Menu


What Kind of Postcard Paper Should I Use For Printing Photos?

by Chelsea Camper | Last Updated May 26, 2023

Whether you’re traveling, taking a scenic hike, or just happen to live in a beautiful area, there are amazing things to take pictures of all around you. For those who are aspiring to become professional photographers, it’s important for them to be able to get their images out into the physical (as well as digital) world. Postcards are a great way to start getting your photographs out in the real world and they’re easy to print your own.

In order to print your own postcards you need to figure out which type of postcard paper will work best for you. Glossy? Matte? Print one at a time or multiples? Do you want your postcard to fold like a note card? Do you want to print note/greeting cards instead?

There are many options!

In this post we’ll go through the various types ofhow to chose which postcard paper to use for postcards postcard paper we offer to help you choose which works best for you.

Glossy Postcard Paper

  • Glossy Cut Postcards (4X6) – Great for those who want their image to have a glossy finish but still have the back be easy to write on. These are glossy on front and matte on the back.
    Quick Specs:

    • Only Use Laser Printers when printing on these
    • Meet USPS® postcard thickness regulations (thickness of 0.010″)
    • All postcards pre-cut to 4×6″
  • Four-of-a-Kind Glossy Postcards (Laser Printers)– These are similar to the Glossy Cut Postcards in the sense that they are glossy on one side and matte on the other side. What makes these different is that they come 4 to a sheet so that you can print 4 out in one pass instead of just one.
    Quick Specs:

    • Only Use Laser Printers when printing on these
    • Meet USPS® postcard thickness regulations (thickness of 0.008″)
    • Postcards come 4 to a sheet for a greater output per printer pass
    • Each postcard is 5.5×4.25″
  • Four-of-a-Kind Photo Paper (Inkjet Printers) – (Product no longer available) Similar to the Four-of-a-Kind Glossy Postcards above, these postcards are glossy on one side and matte on the other side as well. The difference is that you can use Inkjet printers with them!
    Quick Specs:

    • Only Use Inkjet Printers when printing on these
    • Meet USPS® postcard thickness regulations (thickness of 0.0085″)
    • Postcards come 4 to a sheet for a greater output per printer pass
    • Each postcard is 5.5×4.25″
  • Print On Demand Jumbo Glossy Postcards (Laser Printers) – If you’re looking for an affordable method of showing off your photographs in a big way, consider oversize postcards. These can’t be mailed at the same price as regular postcards; youd have to put a standard stamp on it.
    Quick Specs:

    • Only Use Laser Printers when printing on these
    • Gives a bigger canvas for your images
    • Come 2 per sheet to allow for two postcards to be printed on the same sheet
    • If you want the size without the price, check out Every Door Direct Mail for target marketing
  • Print On Demand Jumbo Glossy Postcards (Inkjet Printers) – Comparable with the Jumbo Glossy Postcards above, but these can be printed with an Inkjet printer! They’re a great way to show off your photographs (especially panoramas!).
    Quick Specs:

    • Only Use Inkjet Printers when printing on these
    • Bigger canvas for your images
    • Come 2 per sheet to allow for two postcards to be printed on the same sheet
    • If you want the size without the price, check out Every Door Direct Mail for target marketing

Matte Postcards

  • Premium Matte Inkjet Cut Postcards (4X6) – The Premium Matte Inkjet (PMI) stock is some of the best paper for photography that we have. It has a smooth matte finish that can display the fine detail of your photographs.
    Quick Specs:

    • Only Use Inkjet Printers when printing on these
    • Meet USPS® postcard thickness regulations (thickness of 0.0116″)
    • Postcards cut to 4×6″
  • Premium Heavy Matte Cut Postcards (4X6) – These are similar to the Premium Matte Inkjet Cut Postcards above except that you can use either an inkjet or a laser printer. The Premium Heavy postcards that can display the same fine detail as the PMI cards.
    Quick Specs:

    • You can use Inkjet or Laser Printers when printing on these
    • Meet USPS® postcard thickness regulations (thickness of 0.0089″)
    • Postcards cut to 4×6″
  • Jumbo Premium Postcards – Cut – Oversize postcards are a great way to show off your images and the premium paper of the Jumbo Premium Postcards can display great detail.
    Quick Specs:

    • You can use Inkjet or Laser Printers when printing on these
    • Bigger canvas to display your images
    • Each postcard is cut to 8.5×5.5″
  • Four-of-a-Kind Premium Heavy Matte Postcards – Getting back to printing in bulk, these postcards allow you to print your beautiful images four at a time on the same sheet. This is where quantity meets quality! Printing four images at a time on nice, quality paper can really help you build up your stock of amazing postcards.
    Quick Specs:

    • You can use Inkjet or Laser Printers when printing on these
    • Meet USPS® postcard thickness regulations (thickness of 0.0089″)
    • Postcards come 4 to a sheet for a greater output per printer pass
    • Each postcard is 5.5×4.25″
  • Print On Demand Jumbo Premium Postcards – These oversize postcards are similar to the cut ones above except they come 2 per sheet. This lets you print two at once, which can save you a good bit of time.
    Quick Specs:

    • You can use Inkjet or Laser Printers when printing on these
    • Bigger canvas for your photographs
    • Postcards come 2 to a sheet for a greater output per printer pass
    • Each postcard is 8.5×5.5″

 

Greeting Cards

Getting away from postcards a bit, you can also use greeting cards to help promote your photographs!

  • HalfFold – Photo Matte Inkjet – This smooth matte finish lets you print vibrant, detailed images on the front of the greeting cards while still allowing your customers to easily sign the inside of the card.
    Quick Specs:

    • Only Use Inkjet Printers when printing on these
    • 10% Post Consumer Recycled Content
    • Folded card is 8.5×5.5″
    • Smooth satin finish
  • Note Cards – Photo Matte Inkjet – Similar to the Photo Matte Inkjet HalfFold above, these note cards are half the size of the HalfFold. You can still print beautiful, vibrant images on them and have the ease of writing on the inside.
    Quick Specs:

    • Only Use Inkjet Printers when printing on these
    • 10% Post Consumer Recycled Content
    • Folded card is 5.5×4.25″
    • Smooth satin finish
  • Note Cards – Heavy Premium White (2UP) – You can use either laser or inkjet printers with these note cards and they come 2 to a sheet! The premium matte finish allows you to display the detail in your images.
    Quick Specs:

    • You can use Inkjet or Laser Printers when printing on these
    • Postcards come 2 to a sheet for a greater output per printer pass
    • Folded cards are 5.5×4.25″ each

 

Image: eperales

Related posts:

Default ThumbnailProduce one-of a kind postcards from your digital pictures Glossy Paper VS. Matte Paper Default ThumbnailWhat kind of photo paper do I use for postcards? Default ThumbnailWhat kind of paper does a postcard need to be?
Comments Off on What Kind of Postcard Paper Should I Use For Printing Photos?
Comments Off on What Kind of Postcard Paper Should I Use For Printing Photos?