How To Differentiate Papers?

FINISH:  The finish of a paper is it's surface texture. Uncoated and coated paper have different surface 
textures.

• Wove or smooth
• Laid
• Linen
• Laser
• Coated
• Ucoated
• Coated one side (C1S)
• Coated two sides (C2S)

WEIGHT: The weight of a paper refers to its thickness and is measured in pounds (#). The higher the number, the more (equivalent) weight a paper has (the thicker/heavier the paper). *See the comparison table for more information on weights.

OPACITY: A paper's opacity is determined by its weight, ingredients and absorbency and determines how much printing will show through on the reverse side of a sheet. Opacity is expressed in terms of it's percentage of reflection. Complete opacity is 100% and complete transparency is 0%.

BRIGHTNESS: The brightness of a sheet of paper measures the percentage of a wavelength of blue light it reflects. The brightness of a piece of paper is typically expressed on a scale of 1 to 100 with 100 being the brightest. Most papers reflect 60-90% of light. The brightness of a paper affects readability, the perception of ink color and the contrast between light and dark hues.


Adapted from: http://www.charlotteswebstudios.com/article.php?ttd=1&ark=3