TIP 0404-36

ISSUED - 1987
REVISED - 1992
REVISED – 2000
REVISED – 2004
2004 TAPPI
The information and data contained in this document were
prepared by a technical committee of the Association. The
committee and the Association assume no liability or responsibility
in connection with the use of such information or data, including
but not limited to any liability under patent, copyright, or trade
secret laws. The user is responsible for determining that this
document is the most recent edition published.

Paper grade classifications

Scope

The purpose of this TIP is to identify several commonly used categories for classifying paper grades and to
list specific grades which would normally be included in each category.

Significance

Several TAPPI TIPs and numerous technical publications make reference to general categories of paper and
board grades. These grade categories are often either undefined or inconsistently defined. The intent of this TIP is to
provide general descriptions which can be used consistently in technical publications, production summaries, and
data retrieval systems to combine and categorize paper grade data.

Safety precautions

There are no special safety precautions associated with the information in this TIP.

Background

A particular grade of paper is typically identified in one or more of the following three ways:

• Final use of the paper

• Furnish used in making the paper
• Type of machinery used in making the paper

For example, “off-machine coated groundwood publication paper” indicates the use of the paper
(publications), the major furnish component (groundwood), and an indication of the manufacturing process (coated
off-machine).
The categories outlined in this TIP for identifying paper grades are based primarily on the use and furnish of
the paper. There are 12 such categories.
Selection of the categories is somewhat arbitrary and category definitions are not rigid. These grade
categories are, however, commonly used and represent over 95% of all paper tonnage produced. In general, those
grades which can be produced on a given paper machine will be found in the same category.

Grade definitions

The 12 major paper grade categories are defined below. Included with each definition is a listing of several
specific grades which are included in that category.
There are several grades that could be placed in different categories. For example, No. 4 coated paper may be
in either the “coated groundwood” category or in the “coated wood-free paper” category, depending on the furnish.
The table given at the end of this TIP lists over 300 specific grades or end uses. These grades are listed in
alphabetical order with an “x” indicating the corresponding major category or categories. This listing of grade(s)

TIP Category: Automatically Periodically Reviewed (Ten-year review)

TAPPI
TIP 0404-36 Paper grade classifications / 2

was taken in part from the 2002 Lockwood-Post's Directory of the Pulp, Paper, and Allied Trades (1), and The
Dictionary of Paper (2) was used as a basic guide.

