Can You Put Construction Paper In A Printer?

If you’ve just purchased a brand-new home printer, most likely an inkjet or laser printer, you may already face the necessity of printing construction paper. No wonder you might have asked yourself many times if you should put construction paper in a printer.

Yes! Construction paper can be loaded into a laser or an inkjet printer and printed on. However, if you’re using an inkjet printer, you might need to wait for the paper’s ink to dry. You might also need to consider your printer’s settings, the paperweight, the type of paper coatings, and other aspects when printing on construction paper.

However, there are some aspects to consider while printing on construction paper. We have covered everything in this blog post about printing on construction paper. So, keep reading!

Can You Put Construction Paper in A Printer?

Earlier, the short answer to this query was mentioned. Here you will get a bit more analysis. Starting with the basics of construction paper

Construction paper differs from a regular paper in that it is colored and has a slightly uneven and unfinished surface. Before the synthetic dyes were developed, the paper was colored with pigments and sometimes with vegetable oil. Later, the use of synthetic dyes made it possible to have a wider range of colors in the construction paper.

Fortunately, the construction paper’s wide variety of colors has little effect on the printer’s ability to print. Typically, a laser or inkjet printer can print construction paper in a variety of colors with ease.

Types of Construction Paper

Two basic types of construction paper are sulfite and groundwood construction paper. These types came from using different wood pulps in the manufacturing process.

Thickness and Weight of the construction paper

These two factors are crucial in defining construction paper. They are also important in deciding whether the construction paper is printable or not. Construction paper comes in both heavyweight and lightweight varieties.

Typically, it is expressed in gsm (grams per square meter). The lighter paper weighs between 100 and 110 gsm, while the heavier construction paper weighs between 120 and 130 gsm. The thicker the paper is, the higher its GSM is. Now the question is:

Can You Print on Heavyweight Construction Paper?

To find out the maximum weight your printer can handle, you must read the manual of your printer. There are both lightweight and heavyweight options for some laser and inkjet printers. Your job is to learn the printer’s heavyweight setting, then adjust it to the weight and thickness of the construction paper.

Some Other Factors to Consider when Printing on Construction Paper

There are a lot of other things that might influence your choice to print on construction paper.

Paper Coating

Unlike cardstock paper, construction paper can be rough, not so glossy, or have no finish at all on the surface. What happens when the paper is glossy?

If the paper is glossy and is put into inkjet printers, it creates tiny droplets of ink on the paper’s surface. So if the construction paper is glossy, which is unlikely, and is put into the inkjet printers, the outcome will not be as expected.

However, the glossy construction paper can easily withstand the high temperature when put into the laser printer.

The Necessity of The Offset Powders

Construction paper is a bit thicker than regular paper, making it take longer to dry after printing. Since the ink can stay wet for longer, offset powder and other materials may be required to dry the paper quickly.

Typically, experts do not advise using offset powder. This is an extremely important factor to consider before loading the construction paper onto the printer.

Rather than using offset powder, if you have a lot of documents to print, make sure you have enough room to spread out the pages to prevent them from sticking together.

Make Sure You Have the Proper Dimension of The Construction Paper.

The construction paper’s size corresponds to its width and length. Construction paper comes in a variety of sizes, including 12″ x 18″, 18″ x 24″, and 24″ x 36″. The paper’s most common size is 9″ x 12″.

Before placing the paper on the printer, verify that the printer can accommodate the paper size. If the size is inappropriate, you might need to cut some pieces of the paper to make it fit properly into your printer.

Material of the construction paper

Construction paper is primarily made of wood pulp, giving the finished product a slightly rough surface, which may cause the paper to get stuck inside the printer’s roller occasionally.

What Types of Printers Support Printing on Construction Paper?

There are many modern printers available on the market right now. Construction and cardstock paper are both easily handled by these printers. Inkjet and laser printers are the most popular printers used at home or in retail establishments.

Inkjet Printer

Instead of laser printers, inkjet printers use tiny nozzles to spray ink, which soaks into the paper. The issue is that drying takes too long and could result in smudging.

