Printer Paper Guide: gsm, Sizes, Storage & What Not to Feed a Laser
When a printer starts jamming, double-feeding or printing curled, wavy pages, the paper is the suspect nine times out of ten. Paper is also a bigger share of your printing cost than most people think — roughly half of a typical mono page. This guide explains what the numbers on a ream mean, which size to buy, how to store it in a humid climate, and what must never go through a laser printer.
What gsm means, and which to buy
gsm is grams per square metre — the weight, and effectively the thickness, of the sheet. Most printers are designed around 75–80 gsm. In Pakistan, 70 gsm local paper is the cheapest and most common: it is fine for drafts, internal copies and worksheets, but thin sheets curl more, show the other side through on double-sided printing, and feed less reliably on worn rollers. 75 or 80 gsm costs a little more per ream and is the sensible default for anything a client or a court will see. Heavier stock — 100–160 gsm for certificates or covers — should go through the multipurpose tray one sheet at a time, and only up to the weight your printer's spec allows.
| Paper | Use it for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 70 gsm | Drafts, internal copies, worksheets, high-volume printing | Cheapest; more curl and show-through; store dry |
| 75–80 gsm | Everyday office, client documents, duplex, court filings | Best feed reliability; the default we recommend |
| 100–120 gsm | Letterheads, proposals, certificates | Multipurpose tray; check the printer's maximum weight |
| 160–220 gsm card | Covers, cards, tags | Manual feed only, one at a time, laser-rated card only |
A4, legal or folio?
A4 (210 × 297 mm) is the standard for schools and most offices. Courts, chambers and many government forms use legal (8.5 × 14 in) — but much of what is sold as 'legal' in Pakistan is actually folio or F4 at 8.5 × 13. Buying the wrong one leads to jams and cut-off pages, so check the size printed on the ream wrapper and set that exact size in the printer driver. The legal size printing guide covers which printers handle each size.
Humidity: why paper jams in monsoon season
Paper absorbs moisture from the air. Damp sheets stick together (double feeds), curl after the fuser heats them, and cause faint or patchy toner because moisture stops the toner bonding — the classic July-to-September complaints in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Keep reams sealed in their wrapper until you load them, load only what you will print in a day or two, and store the rest flat in a closed cupboard off the floor. Never leave paper in the tray of a printer that sits under an AC vent overnight. If a stack has gone damp, a few hours in a dry room helps; badly wavy paper is best used for drafts.
What should never go through a laser printer
- Inkjet photo paper and glossy inkjet sheets: the coating melts onto the fuser and can destroy it. Laser printers need laser-rated glossy or coated paper.
- Labels not marked for laser use: the adhesive softens in the fuser, peels inside the printer and wraps around rollers. Buy laser labels and feed from the multipurpose tray.
- Paper with staples, tape, sticky notes or previously printed inkjet ink that is still wet.
- Envelopes with windows or self-seal strips unless the printer's spec allows them.
- Stock heavier than the printer's maximum. Forcing 250 gsm card through a personal laser bends the fuser rollers and causes permanent creasing.
Ink tank and inkjet printers are the reverse: they love coated inkjet and photo paper and produce poor, feathered text on rough cheap stock. If you print photos or certificates on an HP Smart Tank 585, buy inkjet-rated paper for it and keep the laser paper for the laser.
Small habits that cut jams and cost
- Fan the ream and square the stack before loading; set the guides so they touch the paper without bending it.
- Do not top up a tray with a new ream on top of an old one — mixed moisture levels cause double feeds.
- Use the multipurpose tray for anything unusual (heavy, small, envelopes, labels) and keep the main tray for plain paper.
- Set duplex as the default to halve paper use — our office printing cost guide lists the other savings.
- If jams continue on good, dry paper, the pickup roller or separation pad is worn; the problems and fixes guide shows how to tell.
Buying a printer from us? Tell us on WhatsApp what paper you use and we will set the tray and driver for it at delivery. If your current printer jams on every second page, send a short video — it is usually the paper or a cheap roller change, both quick fixes at our Rawalpindi workshop.
Printers mentioned in this guide
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Frequently asked questions
Which paper gsm is best for a laser printer?
75–80 gsm is the safe default for laser printers: it feeds reliably, duplexes without show-through and suits client-facing documents. 70 gsm is acceptable for drafts and high-volume internal printing if it is stored dry.
Why does my printer jam more in summer or monsoon?
Humidity. Damp paper sticks together, curls in the fuser and feeds badly. Keep reams sealed until use, store them flat in a closed cupboard, load only a day or two of paper at a time and keep the printer away from AC condensation.
Can I use photo paper in a laser printer?
Only laser-rated photo or coated paper. Inkjet photo paper has a coating that melts in the laser fuser and can ruin it. Use inkjet paper in ink tank and inkjet printers only.
Is 70 gsm paper bad for printers?
Not bad, but less forgiving: it curls more, shows through on double-sided prints and double-feeds on worn rollers or in humid weather. For everyday office work 75–80 gsm is more reliable; 70 gsm is fine for drafts if kept dry.
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