Different paper textures and weights can affect your prints as anyone wants to be more creative. Construction paper or printable coloring paper is a huge advantage when creating craft projects, and artists often use them. Can you put construction paper in a printer? The answer is that it can be printed on construction paper, let’s read this article to understand it better.
Table of Contents
What Is A Construction Paper?
Construction paper or sugar paper is a hard, heavy, low-cost matte rough textured paper made from ground wood pulp and available in a variety of colors.
It is mainly used in children’s arts and crafts and school projects including painting, sketching, cutting, pasting, or coloring.
The color of most construction papers fades quickly, which is an important factor to consider when choosing crafts.
Other applications for these papers include making posters, collages, woven mats, and baskets. Nearly all construction boards are classified as heavyweight, ranging in weight from 65 pounds to 80 pounds.
Can Construction Paper Go Through A Printer?
Yes, they can, but not in all printers. You’ll have to check your printer’s manual or manufacturer’s guide to see if they can print heavyweight construction paper.
Process of Printing on Construction Paper
Printing on construction paper is not that straightforward. It consists of several steps:
- Place 8.5″ x 11″ standard size construction paper into the inkjet printer.
- Read the printer manual and set the printer to print heavy construction paper.
- Select the file or document you want to print from your computer. Keep in mind that colors will not print accurately on colored construction paper. I recommend printing in black unless you choose white construction paper.
Follow all the instructions displayed on the screen to print the design on the architectural drawings.
Remove the custom construction paper from the printer and let its ink dry for a few minutes.
step 1:
Construction paper measures 9″ x 12″, which is too large for most standard printers.
You must use a paper cutter or scissors to cut the construction paper to 8.5 inches by 11 inches.
It is then placed in an inkjet printer to complete the first step.
Step 2:
Before printing construction paper, you must know if your printer prints heavy paper.
You can get this information from your printer manual or manufacturer’s guide.
Set the printer to print on heavyweight paper. This step is crucial.
If you have misplaced the manual, I recommend that you contact the printer company’s customer service center directly for this information.
Step 3:
After setting up the printer, the next step is to select the file or design, or text to print on the construction paper.
Something to keep in mind here is that colors will not print correctly on colored construction paper. Print in black unless you choose white construction paper.
Step 4:
Follow all on-screen instructions for proper design on architectural drawings.
This will save you time and will also make it easier to get the desired results.
Step 5:
The final step after printing is to let it dry for a few minutes.
Do not use until fully dry as working on wet construction paper can be a mess.
Following all of the above steps will lead you to the custom craftsmanship you need.
Things To Consider Before Printing On Construction Paper?
It’s no secret that printing on construction paper isn’t easy and there are certain things that you must consider before printing on construction paper. In addition, getting the correct finish requires multiple stages. These are the steps that you need to follow.
- Read the printer manual
As you already know, the texture of construction paper is not smooth and is a bit rough. So you’ll need to change your printer’s settings to fix it for printing on construction paper.
First, you must look and check your printer’s manual, read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully, and verify that it’s compatible with heavy-duty construction paper.
After you’ve made sure your construction paper and printer are compatible with each other, you can definitely move on.
- Choosing an Inkjet Printer
Printing on construction paper with a home printer can be a bit difficult, as small non-commercial printers are unlikely to handle 12, 14, or 16 lb material. If you start overloading it with larger pages than it can handle or the specs of the printer, it won’t allow you to print heavyweight paper. You have to deal with paper jams, roller marks, and breakage.
Inkjet printers, on the other hand, are capable of printing a wide variety of materials with ease, including lightweight construction papers. You should get the best results if you modify the paper thickness option in the printer settings, trim it to the optimum size, and handle it lightly.
It is best to print on colored construction paper with an inkjet printer. All you have to do is stick to some rules. For example, use the “Through” option to prevent the paper from bending. It also helps prevent paper jams when printing.
- Choose your colors wisely
Next, you have to choose the color of the construction paper wisely. Usually, inkjet printers contain two kinds of ink cartridges, one is black and the other is color (red/yellow/blue). Since the printer company doesn’t make any white ink cartridges, it’s important to avoid printing on black or dark construction paper.
Color pictures or anything like that will not print on colored construction paper as accurately as they would on plain white paper, so keep that in mind. Unless you are using white construction paper, I recommend printing on any light-colored paper. But the safest option is to use white building documents.
- Make your decision
Although you can print all kinds of crafts on construction paper. However, construction paper should not be printed by any regular non-commercial printer. You can avoid it if it is less necessary. Before buying construction paper, make an informed decision. Make sure you get construction paper of the correct thickness and print it.