1. Uncoated groundwood: Papers included in this grade are uncoated and are produced mainly from
mechanical pulps. About 80% of the uncoated groundwood paper is newsprint. Grammage range is 24-75 g/m2 with
newsprint being in the range of 38 g/m2 to 52 g/m2. Also included are directory, computer paper, catalog, and
advertising supplements (rotogravure).
2. Coated groundwood: This paper generally has at least 10% mechanical pulp (typically 50-55%
groundwood) with the balance consisting of chemical pulp. This category includes mostly No. 5 enamel paper with
some No. 4, both of which are coated on both sides. Typical finished sheet grammage ranges from 45 g/m2 to 130
g/m2. Other grades in this category are letterpress, offset, LWC, and magazine.
3. Uncoated wood-free: Paper in this category has less than 10% mechanical pulp (normally 0%) and is not
coated. Typical uses include office papers (forms, copy, bond, tablet, and envelope), carbonless, and printing papers
(offset, cover, text). Other names for this category are printing, writing, and book papers.
4. Coated wood-free: This category also has less than 10% mechanical pulp, but the paper is coated on one or
both sides. Grades include No. 1-3 enamel, and about half of the No. 4. Typical end uses are magazines, books, and
commercial printing. Grammage range is 70 g/m2 to 170 g/m2 for the finished sheet.
5. Kraft paper: This paper has four main end uses: wrapping, bag/sack, shipping sack, and other converting,
such as saturating and cable. Grammage ranges from 50 g/m2 to 134 g/m2. The furnish may be either bleached or
unbleached.
6. Bleached paperboard: The furnish is bleached sulfate and the primary use is folding carton and milk carton
stock. About half of the tonnage is coated. Grammage varies from 200 g/m2 to 500 g/m2. Also included are cups,
plates, printing boards, tag stock, computer cards, file folders, and index cards.
7. Unbleached paperboard: This board is unbleached and made from virgin kraft or neutral sulfite
semichemical pulp. The major grade is linerboard, used in the production of corrugated containers. Typical weight
range is 130 g/m2 to 450 g/m2. Also included in this category is corrugating medium which is made with a low
percentage of recycled fiber.
8. Recycled paperboard: The furnish usually consists entirely of recovered paper. Grades include corrugating
medium, folding boxboard (clay coated), setup boxboard (uncoated), and paperboard. Also included are gypsum
liner, core tube stock, and roofing felt.
9. MG kraft specialties: Papers included in this grade have a “machine glazed” finish produced by a large-
diameter drying cylinder. Grades include wax base, wrapping, carbonizing, and kraft specialties.
10. Tissue: Typical furnish for these grades is bleached chemical pulp with 50% or more mechanical pulp.
The majority of tissue paper is used for sanitary products (tissue, towel, bathroom, napkins, etc.). Grammage range
is 13 g/m2 to 75 g/m2. These grades are manufactured on through air dried (TAD) or Yankee machines with either a
wet or dry crepe operation.
11. Market pulp: Pulp is divided into grades based on wood species, pulping process, and bleaching. It is sold
in sheets, bales, and rolls.
12. Others: This category is used for grades that do not fit conveniently into any of the above categories. Less
than 5% of worldwide paper tonnage is in this category. Examples are hardboard, asbestos board, thin papers
(cigarette tissue, condenser, bible), and dense papers (glassine, grease proof, release, and vegetable parchment).
The definitions of the 12 paper grades outlined above represent usage that was common in 2002. The listing
of grades represents those in use in 2002. As paper products and markets change, these listings will need to be
updated.

Request for comments

The classification of paper grades provided by this TIP will be updated on a periodic basis to reflect changes
in grade usage and furnish. Comments, suggestions, and advice from knowledgeable people working in the paper
industry would be helpful in preparing these updates. Please send any suggestions for additions, deletions, or
modifications of the grade listing to the Technical Divisions Administrator at TAPPI.

Literature cited

1. 2002 Lockwood-Post's Directory of the Pulp, Paper and Allied Trades, Paperloop Publications, Inc., San
Francisco, 2001.
3 / Paper grade classifications TIP 0404-36

2. The Dictionary of Paper, 3rd edn., American Pulp and Paper Association, New York, 1965.

Additional information

Effective date of issue: May 7, 2004

Working Group Members:
Gregory L. Wedel, Chairman – The Johnson Corporation
Perry Deutsch – Consultant
Doug Rounds – Voith Andritz

Keywords

Paper, Paper grades, Classification

x Major use
Groundwood-uncoated

Kraft paper-bleached
o Minor use

and unbleached
Groundwood-

Market pulp
Paperboard-

Paperboard-

Paperboard-
Wood free-

Wood free-

unbleached

specialties
MG kraft
uncoated

bleached

recycled

Others
Tissue
coated

coated

Paper grade (end-use)

Abrasive paper backing x o
Abrasive papers x o
Absorbent x
Acoustical board x o
Adding machine paper and rolls x
Advertising supplements x x o o
Air-dried writing x
Air mail x
Album o x
Alkaline papers (book) x
Alpha paper (book) x
Alpha pulp x
Anti-tarnish x
Antique book x
Art paper x x
Asbestos x
Asbestos board x
Aseptic (extended shelf life) x o
paperboard
Asphalt x
Atlas o x
Automobile board x x
Backing o o o o
Bag lining x
Bag paper x
Bands (shirt/packaging) x
Bank note x
Bagasse pulp x
TIP 0404-36 Paper grade classifications / 4

