First, check the weight your printer accepts
Cardstock is thicker and stiffer than ordinary paper. Its weight is given either in pounds (such as 65 lb or 110 lb cover) or in grams per square meter (gsm). Ordinary copy paper is usually around 75 to 90 gsm. Light cardstock starts at roughly 160 to 180 gsm, and heavy cardstock goes well above 250 gsm.
Every printer has a maximum paper weight, listed in its specifications as media weight, often separately for the main tray and the rear or manual feed. Compare that number with the label on the cardstock pack. Feeding card heavier than the printer allows is the most common cause of jams and of rollers that will not grip.
Pounds are not comparable across paper types, because cover and text stock are weighed differently. If the pack gives gsm, use that.
Use the straightest paper path
Stiff card does not like bending around a roller. Many printers have a rear tray, a manual feed slot or a bypass tray that gives a straighter path. If yours has one, use it for cardstock, and feed one sheet at a time if the manual suggests it.
- Fan the sheets before loading so they do not stick together.
- Load fewer sheets than you would with plain paper.
- Slide the paper guides so they touch the stack without bending it.
- Make sure the card is flat. Curled corners can catch on the print head.
Tell the printer what paper is loaded
In the print dialog, set the paper type to cardstock, heavy, thick or matte, whichever your driver offers. This changes how the printer feeds the sheet and how much ink or heat it uses.
- Inkjet: the right paper type stops the printer laying down more ink than the card can absorb, which reduces smears.
- Laser: heavier paper needs more heat to fuse the toner. With the wrong setting, toner can rub off the card. See smudges on printer paper if it does.
Also set the paper size to match the card. Cardstock comes in Letter, A4 and other sizes, and a mismatch causes scaling or clipping. Our printer paper sizes chart lists the common ones.
Print a test on plain paper first
Card is more expensive than paper, so check the layout before you use it. Print the job once on plain paper and hold it against a sheet of card to check position and margins. For anything that must be an exact size, such as invitations or templates, print the scale check first and make sure the 100 mm bar measures 100 mm. The alignment and margins page shows how close to the edge your printer can print.
Let it dry and handle it carefully
Inkjet ink takes longer to dry on coated or glossy card. Give each sheet time before stacking. If you print many sheets, take each one out of the output tray as it finishes.
If it jams or will not feed
- Check the card weight against the printer specifications.
- Switch to the rear or manual feed and load one sheet.
- Flatten the card and check the guides are snug.
- Set the paper type to cardstock or heavy paper.
- If the rollers still slip, the card may be too smooth or too heavy for that printer.
Clearing a jam safely is covered in paper jam.
If you plan to print on both sides of heavy paper, test with the duplex test page first to check front and back alignment.