doubleweight
Being or relating to a paper of twice the ordinary weight.
doubleweight: paper stock twice as heavy as standard
In printing, doubleweight refers to paper that weighs twice the mass of a reference grade in the same category. A standard office bond might be 20 lb (75 gsm); doubleweight bond would be 40 lb (150 gsm). The term is relative, not absolute, so doubleweight changes depending on which base weight you start from. This distinction matters because it directly affects paper stiffness, durability, and how a printed piece feels in hand.
Doubleweight papers appear most often in art printing, business cards, postcards, and covers. A doubled thickness increases rigidity without the bulk of actual cardstock, making these sheets popular for promotional materials and fine art reproduction. In photography, doubleweight photo paper (around 300 gsm) resists curling and handling damage better than standard photo stocks, which is why it was traditionally preferred for display prints and darkroom work.
Where doubleweight fits in the grading system
Paper weight is measured in pounds per ream of 500 sheets at a standard size, or in grams per square meter (gsm). Doubleweight does not mean the sheet is twice as thick, only twice as heavy. Coating, density, and fiber type all influence the relationship between weight and actual caliper (thickness). A doubleweight coated art stock might be only 1.5 times thicker than its standard counterpart, not twice.
The term became standard partly because many printers and customers could not easily visualize a paper's properties from weight alone. Doubleweight offered a shorthand that suggested substance and quality. However, the language is imprecise. Specification by actual caliper (in thousandths of an inch or microns) and basis weight together gives a far clearer picture of how the paper will perform on press and in use.
In practice, doubleweight stocks often require press adjustment. They demand higher impression pressure, can cause registration problems if the thickness varies, and may not fit standard paper trays. Bindery equipment also has limits: creasing, folding, and die-cutting doubleweight materials sometimes requires special tooling or softer pressures to avoid cracking or splintering at the edges.