x Major use

Groundwood-uncoated

Kraft paper-bleached
o Minor use

and unbleached
Groundwood-

Market pulp
Paperboard-

Paperboard-

Paperboard-
Wood free-

Wood free-

unbleached

specialties
MG kraft
uncoated

bleached

recycled

Others
Tissue
coated

coated
Paper grade (end-use)
Bank deposit x
Bank parchment x
Barrier paper x
Battery separator x
Bathroom tissue x
Bible x
Billboard x
Binders board x
Bitokoski x
Blanks x x x x
Bleached coated board x
Bleached foodboard x
Bleached kraft board x
Bleached kraft paper x
Bleached kraft specialties x o o
Bleached paperboard x
Bleached pulp market x
Blotting x x x
Blue print x
Board x x x
Body stock o o o o x
Bogus x
Bond x
Book binding board x
Book / offset x
Book paper, uncoated x
Book paper, coated o x
Book end-leaf x
Bottle cap x x
Bottle label x
Bottle wrap x x
Box, solid fiber x
Box cover x
Boxboard - set up (rigid), folding x x x
Box-liner paper x
Braille x
Bread wrap x
Brief paper x
Bristols o o
Brown print x
Building paper/board x x x
Bulking book o o
5 / Paper grade classifications TIP 0404-36

x Major use

Groundwood-uncoated

Kraft paper-bleached
o Minor use

and unbleached
Groundwood-

Market pulp
Paperboard-

Paperboard-

Paperboard-
Wood free-

Wood free-

unbleached

specialties
MG kraft
uncoated

bleached

recycled

Others
Tissue
coated

coated
Paper grade (end-use)
Business form o x o
Business paper x o
Butchers wrap o o x
Butter carton x
C.B. paper o x
C.F. paper o x
C.F.B. paper o x
Cable x
Calendar paper x
Calender roll x
Campaign o o
Can liner x
Can stock x o x
Candy cup x
Carbon paper x
Carbonless copy x
Coated natural kraft x
Coating raw stock x
Capacitor x
Car and case lining o x
Carbon x x
Carbonizing x x
Carbonizing MG kraft x
Carbonless o x x
Card o x
Carrier board x o
Cash register rolls x
Cartridge x
Catalog x x o o
Catalog book x x o o
Cellulose wadding x o
Chart x
Check x o
Chemi-mechanical pulp x
Chemi-thermomechanical pulp x
Chip board x
Cigarette/tipping x
Circular x
Cleansing tissue x
Cloth x x x
Coated x x
Coated board x x x
TIP 0404-36 Paper grade classifications / 6

x Major use

Groundwood-uncoated

Kraft paper-bleached
o Minor use

and unbleached
Groundwood-

Market pulp
Paperboard-

Paperboard-

Paperboard-
Wood free-

Wood free-

unbleached

specialties
MG kraft
uncoated

bleached

recycled

Others
Tissue
coated

coated
Paper grade (end-use)
Coated book papers x x
Coated bristols x o
Coated groundwood (CGW) x
Coated carbonless paper o x
Coating base paper x x
Coating base stock x
Coated publication x x
Coil x
Comic book x
Commercial printing x x
Communication paper x o
Computer x x x x
Concrete form x
Condenser x
Conducting x
Cone x
Construction board x x
Construction paper x x
Container board o x o
Cookie tray / baking x
Copy paper x
Core stock x x
Corrugating medium –recycled x
Corrugating medium – NSSC x
Corrugating medium – semichemical x
Cotton fiber (linters) x
Cotton pulp x
Counter board x
Coupon x o
Cover x o
Cracker shell x
Creped specialties x
Creped wadding x
Creping paper x o
Creping tissue x
CRS (Coating raw stock) x
Cup paper and stock o x
Currency x
Deinked news x
Deinked pulp x
Decalcomania o
Deckle edge x
7 / Paper grade classifications TIP 0404-36

