Emma Davis Print Production Specialist at 4OVER4.COM
Emma is our prepress and print production voice, built from the knowledge of our production team, with over 20 years in printing.
Question
What is paper caliper?
Answer
Caliper is the physical thickness of a single sheet, measured in thousandths of an inch and expressed as points or mils. It is the truest guide to how stiff and substantial a printed piece will feel, since weight alone does not always predict thickness.
- Units: one point equals 0.001 inch, so a 16pt sheet is 0.016 inch thick.
- Why it matters: caliper drives rigidity and hand feel. A 16pt card is noticeably stiffer and more premium than a 14pt card.
- Not the same as weight: a bulky uncoated stock can be thicker than a heavier coated one at the same basis weight.
| Caliper | Thickness | Feel |
|---|---|---|
| 14pt | 0.014 in | Standard card |
| 16pt | 0.016 in | Stiffer, premium |
| 18pt+ | 0.018 in+ | Extra rigid |
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