Opinion on wall Calendar ...need a paper expert

[Seasentinel]

We finally found a company to do our 24 month wall calendar after Lulu's quality came into question. However we'd already requested our sample from LuLu of our calendar when we stumbled across this so one was on it's way after we started with the company. Lulu states for their standard calendar which is what we ordered they use 100lb text paper for the interior pages while the new company we went with says they use 80lb but does not specify whether it was card or text. Anyway we received our sample from Lulu two days again and it is super thick! Seems to be its on card stock almost. Quality was not bad but it's the bulk run we're afraid of and what a lot had issues with. Ok so today we receive our sample from the new company and it was in such a small envelope we thought it must be only 12 months. So we open it and it's all 24 months but why so thin?? We got the Lulu Calendar and compared them and the Lulu one is 4x thicker. I asked the new place if this was just a run of cheaper paper since it was a sample and she said no it's the 80lb. I still cant believe this is 80lb when you compare it to the 100 it shouldnt be 4 x thinner. I have a cheapo calendar that was a giveway from a company where I used to work sent and the paper in there is thicker

I've tried to research paper thickness and it seem that there's no way this is 80lbs so I wanted to see if anyone else could help me out.

The so called 80lb is on top in these pics

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2702/4158397021_ce8d6d7579_o.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4002/4159159528_12ac9ca12c_o.jpg

[Concretin Nik]

I'm in the printing industry, and don't deal with paper stock too terribly much... but...

It's my understanding, the paper weight measurement, is the weight of a pack of "parent size" sheets (which I believe are 35x45 or something large like that)... I believe it's 1000 sheets. So the weight can vary tremendously. (ie: glossy stock 'text' weight will weigh more than some cardstocks, even though it's much thinner)

Hope that helps. Sorry if it doesn't. I deal with layouts, not stock. ;)

[Seasentinel]

Thanks for the reply. That's what I was finding out by googling paper weights earlier but still wondering if these are both "text" papers and not stock shouldnt the 80lb be closer in thickness to the 100lb? It seems "text" paper is the thinnest paper and stock/card is the heaviest. Its all so confusing.

[Concretin Nik]

It is confusing for sure. Throw in imposition of layouts and paper grain direction and my brain starts to itch...

Those could easily both be 'text' papers. There are soooo many different paperstocks.

80lb cardstock is thicker than 100lb text... sounds weird, I know.

But for your calendars, I'd worry about how the paper 'feels' in your hand. Does it feel like it's gonna rip real easy, or does it feel hefty... And if you're mailing them, the weight might actually make a difference in your postage.

[Seasentinel]

Yeah I get the 80lb stock is more then text....now. They should keep it all on one plane.....not all these different type papers....too confusing ! Our trouble is we're afraid people might think these are "cheap" because they are thin. The paper doesnt feel like it's going to tear and it is glossy too btw. I'd say that it's like maybe 3 times the thickness of magazine paper covers but sturdier. But when we're comparing it to the 100lb as you see there's a BIG difference. I think the 100lb one is actually too thick and by the middle of the year unless they're using a picture frame type hanger...sturdy one at that it'd fall off the wall! I was concerned too at the weight as some people have pre-ordered 5 and our shipping price goes up at 5 so that part is ok. Seems media mail had almost the same price no matter what weight we put in.

The calendar itself is flimsy in that it will flex considerably compared to the other one that you could probably put a 30lb turkey on and it wouldnt bend.

Ok I found a calendar that I have that was cheaply made of poor print quality and 12 month and it's the same thickness laying down as our 24 month one so I know for a fact that the sample they gave us was not printed on 80lb