x Major use

Groundwood-uncoated

Kraft paper-bleached
o Minor use

and unbleached
Groundwood-

Market pulp
Paperboard-

Paperboard-

Paperboard-
Wood free-

Wood free-

unbleached

specialties
MG kraft
uncoated

bleached

recycled

Others
Tissue
coated

coated
Paper grade (end-use)
Decorating o x
Decorative paper x
Deed x
Defibrated pulp x
Dense paper x
Diaper, liner x
Diazo (direct process) x
Dictionary x
Dielectric x
Direct process (diazo) x
Directory x
Disc stock x
Dissolving pulp x
Document x
Drafting x
Drawing x
Drug x
Drum stock x x
Donnage o x
Duplicator x
Egg carton x
Egg case filler board x
Egg shell book x
Electrical insulating x
Electrophotographic x
Electrostatic x
Emery paper x
Embossing/embossed x o o
Enamel book No. 1 x
Enamel book No. 2 x
Enamel book No. 3 x
Enamel book No. 4 o o
Enamel book No. 5 x
Encyclopedia o x
English finish x
Envelope x
Esparto paper (book) x
Esparto pulp x
Excelsior x
Extensible x
Facial tissue x
Facsimile o x
TIP 0404-36 Paper grade classifications / 8

x Major use

Groundwood-uncoated

Kraft paper-bleached
o Minor use

and unbleached
Groundwood-

Market pulp
Paperboard-

Paperboard-

Paperboard-
Wood free-

Wood free-

unbleached

specialties
MG kraft
uncoated

bleached

recycled

Others
Tissue
coated

coated
Paper grade (end-use)
Felt – dry (roofings saturating) x
Fiberboard x o o
File folder x
Film coated offset (ECO) x
Film coated paper x
Filter o o o
Fine paper x o
Fine white paper x o
Finishing paper x o
Fireworks board x
Flame proof x o
Flax pulp x
Flooring felt x
Florist x
Flour sack paper x
Fluff x
Fluff pulp x
Fluting x o
Folding boxboard o o x
Folding carton x
Food - liquid board x
Food board x
Formsbond x
Formica x
Free sheet (book) x
Freezer paper (wrap) x
Garnet paper x o
Fruit wrap tissue x
Gasket o x
Gift wrapping x
Glass paper x o
Glassine x x
Greaseproof (lard and butter) x x
Greeting card x x o
Groundwood pulp x
Groundwood specialties x x
Groundwood, coated x
Groundwood, uncoated x
Guide card stock x
Gumming x x
Gypsum board x
Gypsum liner x
9 / Paper grade classifications TIP 0404-36

x Major use

Groundwood-uncoated

Kraft paper-bleached
o Minor use

and unbleached
Groundwood-

Market pulp
Paperboard-

Paperboard-

Paperboard-
Wood free-

Wood free-

unbleached

specialties
MG kraft
uncoated

bleached

recycled

Others
Tissue
coated

coated
Paper grade (end-use)
HWC x
Handkerchief x
Hanging (wall paper) x x
Hardboard x x x
Heat sealing o o o o
Hemp pulp x
High grade book x x
Hygienic paper x
IBM card x
Ice cream box stock x
Impregnating o o o o
Index x
Industrial x o o x
Ink-jet x
Innersole board x o
Inorganic paper x
Insulating paper x
Insulation board x x
Interleaving x o
Ivory board x
Jacquard board x
Joss x
Jute board x
Jute pulp x
K-B board x
Kraft bag x
Kraft board x
Kraft envelope and specialties x x x
Kraft news x
Kraft paper x
Kraft paper — bleached x
Kraft paper — unbleached x
Kraft pulp x
Kraft wrapping x
Label x x
Laminating x
Lamp shade x
Latex board and paper x x
Laser copier x
Laser jet x
Leather substitute x x
Ledger x
TIP 0404-36 Paper grade classifications / 10

