EveryCutFileCricut’s three cardstock weights
Cricut counts anything heavier than 120 gsm as cardstock.
| Cardstock | Pounds | gsm | Cricut mat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light, such as Cricut Value Cardstock | 65 lb | 176 | LightGrip, blue |
| Medium | 80 lb | 216 | StandardGrip, green |
| Heavy, glitter and specialty | 100 lb | 270 | StrongGrip, purple |
Why 65 lb card and 65 lb paper differ
A pound weight is the weight of 500 sheets of a basis size, and each kind of paper has its own basis size. Cover stock, which is what cardstock is sold as, uses 20 × 26 in sheets; text and book paper uses 25 × 38 in. The same weight spread over the bigger text sheet makes a thinner paper, so 65 lb text is about half as heavy as 65 lb cover. Grams per square meter (gsm) has no basis sheet, which is why it is the number to compare.
| Paper kind | Basis sheet | 1 lb is | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cover (cardstock) | 20 × 26 in | 2.70 gsm | 65 lb = 176 gsm; 80 lb = 216 gsm; 100 lb = 270 gsm |
| Text and book | 25 × 38 in | 1.48 gsm | 65 lb = 96 gsm; 80 lb = 118 gsm; 100 lb = 148 gsm |
| Bond (copy paper) | 17 × 22 in | 3.76 gsm | 20 lb = 75 gsm; 24 lb = 90 gsm; 32 lb = 120 gsm |
| Index | 25.5 × 30.5 in | 1.81 gsm | 90 lb = 163 gsm; 110 lb = 199 gsm |
A worked example
Our 45 mm cube favor box folds along scored lines and has to stand on its own, so it is usually cut from medium card: 80 lb, 216 gsm, on the green StandardGrip mat. Light 65 lb card, 176 gsm, bends more easily and suits layers, tags and paper flowers. A pack marked 110 lb index is 199 gsm, between light and medium, so treat it as medium card and test-cut first.
Choose and cut
- Read the gsm on the pack. If it gives only pounds, check whether they are cover or text pounds and convert with the table.
- Pick the mat for the weight: blue for light card, green for medium, purple for heavy or glitter card.
- In Design Space, choose your kind of cardstock from the materials list, then do a test cut. If it did not cut through, or cut the mat, use More or Less pressure.
- To keep the card flat, turn the mat over and peel the mat away from the card, not the card from the mat.
From the maker’s documentation and reference works: Cricut: cardstock instructions, Cricut Value Cardstock, Wikipedia: Grammage and basis weight.