What are the common types of paper and board, their properties, weights and typical uses?
Papers and boards: common types of paper and card, how they are measured by weight (gsm) and thickness (microns), their physical and working properties, and typical uses in modelling, packaging and graphics.
A focused answer to Eduqas GCSE Design and Technology (C600) on papers and boards: common types of paper and card, how they are measured (gsm and microns), their properties and typical uses in modelling, packaging and graphics.
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What this dot point is asking
Eduqas C600 includes papers and boards among the six material categories. You need to know the common types of paper and card, how they are measured (by weight in gsm and thickness in microns), their physical and working properties, and typical uses in modelling, packaging and graphics. In the written exam this is tested by short questions on gsm and by Explain questions justifying a board for a use such as packaging.
How paper and board are measured
Gsm is the first thing a designer checks, because it indicates how substantial the material is. Thin printer paper is around 80 gsm; greetings-card stock is around 280 to 350 gsm; thick mounting board is heavier still.
Common types and their uses
- Layout and cartridge paper: lightweight papers for sketching and presentation drawing; cartridge takes colour and pencil well.
- Tracing paper: translucent, used to copy and overlay drawings.
- Card and mounting board: stiff, used for models, mock-ups and mounting work.
- Corrugated card: a fluted (wavy) middle layer between two flat liners; light, strong and cushioning, used for protective packaging and boxes.
- Duplex board and foil-lined board: used for food and drink packaging; foil lining resists moisture and grease.
- Foam board (foam core): a foam layer between two card faces; light and rigid, used for model bases and signage.
Properties to weigh
Choose paper and board by weight and stiffness (gsm), surface (smooth for printing, textured for effect), whether it must fold cleanly (a crease or score line), whether it must resist moisture (a coating or foil), and cost and recyclability. Most papers and boards are recyclable and made partly from recycled fibre, which is a sustainability advantage.
Try this
Q1. State the gsm above which a paper is usually called board or card. [1 mark]
- Cue. About 200 gsm.
Q2. Give one reason corrugated card protects a product in the post. [1 mark]
- Cue. Its fluted (wavy) middle layer absorbs impacts and cushions the contents.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas C600 20192 marksState what 'gsm' measures and explain why it matters when choosing a paper or board.Show worked answer →
A 2-mark question, one mark for the meaning and one for why it matters.
Gsm stands for grams per square metre: it is the weight of one square metre of the paper or board, and it indicates how heavy and substantial the material is.
It matters because gsm guides the choice for a job: a low gsm (for example 80 gsm) is thin printer paper, while a high gsm (for example 280 gsm and above) is stiff card suitable for packaging or a model, so the designer picks the gsm that gives the stiffness and feel the product needs.
Markers reward the meaning (grams per square metre, a weight) and the reason it matters (it shows how heavy/stiff the material is, guiding the choice). Saying only "it is the thickness" is not quite right, gsm is weight per area.
Eduqas C600 20224 marksExplain two reasons corrugated card is a suitable material for protective packaging.Show worked answer →
A 4-mark Explain wants two developed reasons tied to packaging.
Reason 1, impact protection. Corrugated card has a fluted (wavy) middle layer between two flat liners, and this structure absorbs impacts and cushions the contents, so the product is protected in transit.
Reason 2, light and cheap. It is strong for its weight and made mostly from recycled paper, so it keeps the parcel light (lower postage) and the packaging cheap, and it can be recycled afterwards.
Other valid points: stiff yet easy to fold and print for branding. Markers reward two developed reasons connected to protective packaging (the fluted structure cushions, light and cheap and recyclable). Two bare statements cap the mark at two.
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Sources & how we know this
- WJEC Eduqas GCSE (9-1) Design and Technology (C600) specification — WJEC Eduqas (2017)