x Major use

Groundwood-uncoated

Kraft paper-bleached
o Minor use

and unbleached
Groundwood-

Market pulp
Paperboard-

Paperboard-

Paperboard-
Wood free-

Wood free-

unbleached

specialties
MG kraft
uncoated

bleached

recycled

Others
Tissue
coated

coated
Paper grade (end-use)
Letter press x x
Lightweight coated (LWC) x
Lightweight groundwood x o
Lightweight linerboard x
Lightweight printing x x x x
Lightweight specialties x x x x x
Lined board o x
Linen x
Linen finished x
Linerboard — bleached x
Linerboard—mottled white o x
Linerboard — recycled x
Linerboard—unbleached (liner) x
Linerboard — white top x
Lithograph x
Liquid packaging o x
Loose-leaf binder stock x x
Loose-leaf ledger x
M.F. specialties x
M.G. x
M.G. bag x
M.G. bleached kraft x x
M.G. carbonizing x
M.G. grease proof x
M.G. kraft specialties x
M.G. tissue x
M.G. unbleached kraft x
MICR paper x
MFC x
Machine coated x x
Machine finish (book) x
Machine glazed x
Machine tape x
Magazine x o x
Manifold (onion skin) x
Manila x
Manila board x
Manual x o
Manuscript x o
Map x
Market pulp x
Masking tape x x
11 / Paper grade classifications TIP 0404-36

x Major use

Groundwood-uncoated

Kraft paper-bleached
o Minor use

and unbleached
Groundwood-

Market pulp
Paperboard-

Paperboard-

Paperboard-
Wood free-

Wood free-

unbleached

specialties
MG kraft
uncoated

bleached

recycled

Others
Tissue
coated

coated
Paper grade (end-use)
Mat x
Match book x
Matrix x o
Medical papers x
Medium x o
Medium weight coated (MWC) x
Mechanical pulp x
Milk carton stock x
Mill blanks x
Mill board x
Mill bristols x
Mill wrappers x x x
Mimeograph (mimeo) x
Modified – finish tissue x
Moisture-proof paper x
Molded pulp products x
Molding board x
Mottled white x
Mounting x
Mulch paper x
Multilith x
Multiwall bag x
Music x x
Napkin tissue x
NCR (no carbon required) o x
Negative x
Newsboard x
Newsprint x
Nine-point (9-point) x o
Notebook x
NSSC pulp x
OCR papers x
OTC x
Office paper x
Offset board x
Offset news x
Offset paper x x x x
Oil paper o x x
Oil resistant x x
One-time carbonizing x
Onion skin x
Opaque x
TIP 0404-36 Paper grade classifications / 12

x Major use

Groundwood-uncoated

Kraft paper-bleached
o Minor use

and unbleached
Groundwood-

Market pulp
Paperboard-

Paperboard-

Paperboard-
Wood free-

Wood free-

unbleached

specialties
MG kraft
uncoated

bleached

recycled

Others
Tissue
coated

coated
Paper grade (end-use)
Ordinance x
Overlay x
Packaging board x
Packaging paper x
Packing board x x
Panel board x o
Paperboard x x x
Paperboard — bleached x
Paperboard — recycled x
Paperboard — unbleached x
Papeterie x
Parchment o
Partition stock x
Pasted board x o
Patch stock x
Patent coated board o o o
Pattern paper x
Permanent record paper x
Photo mount x x
Photogelatine x
Photographic base paper x
Pigmented papers x o
Pipe covering x
Plaster board x x
Plastic coated x
Plasticized x
Plate x
Playing card x
Pleating x
Plug wrap x
Polyethylene coated x o
Post card x
Poster board x
Poster paper x x
Pottery tissue x
Poucing paper x o
Press board
Printing board x x
Printing paper, coated x x
Printing paper, uncoated x x
Publication paper, coated x x
Publication paper, uncoated x x
13 / Paper grade classifications TIP 0404-36

