epson neither of them have printers

which allow

borderless printing on an arbitrary

custom paper size I have no idea why

that is it just is it means that you

want to print this little size here's

that same image there I've had to print

it for border now I've made it a bigger

border to make it a bit more of a

feature but you have to be careful with

things like that yeah board it doesn't

matter there's white down the edge there

so that's that now

here's another example reason for using

the right paper or the right card

you need printer profiles so ideally it

helps and these are both from a local

company paper Spectrum here in Leicester

that had quite a range of

um greeting cards available stop they

come with envelopes this is a semi-gloss

card

and this is a cotton rag card now

what happens if you haven't got profiles

for them well you get things like this

example here where the water you know

where the the color looks wrong if you

print with the wrong profile or don't

print with a profile on some arbitrary

card whether it be yeah whatever surface

it is you have things like the colors

not quite right the Shadows get blocked

up this one just the image just looks

wrong

now given your producing pictures that

you supposedly I'm going to say want to

sell and therefore you have to impress

people with them you do not want rubbish

colors so hence using a profile for it

now I've got details of this in all my

printer reviews and things and what

different ones I look at

are there some printers that will print

well on generic cardstock well I've

mentioned Commercial Printing

um obviously you can pay to get stuff

printed and if you're doing sufficient

volumes it may actually work out cheaper

to get custom sheets printed and then

cut

um

card making is a very low margin

business so the costs of ink various

things matter but remember if you're

going to be producing many cars none of

these printers I've looked at this is a

Canon Pro 300 I believe pigment ink

printer that is an et80 8550 Epson

printer that one is a combination of

pigment and dye inks

in none of these printers can you stack

up many cards now I looked at an office

printer another Epson an Eco tank model

where you could stack a few cards but

then that didn't offer borderless

printing at all so there just are not

many printers that are good for this

stuff in any volume because you will

quickly realize if you're printing much

of a volume that actually you're

spending far more time just loading

sheets in taking sheets out and doing

things like that now if you've got

nothing better to do that's fine but if

you're doing this as part of a business

that does not seem a very profitable use

of your time so

the key element what you want if you

were think say I've got such and such

cardstock and I want a printer to print

on it

none of the printers I've looked at here

will likely work now it's possible

checked with who makes the paper or the

card it's possible it may be coated for

ancient use like this

but it's highly unlikely not once have I

ever come across something that somebody

has referred to as cardstock which has

been any use whatsoever a few Laser

Printers will take it but they're very

fussy quite often about the feed there

are some other commercial printers

office printers color printers which do

seem to print on a wider variety of card

but I've never seen any of these so I've

been told about it but I've never

actually seen any they're not from Epson

not from Canon I know quite a lot of

people at Epstein can in the UK I've

said look what have you got that will do

this Printing and they went nothing

genuinely for La in volume they've got

nothing

but that's because

if you wanted to do it in volume you'd

use a different print technology

so it's just not supported so I'm sorry

that in a way there's quite a bit of

negative here in that no you can't print

on cardstock but you can print you can

make nice cards

you just have to get the right media and

as I say Obviously the right profiles

and things if you've got any questions

feel free to write to me at Northlight

or you know comment on this video uh

happy to answer questions and things if

you've got a printer that prints or know

of a printer that prints on generic

cardstock and gives reasonable results

then buy one wins let me know and I can

always try and get hold of one to have a

look at and see whether it prints but as

it stands

here's the proper media you can get

cards they look very nice

but there might not be what you're

hoping for anyway thanks for watching

please do subscribe to the channel if

you find it useful this is

um another of the hottest days in the UK

this year in September and um I I shall

be in a hurry to get out of my

non-air-conditioned office so thanks for

watching and goodbye