How to print cards at home: paper, settings, borderless printing and folding

A home printer can make cards that look store-bought, if you choose the right paper and change a few settings. Here is everything we have learned, step by step.

1. Choose the right cardstock

Cardstock in the US is usually sold by "cover" weight in pounds, and often in grams per square meter (gsm) too. Here is a rough guide:

Before you buy, look up the heaviest paper your printer accepts. It is in the manual or the specifications on the maker's website, and often listed in gsm. If your printer has a rear or manual feed slot, use it for cardstock; the paper path is straighter.

Finish: matte cardstock is easy to write on with a pen. Glossy photo paper makes photos pop but some pens smear on it.

2. Set up the printer

• Paper type: set it to cardstock, heavy paper or matte photo paper, whichever your printer offers. This changes how much ink is laid down so it dries properly.
• Quality: choose High or Best.
• Scale: choose Actual size or 100%. "Fit to page" shrinks the card and throws off folds.
• Paper size: Letter (8.5 × 11 in), unless you bought pre-cut card blanks.

3. About borderless printing

Most printers leave a thin white margin because they cannot print to the very edge. Some inkjet printers offer a borderless option for certain paper sizes. It works by enlarging the image slightly so it runs off the edge, which means a sliver of the design is trimmed on every side.

If your printer has no borderless option, or your card size is not supported, do what print shops do: print on a larger sheet and trim to size. That is how our files are meant to be used. They are exact cut size with no extra bleed, so keep important words and faces inside the dashed safe line in the card builder and a small trim will not matter.

4. Print a folded card double-sided

A 5 × 7 folded card from our card builder comes as a two-page PDF:

• Page 1 is the outside: back and front side by side.
• Page 2 is the inside.

Print double-sided and choose flip on short edge. If your printer does not print both sides automatically, print page 1, then put the same sheet back in and print page 2. Printers feed differently, so first print a test on plain paper marked with a pencil arrow at the top.

5. Trim

For a folded 5 × 7 card, trim the printed sheet to 10 × 7 inches. A paper trimmer gives the straightest edge. If you use scissors, draw a light pencil line with a ruler first. A 4 × 6 postcard trims to 4 × 6; a business card trims to 3.5 × 2.

6. Score and fold

Cardstock cracks if you fold it without scoring. To score:

1. Lay a ruler along the fold line on the inside of the card.
2. Press a line with a bone folder, an empty ballpoint pen or the back of a butter knife.
3. Fold along the scored line, then press it flat with the side of the bone folder or a spoon.

7. Let it dry, then sign

Inkjet ink on cardstock can take a few minutes to dry fully. Lay cards flat, apart from each other, before stacking or writing inside.

Envelopes

A folded 5 × 7 card fits an A7 envelope (5.25 × 7.25 in). A 4 × 6 card fits an A6 envelope (4.75 × 6.5 in), or you can mail it as a postcard. Check current postage on the post office's website, especially for square or unusually thick cards.

When to use a print shop instead

If you need more than a few dozen cards, want very heavy stock or need edge-to-edge color, a copy shop or office supply store is often faster and neater. Bring the PDF on a USB drive or upload it if they allow that, and ask for one proof before the full run.

Frequently asked questions

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