A Guide to Printing on Card and Thick Paper at Home
Wondering if you can put card in a printer? Learn how to print on card, cardstock, and thick paper with our easy guide. Discover printer settings and tips for perfect results.
Whether you’re making homemade birthday cards, polishing up your promotional collateral, or trying to save money on wedding stationery, choosing to print on cardstock is a great way to add an extra professional touch to your designs.
From hobbyists to small businesses, lots of people print on thick paper due to its sturdy, sophisticated feel – and unlike standard paper, it won’t fall over when you prop it up on a desk! However, simply feeding thicker paper into your printer doesn’t always deliver the best results. Common problems include smudging, misalignment, and paper jams that can cause serious damage to both card and printer. But worry not: Brother is “At your side” with this handy guide, to help you produce pristine printing, every time.
Choosing the right printer
So can you print on card with a Brother printer?
Absolutely! In fact, choosing the right kind of printer is a great way to ensure successful, smudge-free card printing.
At Brother, many of our printers come with advanced paper-handling features, as well as essentials like adjustable trays (which you can fit to the size of your cardstock) and manual feed options.
Some of our best printers for card printing include:
- For paper and card up to 163gsm: HL-L3270CDW colour laser printer
- For paper and card up to 230gsm: DCP-L2660DW mono laser printer (via manual feed slot)
- For paper and card up to 300gsm: MFC-J4340DW inkjet printer (via manual feed slot)
Choosing the right paper (or card)
Here are some of the factors to consider when choosing what material you’d like to print on:
- Thickness + GSM:
GSM stands for grams per square-metre and refers to the weight of the paper (this is not the same as thickness, which depends on paper composition). A good range for home printing is 160-300gsm. For reference, standard printer paper is 70-100gsm.
- Purpose and project type:
Do you want a sleek business flyer (around 150-200gsm), a glossy greetings card (250-400gsm) or a matte wedding menu (more like 300-350gsm)? Think about how much you want the card to bend (or not!), whether you want to fold it, and if you’d like it to stand up on its own.
- Finish:
The two main finish types are matte and glossy. Matte is smooth and non-reflective; it’s great for text-heavy designs and giving a sophisticated look. A glossy finish is great for photography and bright colours, but can smudge with inkjet printers.
- Printer compatibility:
Finally, check that your desired card stock is compatible with your printer. All Brother printers have a maximum paper weight in gsm – you can find this on the Brother website, or in the product manual
How to print on card: a step-by-step guide
STEP 1: GETTING THE PRESETS RIGHT
Please note: depending on whether you’re using a PC or Mac, and what programme you’re working in, the wording of the menus mentioned below can be slightly different.
- Check your document size matches your cardstock size
File >> Page Setup
Don’t forget about orientation too. Your printer will print in portrait by default, but if your document is in landscape, you’ll need to tweak your printer settings.
- Adjust your printer settings
File >> Print >> Paper Type
The wording varies, but you should be able to choose something along the lines of ‘Cardstock,’ ‘Thick,’ or ‘Heavy’.
It’s important not to skip this step, as it affects how quickly paper is fed through the printer and helps you to avoid misprints and paper jams.
- Adjust the print quality for the best results
File >> Print >> Printer Options >> Quality
STEP 2: LOADING YOUR PAPER
- Load one sheet of cardstock into your printer
If you’re using a Brother printer, choose the Manual Feed Tray. It’s ideal for thicker paper and card.
- Make sure it’s loaded correctly
Adjust the paper guides in the tray to fit the width of your card, and ensure the card is flat and properly aligned in the tray.
- Adjust your printer settings
If your printer has multiple trays, make sure you’ve tweaked your printer settings so it uses the right one when printing your document.
STEP 3: RUNNING A TEST PRINT
- Don’t forget to proofread
You don’t want to waste ink and toner on an unusable document.
- Then print a single page
To confirm that the alignment, orientation, colours and settings are all as they should be.
STEP 4: PRINTING YOUR DESIGN
- You’re all set!
Once you’re happy with the quality of your test print, you can go ahead and load the rest of your cardstock to finalise your project.
Don’t forget to give your printed card plenty of time to dry to avoid smudges.
“At your side” for all things printing
From crafting activities to marketing materials, we know that getting your printing right is really important.
So, whether you’re looking for a new cardstock-friendly printer, or need help getting the best out of your Brother printer settings, there’s plenty of information online for home users and business users alike. Simply click the links below to get started.
