Board Stocks Commonly Used for Business Cards

Business cards help create brand recall and can, therefore, be an integral component of your branding strategy. If you wish to cultivate a professional image that leaves quite an impact on potential clients, then take care to choose board stock of the appropriate thickness (measured in grams per square metre or gsm) and colour.

Here are some of the most common types of board stocks used for business card printing:

1.       Standard Board – The ever popular standard board is a 310gsm semigloss artboard, similar to a magazine page. This product is not recommended for cards with heavy ink coverage.

2.      Uncoated Ivory Board – This 340gsm-thick board has a smooth, non-glossy finish and is ideal for card designs with light ink coverage. Uncoated ivory boards are typically not suitable for heavy ink coverage that involves the use of solid colours or heavy photos.

3.      Celloglazing - Gloss – A thin plastic film is applied to the back and the front of a 310gsm card to protect it from wear and oily finger marks. The glossy finish also gives the card a nice sheen that discourages anyone from scribbling on it.

4.      Celloglazing - Matt – With a silky matt finish, this card resists smudging quite well but still allows you to write on the surface. This type is ideal for heavy ink coverage.

Determine the image you want to project for your business first, and all other design elements—colour, text, layout, and board stock—should fall into place.