Thesis paper: weight and type,
and how to choose
Paper weight (80, 90, 100, 120 gsm), white or ivory, opacity for double-sided printing, and the right paper for soft or hardcover binding. A practical guide from a Rome print shop that binds more than 4,000 theses a year — so your thesis looks like a book, not a photocopy.
Published 16 June 2026
In short: which paper to use for a thesis
- Standard weight: 90 gsm (80 gsm for drafts, 100 gsm for the official hardcover copy)
- Double-sided: at least 90 gsm to avoid show-through
- Colour: white for theses with colour images, ivory for text-based and humanities theses
- Finish: always matt for text, never glossy
- Lots of images: 120 gsm for better photographic rendering
Why thesis paper matters more than you think
Paper is the first thing the committee touches when they pick up your thesis. Paper that is too light makes the thesis feel like a quick photocopy; substantial, opaque paper makes it feel like a published book. It is not about luxury — it is the difference between a careful object and an improvised one, for the same content.
Three factors decide everything: weight (how substantial the paper is), colour (white or ivory) and opacity (how much shows through when printed double-sided). Let's go through them one by one.
Paper weight: 80, 90, 100 or 120 gsm?
Weight (gsm — grams per square metre) measures how heavy and substantial the paper is. The higher it goes, the more solid and opaque the paper — but also more expensive and bulkier. Here is how to choose by use.
80 gsm
Drafts and working copies
Standard photocopy paper: cheap and light. Fine for drafts to hand to your supervisor and for informal copies. On dense double-sided pages the text on the back can show through slightly. For copies you actually submit, go heavier.
90 gsm
The best all-round choice
The most balanced option for most theses: more substantial than 80 gsm, it clearly reduces show-through on double-sided pages and feels closer to a real book — without pushing up cost and weight. This is our default recommendation when there are no special requirements.
100 gsm
Official and archive copy
Premium paper: excellent opacity even double-sided, solid feel, professional result. This is the ideal weight for the official hardcover copy — the one for the committee and the personal copy that stays on your shelf for years.
120 gsm and above
Image-heavy theses
Very substantial paper, high opacity and better photographic rendering: suited to architecture, design, art or photography theses with many full-page images. Watch the bulk: on very long theses it adds thickness and weight, and beyond a certain page count it can complicate binding.
White or ivory: how to choose
Both are accepted by every university: it is mainly an aesthetic choice, with one important exception tied to images.
White paper
✓ Pros
- • Sharp text/background contrast, maximum legibility
- • Faithful reproduction of colour photos, charts and tables
- • Neutral choice accepted by every university
✗ Cons
- • More "technical", less warm look
- • On very long theses can feel less restful to read
Ivory (cream) paper
✓ Pros
- • Warm, elegant, classic book-like tone
- • Easier on the eyes over long stretches of text
- • A favourite for humanities theses
✗ Cons
- • Slightly shifts image colours towards warm tones
- • Not always available in every weight
Paper and double-sided printing: the opacity question
Almost all theses today are printed double-sided: the thesis is thinner, lighter and cheaper. The trade-off is show-through: if the paper is too light, the text printed on the back is visible against the light and disturbs reading.
The rule of thumb: for double-sided printing use at least 90 gsm, and 100 gsm for the official hardcover copy. 80 gsm is fine for working copies, but on dense pages the show-through shows. Better "uncoated" papers have higher opacity for the same weight: bring your file in and we can show you samples in the shop.
One more factor is the finish: the body text is always printed on matt paper, never glossy. Glossy paper reflects light and tires the eyes; it only makes sense for occasional full-page photo plates or colour appendices.
Which paper for which binding
The right paper also depends on the type of copy. A typical graduation involves several copies with different uses, and it makes no sense to use the same paper for all of them:
- Soft (thermal) working copies (supervisor, friends, family): 80-90 gsm, matt. These are everyday copies — no need to overspend.
- Official hardcover copy (committee, library archive, personal copy): 100 gsm, white or ivory. This is the "forever" copy, so it deserves the best paper.
Not sure whether to go soft or hardcover? Our staff can walk you through it in the shop, and for the official copy we offer hardcover binding with gold or silver foil in 2 hours.
Paper mistakes to avoid
The slip-ups we see arrive at the printer most often. All of them are avoidable with two minutes of attention before you send the file.
Printing the official copy double-sided on 80 gsm
The most common mistake: on dense pages, 80 gsm lets the text on the back show through and the thesis looks less polished. For double-sided submission copies use at least 90 gsm, and 100 gsm for the hardcover official copy.
Ivory paper with lots of colour photos
Ivory adds warmth to text but mutes and shifts the colours of images. If your thesis is image-heavy (architecture, design, medicine), white paper renders them far more faithfully.
Going too heavy on a long thesis
A 300-page thesis on 120 gsm becomes a thick, heavy volume that is awkward to handle and harder to bind well. Keep the heavier weights for shorter, image-rich theses.
Mixing different papers between chapters
Printing some parts on one paper and others on another (to use up leftover reams) creates a visibly uneven result when you flip through. Use the same paper for the whole body of the text.
Frequently asked questions
What paper weight should I use for a thesis? +
Is white or ivory paper better for a thesis? +
Which paper should I use for double-sided printing? +
Is glossy paper suitable for a thesis? +
How much does a printed thesis weigh? +
Which paper goes with soft binding and which with hardcover? +
By the GUUG team
GUUG Team · Print shop in Rome (Prati)
Over 20 years of printing and binding in the heart of Rome (Prati, 200 m from the Vatican), since 2005. Specialised in thesis printing and binding, professional photo printing, large format and copy-shop services. Our guides come from the real questions we get at the counter every day.
Printing your thesis in Rome?
We bind more than 4,000 theses a year, with English-speaking staff and the fastest hardcover service in Italy — soft binding in 5 minutes, hardcover with gold or silver foil in 2 hours. We help you pick the right paper too.
Via di Porta Castello 29, 00193 Rome · 200 m from St. Peter's Square · stampa@guug.it · +39 06 4424 0707