Calendered finish is widely utilized by the printing and publishing industries for creating a glossy surface on paper. It works by passing it through rollers that smooth the surface while imparting an exquisite sheen – ideal for printing high-resolution images and texts, such as book covers or other marketing collateral.
Calendered finishes can be applied to both coated and uncoated papers, though most often coated stock. Their smooth, glossy surface enhances color vibrancy and brings images to life while creating more uniform paper appearance when used on uncoated papers – as well as making printing simpler!
Calendering comes in two forms, wet and dry. Wet calendering is more commonly practiced and involves passing paper through rollers coated with water to give it a high-gloss finish; dry calendering on the other hand uses rollers without water coating, producing more matte results.
Calendered finishes can be applied to various papers, including bond, text, cover and index stock. Calendered finishes are a popular choice when decorating book covers as it enhances their colors and images while marketing material such as flyers or posters can also benefit from this type of finish.
Consider several key points when purchasing paper with a calendered finish: first, these finishes may not be as durable, making them less suitable for materials which will be handled frequently; and second, calendered finishes tend to show fingerprints and smudges more readily than other types.
If you need more durable paper, avoid this type of finish.