If you buy the wrong construction paper, the printer can absorb a lot of ink, and the tiny fibers can damage the printer’s functionality.
- Prepare the right size paper
Construction paper measures 9 inches by 12 inches, which is too large for most conventional printers. To make it 8.5 inches by 11 inches, use a paper cutter or scissors to cut a sheet of construction paper. For inkjet printers, the 8.5″ x 11″ size is highly recommended for a smooth printing process.
Straight paper path
After placing the paper in the output end of the printer, make sure that the paper is placed straight. If your paper is skewed or positioned incorrectly, your paper is likely to be jammed inside the printer and you must seek professional help to repair the printer.
- Check thick paper setting options
Before you start printing with construction paper, you must first check that your printer can print on heavy paper. This information can be found in the printer manual or in the manufacturer’s guide. If you misplaced the manual, I recommend calling your printer’s customer service department for this information.
- Print at a lower resolution
To get the correct design on the architectural drawings, follow all the instructions on the screen. This will save you time and make the process of achieving the desired results easier.
Even when printing on standard paper, the printer uses more ink. Many times when printing on architectural drawings, a lot of ink is used up and it’s just unnecessary waste of ink. To avoid this, print at a lower resolution.
It will also help prevent leaking ink cartridges from your favorite printer. The final step after accepting the print is to let the paint dry for a few minutes. Using damp construction paper can be messy, so wait until it’s completely dry before using it.
Side Effects Of Using Construction Paper In A Printer
Construction paper is inherently wet and warped.
If you don’t use an inkjet printer, it may take more time and effort.
Construction paper can hurt your printer if used incorrectly, but don’t stress yourself out as you can fix all of these side effects in no time.
To avoid interference issues:
When printing construction paper in an inkjet printer, don’t forget to use the “through” option. This will prevent the paper from bending.
To avoid ink problems:
Because printing your desired design requires ink, make sure to use a low resolution so that less ink is sprayed on the paper. It also prevents leaking printer cartridges.
The less ink you use, the less time it takes for the construction paper to dry.
Can You Put Construction Printer In An HP Printer
It is best to use HP inkjet printers to print construction paper, as these printers are best suited to support heavy materials. Like all other printers, HP printers also come with a spec sheet.
You may need to read it to be sure. Even though it says it can be printed with a construction printer, you still have to read the computer’s user manual. Set the printer to print on heavyweight paper.
Can You Put Construction Paper In A Laser Printer
Another important thing to discuss is why construction paper is not recommended in laser printers.
You shouldn’t put construction paper in a laser printer because construction paper has a heavier countertop and you’ll get sub-optimal results. While laser and inkjet printers are the best recommendations for printing heavyweight paper, as the thickness of the paper increases, inkjets will work well for them.
If your printer’s specifications don’t allow you to print on heavyweight paper, paper jams and roll marks are factors you have to deal with.
This construction paper is only suitable for inkjet printers, which are ideal for printing heavyweight papers without any trouble.
As mentioned, you’ll want to read your printer’s manual or manufacturer’s specifications to check how many paperweights you can easily print without compromising print quality.
Can You Put Construction Paper In The Copy Machine?
Construction paper cannot be used in copiers. It leaves tiny fibers in the copier, causing it to jam more often and preventing you from getting good copies.
It is worth noting that construction paper is a heavyweight material. This element may also cause the copier to jam. If you want to keep the copier free of paper jams, keep construction paper away from the copier.
Can You Put Construction Paper In A Canon Printer?
User manuals generally advise against using heavier or thicker paper for printing with Canon printers. Therefore, putting construction paper into a Canon printer is not a good idea.
However, if you have an inkjet printer and you’ve confirmed from the owner’s manual that construction paper is safe to use in your Canon printer, you can proceed.
The Takeaway
When looking at the thickness of construction paper and its ability to be used in a home printer, various factors come into play to determine if it is right for your needs. With a standard inkjet model and regular construction paper, you should be able to use this material with no problem.
Many construction paper products will be slightly thicker than standard printer paper, making them suitable for many inkjet printers. While you can find thicker materials like card stock, you should check your printer manual before using it. You don’t want to cause paper jams or damage any internal parts.
Be sure to adjust your printer settings before using construction paper, and handle each item carefully after printing to avoid contact with the ink until the ink is completely dry. Alternatively, don’t forget to adjust the paper settings before switching back to standard paper.
