Choosing The Right Paper Can Get You More Use Out Of Your Printer Ink Cartridge

2010-01-04

Since the type of paper directly affects the yield of ink-based printers, it's surprising that many people don't actually bother to check if they are using the right paper. This is surprising, since many of the problems associated with printing can be blamed on paper quality. Issues such as image clarity and sharpness, color, saturation, image brightness, shading and general appearance can all be traced back to the type of paper used for printing. Additionally, the wrong paper type can use up more ink per page than the recommended type. If one of your top concerns is ensuring a high printer yield, you'll find that choosing the right paper for your printer can help get you more use out of your printer ink cartridge. This will help lower your cost and ensure the quality of your prints every time.

The majority of the printers currently in use are either ink printers or laser printers. Ink printers use liquid ink, which can come in black and several basic colors. Laser printers, on the other hand, use what is called a toner, which is composed of fine powder. When an ink printer prints on paper, it ejects the liquid ink onto the surface of the paper where it will then be absorbed. A laser printer, on the other hand, will eject toner onto the surface of the paper and apply heat to fuse the powder to the surface. With a laser printer, the toner stays on the surface while with an ink printer, the ink is partially absorbed.

Since paper needs to absorb the ink from a printer ink cartridge, certain types of papers are recommended not just to enhance image quality, but also to maximize the use of ink. Because ink is absorbed and doesn't stay on the surface, certain paper may not work properly with this process, creating bad printouts. For example, paper with rough fibers or surfaces, and paper that hasn't been pre-treated are generally less absorbent than papers especially made for use with ink printers. Because more ink will be required to make a better print, it's likely that your printer ink cartridge will use up more ink than is necessary on these sorts of papers. Frequently using the wrong type of paper will mean replacing ink cartridges more often than you should.

It's always best to follow the printer manufacturer's recommendations when it comes to the type of paper you use for specific printing projects. Ordinary paper may seem cheaper, particularly for bulk printing, but this type of paper will also require more ink. You can always increase the yield of each printer ink cartridge you buy by simply using the right type of paper for every printing job.