Choosing Between White Duplex Board and Coated Art Paper: A Practical Comparison
Before diving into details, both substrates share key strengths-they're coated for superior print quality, they run reliably on modern presses, and they serve premium packaging and graphic-heavy applications. Yet they diverge in structure, stiffness, and cost, making each best suited for particular end-uses.
Composition and Structure
White Duplex Board is a multi-ply paperboard: a dense, usually grey or unbleached core laminated to a white clay-coated face for printing boxpackingsolution.com. By contrast, Coated Art Paper (also called wood-free coated or WFC) is a single-ply sheet of chemical pulp with one or two layers of fine pigment coating (kaolin or calcium carbonate) bound by latex or starch Wikipedia.
Duplex board core: provides bulk and rigidity, often 200–600 μm thick.
Art paper coating: gives very smooth, high-gloss or matte surface; basis weights run 90–300 gsm ippta.co.
Printability and Surface Finish
Both materials are designed for high-quality color reproduction, but their surfaces differ:
Duplex board face: the clay-coated side delivers good ink hold-out and moderate gloss (40–60 GU) spentopapers.com. The uncoated back is economical and grey, unsuitable for premium graphics.
Art paper: can be C1S or C2S, with gloss levels up to 80 GU or matte finishes down to 10 GU. Its uniform coating on one or both sides ensures crisp images and sharp text boxpackingsolution.com.
Stiffness, Folding, and Die-Cutting
| Property | White Duplex Board | Coated Art Paper |
|---|---|---|
| Typical GSM/Caliper | 200–350 gsm (250–600 μm) | 90–300 gsm (100–350 μm) |
| Stiffness | High-resists bending, ideal for rigid boxes ambanipaper.com | Moderate-folds easily, suited to brochures & sleeves |
| Fold endurance | Good-core prevents cracking on creases xiaolongpackaging.com | Fair-coating may crack if folded sharply |
| Die-cut edge quality | Clean, minimal fiber tear | Very clean on coated side, slight roughness on reverse |
Common Applications
White Duplex Board
Rigid boxes & sleeves for cosmetics, electronics, luxury goods protonpaper.com
Food delivery cartons where stiffness and light weight matter ambanipaper.com
Book covers and menu covers needing a sturdy backing
Coated Art Paper
High-end brochures, catalogs, magazines-especially double-side prints Wikipedia
Point-of-sale graphics and inserts that require vibrant imagery
Folding cartons when a glossy all-over print is desired
Cost and Sustainability
Duplex board often costs less per mm of thickness due to recycled core; it also uses less pigment coating spentopapers.com.
Art paper commands a premium for its bright, smooth finish and high chemical-pulp content.
Both grades are available with FSC® certification and contain recycled content options ediconpaperproduct.com kisnila.com.tw.
Environmental Considerations
Recyclability: Duplex board separates easily into fiber for repulping; its grey back does not impede recycling. Coated art paper requires deinking but is fully recyclable Wikipedia.
Certifications: Both can carry FSC® Mix or PEFC labels; coatings may be water-dispersible to aid paper recycling Wikipedia.
Summary
| Feature | White Duplex Board | Coated Art Paper |
|---|---|---|
| Bulk & Rigidity | Excellent | Moderate |
| Print Surface | One coated side; grey back | One or two coated sides |
| Fold & Crease | Superior | Limited by coating |
| Cost Efficiency | High | Moderate to low for lighter weights |
| Best Use | Rigid packaging, backing, structural uses | Graphics-intensive prints, brochures |
| Sustainability | Recyclable, high recycled content | Recyclable, deinking required |
By choosing the right material-duplex board for structure or art paper for print-you can optimize both performance and cost. For rigid boxes, go with duplex; for vivid, double-side graphics, coated art paper is the go-to. Both substrates deliver professional results when matched to their strengths.
Eric Zhang | Songhong Paper
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📧 Email: 03@songhongpaper.com