Coated paper

The surface reflects the light providing a lustre finish. The texture is very soft looking like a polished floor. This finish adds good presentation to printed media but does not work very well for suajes, as the same coating ends up breaking.

The coated paper or coated paper (also known as coated paper, metal, type, enameled or propalcote) is a paper that is covered on the outside by one or several layers (couches) of products that give it different qualities, including weight, surface area, gloss, smoothness, or reduction to ink absorbency. Generally, this coating is a compound of kaolin or calcium carbonate, which gives the paper a high printing quality, widely used in the graphic arts, publishing and packaging industries. This type of paper cannot be used in an inkjet printer, since its inks do not anchor to the paper and take a long time to oxidize.

To fix these products to the paper, the intervention of binders such as starches, proteins, caseins, polyvinyl alcohols, latex, etc. is required. There are other additives such as optical brighteners, antifoams, lubricants, microbicides, etc.

Depending on the type of manufacturer, the whiteness of the paper is usually between 86% and 98% and its weight varies from 80 g/m² to 300 g/m². In Latin America it is available in 70 × 100 cm and 60 × 90 cm format sheets.

Varieties

• Coated 1 Side (C1S): this type of paper only has one of its sides covered, which means that only the coated side will be printed. The main reason for not being glazed by both sides is to apply glue on the side that is not coated, as the glazed crystallizes and removes adhesion to the sticker; for such reason, this type of paper is the most used in products that are glued on surfaces (data or labels) or on themselves (gift bags or auto-armable products). This type of paper seriously violates the policies advocated by Greenpeace in Colombia, due to the considerable and harmful damage they do to the environment.
• Coated 2 Sides (C2S): the enamel of this paper is on both sides, which enables both sides for printing. It is a larger body than C1S and is used for magazines, catalogues, flyers and other advertising pieces
• Solid Bleached Sulfate (SBS): whitened solid cardboard to sulfate, greater body than C2S and available from 280g/m2. It is a sterilized and approved carton for use in food packaging, medicines and cigarette packs