Which Brand of Paper Should I Use?

Are these papers really "waterproof"?

These papers stand up well to rain and moisture. They are great for taking notes in wet weather and for use where your notes might be subject to contact with water. We placed a sheet of each of these papers underwater for one week, writing on them daily with a waterproof ink pen. They retained their integrity, accepting and retaining the ink. At the end of two weeks the papers still in good shape and continued to accepted and retain ink. We highly recommend a pen with waterproof ink. Soluble inks can wash right off. Be sure to test your pen, printer and paper combination before going into the field or starting a project.

All of these papers have been used for underwater writing. We know people who have used them while scuba diving. If you are diving more than a few feet deep you will need a paper that accepts pencil. The air pressure in ink pen refills is lower than the water pressure at more than a few feet deep. That will cause water to flow into your pen's refill and dilute the ink. For best underwater use we recommend writing with pencil on Dura Copy.

These products are intended for short-term outdoor use. With prolonged exposure to water the papers can become soft, difficult to write on and lose their strength. If you need long-term exposure to water a metal sign or a rigid plastic plaque is needed.

Avoid smearing and excess ink:

We recommend printing using the "normal" or "standard" settings of your printer. Printing in "high quality" or "dark" mode usually applies more ink than the paper can absorb. That will cause ink smearing or ink that does not dry. If the ink smears or does not dry in "normal or "standard" mode see if you can print with a "light" or "economy" mode. For best results use the lightest printer setting that produces readable print. We recommend Dura Copy for best results with laser printers or copiers and Adventure Paper for inkjet printers.

When writing use a medium point or a fine point pen that puts down a thin layer of ink. Broad-point pens or those that put down a thick layer of ink generally deposit excess ink that does not absorb into the paper and smears.

Use high quality ink and toner!

Most people who use the ink or toner cartridges supplied by the manufacturer of their printer have great success. Refilled cartridges and generic cartridges sometimes provide poor results.

Exposure to sun, wind, rain, dogs and bullets...

Keep in mind that you are buying a product that is either a thin plastic film or a coated sheet of paper. "Paper" can be tattered by the wind, blown away by a breeze, chewed by a dog or burn in a fire. The papers that we sell might last outside for a few weeks (more or less), depending upon climate and sun exposure. They will not last through repeated or prolonged exposures to hot, cold, sun, wind or other harsh conditions. This is why highway departments use metal signs and the military uses metal dog tags. Paper is inexpensive and easy-to-use but it might not be material best suited for the conditions of your project.

Ink and toner are important!

The ink or toner that you use can break down with exposure to direct sunlight, water or humidity. Ink usually fails before the paper during sun exposure. For best results use the ink and toner cartridges recommended by your printer manufacturer and be aware that exposure conditions will limit the life of your document.

Lamination:

The papers that we sell can be laminated.

Storage:

For best results, unused paper is best stored in a box or in a sealed plastic bag away from light and heat. Do not store them in contact with printed documents because they can absorb ink from objects that are stored in contact with them.

Printing on Two Sides:

Both sides of these papers have equal printing characteristics. For best results, one-sided printing is recommended. When large amounts of ink are applied, such as when printing maps or bold text, two-sided printing might result in ink bleeding through the paper. Also, when ink becomes wet from exposure it can be mobilized. This can allow it to absorb more deeply into the paper (resulting in bleed-through) or transfer to the back of a sheet above it in a booklet or stack of paper. If you do decided to print on two sides allow a few minutes drying time between sides. We recommend testing to see if your printing process with produce documents that will stand up to your anticipated conditions. Sample packages of paper are offered for sale above this FAQ.

Writing Underwater:

All of the papers that we sell work well for short-term underwater use. We placed a sheet of each of these papers underwater for one week, writing on them daily with a waterproof ink pen. They retained their integrity, accepting and retaining the ink. We highly recommend a pen with waterproof ink. Soluble inks can wash right off. Be sure to test your pen, printer and paper combination before going into the field or starting a project. If left underwater for long periods of time the papers will become soft, difficult to write on, and tear easily.

Pencils work best for underwater writing. Waterproof pens have a small amount of gas in the refill to control the flow of ink. If they are taken deep enough that the outside pressure is higher than the inside gas pressure, water will flow into the refill and dilute the ink (the critical depth is variable - depending upon the amount of ink that has been depleted and the gas pressure in the refill). We suggest writing underwater with Dura Copy and a pencil.

Choice of Writing Implements:

We recommend a ball-point pen with waterproof ink for best results. Medium width pens generally work best. Fine and extra fine points can cut into the paper under heavy pressure. Broad point pens often deposit more ink than the paper can absorb and result in smearing. When writing with pencil we recommend soft, broad leads with blunt points.

Spray-on-Fixatives:

These can be used but the paper might not accept additional printing or writing. Always test before using on anything important.

Smudge and Smear:

This usually occurs when ink is applied too heavily. Try changing the settings of your printer or copier so that less ink will be applied. Broad-point pens and those that deposit a thick layer of ink generally smear. Try medium point or fine point pens that deposit a thin layer of ink.

Cutting:

These papers can be cut with scissors and paper cutters. Their water-resistant qualities are not reduced.

Hole Punching:

Rite-in-the-Rain paper generally performs well during hole-punching. Dura Copy, Weatherproof and Adventure Paper do not work well with some types of punches. Test with a single sheet, then two, then three... etc. A large stack of paper can be very difficult to extract if it is jammed in a hole punch.

Always Test Before Important Projects:

If you are going to use a waterproof paper for an important application we strongly recommend testing to be sure that it meets your needs. Testing how you are going to print on it and write on it are important. Also important is a test of the anticipated environmental, handling and storage conditions.