What paper weight should I use for postcards?

For anything you plan to mail, choose a heavier stock so the piece survives postal sorting without curling or creasing. As a rule of thumb, aim for 250 GSM or more, which lines up with about 14pt cover weight. Hand-distributed cards give you more freedom, but a substantial card still feels more credible in someone's hands and tends to lift perceived quality.

• Mailed postcards: 14pt coated (roughly 250 GSM / 80 lb cover) or heavier so USPS thickness minimums are met and the card resists bending in automated sorting.
• Premium mailers: 16pt gives a credit-card feel that signals quality without pushing past mail limits, a good fit for brand-forward campaigns.
• Hand-outs and keepsakes: ultra-thick 32pt reads as a luxury piece, but it is too thick for postcard-rate mailing.

Coated 14pt and 16pt stocks hit the balance for most campaigns: heavy enough to survive sorting, but not so heavy they push you into a higher postage class. Whatever you choose, confirm the finished thickness stays within postcard postage limits.