x Major use

Groundwood-uncoated

Kraft paper-bleached
o Minor use

and unbleached
Groundwood-

Market pulp
Paperboard-

Paperboard-

Paperboard-
Wood free-

Wood free-

unbleached

specialties
MG kraft
uncoated

bleached

recycled

Others
Tissue
coated

coated
Paper grade (end-use)
Pulp x
Pulp board x x x
Rag bond x
Rag book x
Rag paper x
Rag pulp x
Railroad board x x x
Railroad manila x
Railroad writing x
Reconstituted paper (tabacco) x
Record x
Recycled paperboard x
Refiner GWD/mechanical pulp x
Refuse sacks / bags x
Register (bond) x
Release paper o x
Reprographic paper x
Resin x x
Roofing (felt) x
Rope x
Roto book x x o x
Roto news x
Rotogravure x x o o
SBS x
SC-A x
SC-B x
SC-C x
SC Paper x
Sack paper x
Safety paper x
Sales book and check x
Sandpaper x o
Sanitary food container x
Sanitary paper x
Saturating x
Schrenz x o
Screening board x
Security paper x
Semichemical pulp x
Sensitized paper x
Sensitizing paper x
Set-up boxboard x x x
TIP 0404-36 Paper grade classifications / 14

x Major use

Groundwood-uncoated

Kraft paper-bleached
o Minor use

and unbleached
Groundwood-

Market pulp
Paperboard-

Paperboard-

Paperboard-
Wood free-

Wood free-

unbleached

specialties
MG kraft
uncoated

bleached

recycled

Others
Tissue
coated

coated
Paper grade (end-use)
Shank board x
Sheating x x
Shipping sack paper x
Shirt board x
Shoe board x
Silver tissue x
Slightly coated mechanical x
Slip sheet (interleaving) x o
Soap board x x
Soda pulp x
Soda straw x
Softwood market pulp x
Solid bleached board x
Specialty board x
Specialty paper o o o o o o o
Specialty tissue x
Stamp x
Stencil board x x
Stencil tissue x
Straw board x
Straw pulp x
Suite case fiber x x
Sulfate pulp x
Sulfite pulp x
Super book x
Supercalendered (SC) x
Surface water mark x
Synthetic pulp x
Tab (index) x x
Tabacco leaf x
Table cover x o o
Tablet x
Tabulating card (board) x x
Tanning paper x o
Tag o x o
Tape x x
Tar board x
Target x
Tea bag x
Technical papers x
Telegraph and ticker tape x
Telephone (directory) x
15 / Paper grade classifications TIP 0404-36

x Major use

Groundwood-uncoated

Kraft paper-bleached
o Minor use

and unbleached
Groundwood-

Market pulp
Paperboard-

Paperboard-

Paperboard-
Wood free-

Wood free-

unbleached

specialties
MG kraft
uncoated

bleached

recycled

Others
Tissue
coated

coated
Paper grade (end-use)
Template board o x
Test liner x
Textile paper x x
Text book (text) x
Thermal x
Thermofax x x
Thermomechanical pulp x
Thin papers x x
Ticket o x x
Tile liner x
Tire wraps x o
Tissue x
Toilet tissue — single ply x
Toilet tissue — two ply x
Tough check o x
Toweling — single ply x
Toweling — two ply x
Toweling x
Tracing x
Translucent x
Transformer board x
Trunk board x
Tube stock x o x
Twisting tissue & paper x x x x
Typewriter paper x
U. S. currency x
Unbleached kraft bag x
Unbleached kraft board x
Unbleached kraft paper x
Unbleached kraft pulp x
Vegetable parchment x x
Vellum o x
Vulcanized fiber x
Wadding x
Wall board x
Wallet x x
Wallpaper x
Water finish x
Water leaf x o
Water-marked x
Water repellent x x x x
Water resistant x x x x
TIP 0404-36 Paper grade classifications / 16

x Major use

Groundwood-uncoated

Kraft paper-bleached
o Minor use

and unbleached
Groundwood-

Market pulp
Paperboard-

Paperboard-

Paperboard-
Wood free-

Wood free-

unbleached

specialties
MG kraft
uncoated

bleached

recycled

Others
Tissue
coated

coated
Paper grade (end-use)
Watermarked paper x
Waterproof x x x x
Waxing base o x o
Waxing tissue x
Wedding bristols and papers x x
Wet machine board x
Wet strength x x x
White paper x
White top o x
Wipers x
Wood-free, coated x
Wood-free, uncoated x
Wrapping o x x
Wrapping tissue x
Writing paper x o
Xerox copy x
Xerox (copy) x
Yellow, table (foolscap) x