Folding Thick Stock

The long-term durability of a product often depends on the type of paper stock used. The use of thick stock can help a product resist tearing and make it more durable. From an aesthetic point of view, a thicker stock can also exude a feeling of high quality and craftsmanship. When designing a piece that will use thick stock, there are a few special considerations that need to be made to ensure the finished product turns out as planned.

From Thick to Thicker
In general, “thick stock” refers to paper thicknesses of 0.006” (six points) or more. For products printed on thick stock, the type of fold and the type of folding machine become important elements to a successful production process:

• Stocks six points and thicker should be scored prior to folding. This is particularly important on projects with critical color breaks. At Rickard Bindery, our high-speed rotary scoring capabilities are an ideal solution for most thick stock applications.

• Plow folding often produces superior results versus buckle folding on thick stocks, especially those over 10 points. Although buckle folding will yield great results on stocks from five to 10 points, ripple cracking (a surface scar that runs parallel to the fold, about a 1/2” away from the folded edge) may result if the fold is perpendicular to the paper grain.

• To avoid possible “crow’s feet” wrinkles along the fold, design your project for parallel folding rather than right angle folding. On right angle folds, the thickness of the stock will cause the paper to compress and stress at the fold, resulting in the visible wrinkles along the first fold.

The Rickard Advantage
Whether your project is printed on very thick or very thin stock - or any stock in between - let Rickard Bindery help you plan it for the most efficient folding production possible. From a simple parallel fold to more elaborate projects that include specialty folding, gluing, stitching and scoring, we have the capabilities to take care of all of your folding needs.