The best paper for a printable calendar
Ordinary copy paper for a month you write on and throw away; 65 to 80 lb cover for a wall calendar that should last a year.
For a calendar you print each month and write on, ordinary 20 or 24 lb copy paper (75 or 90 g/m²) is fine. For a wall calendar that hangs all year, use card stock of 65 to 80 lb cover (about 176 to 216 g/m²): it stays flat, does not show the next month through it and holds binder rings. For photos, a matte photo paper or a matte card gives good color and can still be written on with a pen.
Paper weights compared
In the US, paper weight is given in pounds, but the number depends on the kind of paper: it is the weight of 500 sheets at that kind’s own “basis” size. That is why 65 lb cover is much heavier than 70 lb text. Grams per square meter (g/m², or gsm), used everywhere else and also printed on most US packs, compare directly.
| Paper | Basis size | Weights |
|---|---|---|
| Bond (copy paper) | 17 × 22 in | 20 lb = 75 g/m²; 24 lb = 90; 28 lb = 105; 32 lb = 120 |
| Text | 25 × 38 in | 60 lb = 89 g/m²; 70 lb = 104; 80 lb = 118; 100 lb = 148 |
| Cover (card stock) | 20 × 26 in | 65 lb = 176 g/m²; 80 lb = 216; 100 lb = 270; 110 lb = 297 |
| Index | 25.5 × 30.5 in | 90 lb = 163 g/m²; 110 lb = 199; 140 lb = 253 |
To convert yourself, multiply the pound weight by 3.76 for bond, 1.48 for text, 2.70 for cover or 1.81 for index. The factor is 453.6 grams per pound divided by the area of 500 basis sheets in square meters.
Which paper for which calendar
| Calendar | Paper |
|---|---|
| Monthly page to write on, replaced each month | 20 to 24 lb bond (75 to 90 g/m²) |
| Year planner or one-page year for a whole year | 28 to 32 lb bond (105 to 120 g/m²), or laminate it |
| Wall calendar without photos | 65 lb cover (176 g/m²) |
| Photo wall calendar | Matte photo paper, or 65 to 80 lb matte cover (176 to 216 g/m²) |
| Desk or binder calendar printed on both sides | 28 to 32 lb bond or 65 lb cover, so the back does not show through |
Matte or glossy
Matte paper takes pencil and most pens and does not reflect light, so a calendar on a wall is readable from any angle. Glossy photo paper makes photos brighter, but ballpoint ink smudges on it and only permanent markers write well. If you want both, print the photos on matte photo paper, or use satin or “lustre” paper, which sits in between.
Will my printer take it?
Copy paper goes through the main tray of any printer. Card stock usually has to go through the rear tray or a manual feed slot, which keeps the paper flatter on its way through. Your printer’s specifications list the heaviest paper it accepts, in g/m² or pounds; stay within that, feed one sheet at a time and set the paper type in the print dialog to “card stock” or “heavy paper”. If your printer cannot take card stock, print on copy paper and let a copy shop print the final version on cover stock from the same PDF.