Certain coatings, such as glossy or matte finishes, typically take some time to dry and are smudge-prone. Since the surface of the construction paper is rough, the inkjet can handle construction paper.

Laser Printer

In contrast to inkjet printers, laser printers react more nimbly to most paper types. It uses a toner cartridge filled with offset powder to prevent ink from smudging and soaking into the paper. This printer can easily handle paper with a variety of finishes.

Inkjet or Laser: Which One to Use on Construction Paper?

On a smooth surface, inkjet ink takes some time to dry out. However, since the finish of the construction paper is a bit rough, it may not be an issue. Both the printer can easily handle construction paper with ease.

Cardstock vs Construction Paper

Start by pointing out their similarities. Both are thicker. The construction paper has a slightly rougher finish than the cardstock, which has a slightly glossier finish.

Rough paper can be handled more efficiently by an inkjet. Conversely, the laser printer can handle a variety of papers. Check the coated and uncoated options on the printer. Here are a few examples of printers that can work with cardstock.

• Canon LBP 6030
• Canon ImagePROGRAF PRO-1000.
• Epson WorkForce 7710.
• HP OfficeJet-3830
• Canon Pixma iX6820 Printer.

How To Print Construction Paper On A Printer?

We have already learned a lot. Learning has no use if it isn’t put to use. In this section, we’ll walk you through printing construction paper on a laser printer.

Step 1: Read the manual of your printer

Start by checking the setting option on the printer. If the construction paper is a bit heavy, check the proper instructions about the heavy-weight setting from the manual.  Also, check the necessary adjustments you may need to make, such as whether you might have to choose between coated or uncoated options in the printer.

Step 2: Resize the Construction Paper

It might be necessary to cut the paper before inserting it into the printer might be necessary to work correctly. There can be different sizes, but the paper’s standard measurement is 9 inches wide and 12 inches high.

However, if the printer can handle only an 8.5″ x 11″ piece of paper, you may need to resize the paper to fit properly.

Step 3: Put the Paper Into the Printer

After you have checked the manual and resized the construction paper, place the construction paper in the printer.

Step 4: Send the Necessary Command from Your Computer

At this stage, you have to send a command from the computer. Just follow the instructions on the computer screen and press “print” after making other necessary adjustments.

Step 5: Remove the Paper

The printer’s lower section will release paper. If you use an inkjet printer, allow the ink on the paper to absorb and dry. A laser printer doesn’t require any waiting time.

Frequently Asked Questions

You have probably already learned a lot about construction paper and whether or not it can be printed. To help you better understand, we’ve listed some of the most frequently asked questions.

What Is Construction Paper Used For?

Even though construction paper is not as strong as cardstock, it still has a variety of uses. Children especially enjoy creating crafts out of construction paper. The other uses comprise sketching, drawing, photographing, etc.

What Is the Difference Between Construction Paper and Regular Paper?

Daily paper, typically white, is not as colorful as construction paper. Construction paper is not significantly thicker and is more easily torn than regular paper. In addition, the paper’s surface is a little bit rougher than that of other papers.

Why Is It Called “construction Paper”?

Early in the 20th century, and even up to the present day, schoolchildren used colorful paper to create three-dimensional works of art like boxes or toy buildings. Construction paper may have its origins in the classroom and gets its name because it can be used to create a wide variety of objects.

What Size Is Construction Paper?

As previously mentioned, the construction paper is sold in packs of 200 sheets, each measuring 9″ x 12″.

Final Verdict

Finally, we have reached the most interesting part. Definitely, the choice is yours. We believe both the laser and inkjet printer is equally fine to print on construction paper. A home inkjet printer can typically handle most construction paper types. If the surface is a bit glossy, try using a laser printer.

Start by reading the printer’s instruction manual. Make sure you are entirely certain of all the settings and options. Some construction paper is lightweight, and some are heavy. On the other hand, some construction papers are thicker than others.

Resize the paper as necessary to ensure a  proper fit. To prevent a paper jam inside the printer that could harm internal components, ensure everything is checked before placing the paper into the printer.