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This lesson covers the range of papers and boards you need to know for AQA GCSE Design and Technology (8552), Section 3.1.6. Paper and board are versatile, widely available materials used in packaging, modelling, graphic products and prototyping.
Paper is made from cellulose fibres, primarily from wood pulp. The manufacturing process involves:
Paper thickness is measured in grams per square metre (gsm). The higher the gsm, the thicker and heavier the paper.
| Category | GSM Range | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | Up to ~170 gsm | Copier paper (~80 gsm), cartridge paper (~130 gsm) |
| Board | 170 gsm and above | Mounting board (~1000 gsm), corrugated card |
graph TD
PB["Papers & Boards<br/>cellulose fibre, measured in gsm"]
PB --> P["Papers<br/>up to ~170 gsm"]
PB --> B["Boards<br/>170+ gsm, thicker & rigid"]
P --> P1["Layout Paper — 45–60 gsm<br/>thin, marker rendering"]
P --> P2["Tracing Paper — 60–90 gsm<br/>transparent, copying"]
P --> P3["Cartridge Paper — 100–150 gsm<br/>textured, sketching/painting"]
B --> B1["Corrugated Card<br/>fluted core, packaging boxes"]
B --> B2["Foam Board<br/>foam core, model making"]
B --> B3["Mount Board ~1000 gsm<br/>picture mounts, displays"]
B --> B4["Duplex Board<br/>white/grey, food cartons"]
B --> B5["Solid White Board / SBS<br/>premium luxury packaging"]
| Property | Detail |
|---|---|
| Weight | Typically 100–150 gsm |
| Surface | Slightly textured, off-white |
| Strength | Good for its weight |
| Printability | Accepts pencil, ink, paint and markers well |
Uses: Sketching, drawing, painting, general design work, model-making templates.
| Property | Detail |
|---|---|
| Weight | Typically 45–60 gsm |
| Surface | Thin, semi-transparent |
| Strength | Low — tears easily |
| Printability | Good for markers and fine-liners |
Uses: Tracing over existing drawings, presentation visuals, overlay sketching, marker rendering.
| Property | Detail |
|---|---|
| Weight | Typically 60–90 gsm |
| Surface | Transparent/translucent, smooth |
| Strength | Moderate — more robust than layout paper |
| Printability | Accepts pencil and fine-line ink |
Uses: Copying drawings, architectural plans, overlaying designs for comparison.
AQA Exam Tip: Know the difference between layout paper (thin, for marker rendering) and tracing paper (transparent, for copying). They look similar but have different purposes.
| Property | Detail |
|---|---|
| Structure | A fluted (wavy) inner layer sandwiched between two flat liner boards |
| Strength | Excellent strength-to-weight ratio; resists crushing |
| Weight | Lightweight for its strength |
| Cushioning | Fluted layer absorbs impact |
Uses: Packaging boxes (Amazon boxes), protective packaging, point-of-sale displays, modelling.
| Property | Detail |
|---|---|
| Structure | A layer of polystyrene foam sandwiched between two layers of card or paper |
| Weight | Very lightweight |
| Rigidity | Stiff and rigid despite low weight |
| Ease of cutting | Cuts cleanly with a craft knife |
| Thickness | Typically 3 mm, 5 mm or 10 mm |
Uses: Architectural models, presentation boards, exhibition displays, prototyping, mounting artwork.
| Property | Detail |
|---|---|
| Structure | Multiple layers of paper pressed together to form a thick, rigid board |
| Weight | Heavy (~1000+ gsm) |
| Surface | Available in many colours; smooth finish |
| Rigidity | Very stiff |
| Cutting | Requires a sharp blade and cutting mat |
Uses: Picture framing mounts, presentation boards, display work, model-making.
| Property | Detail |
|---|---|
| Structure | Board with a different finish on each side — typically one white, coated side and one grey, uncoated side |
| Printability | Excellent on the white coated side |
| Strength | Good rigidity and fold resistance |
| Cost | Cheaper than solid white board |
Uses: Food packaging (cereal boxes, ready-meal sleeves), pharmaceutical packaging, small cartons.
AQA Exam Tip: Duplex board is commonly tested because of its real-world relevance in food packaging. Remember: one side is white and printable, the other is grey and uncoated. It is cheaper to produce than fully white board.
| Property | Detail |
|---|---|
| Structure | Multiple layers of bleached white pulp — white on both sides |
| Surface | Smooth, white, excellent for printing |
| Strength | Rigid, good fold quality |
| Cost | More expensive than duplex board |
Uses: Premium packaging (cosmetics, confectionery), hardback book covers, luxury cartons.
| Material | GSM / Thickness | Key Property | Primary Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cartridge paper | 100–150 gsm | Textured, accepts media well | Drawing, sketching, painting |
| Layout paper | 45–60 gsm | Thin, semi-transparent | Marker rendering, overlays |
| Tracing paper | 60–90 gsm | Transparent | Copying drawings, overlays |
| Corrugated card | Varies (fluted) | High strength-to-weight | Packaging, protective boxes |
| Foam board | 3–10 mm thick | Lightweight, rigid | Models, displays, prototyping |
| Mount board | ~1000+ gsm | Thick, rigid, coloured | Picture mounts, presentations |
| Duplex board | 200–400 gsm | White one side, grey other | Food packaging, cartons |
| Solid white board | 200–400 gsm | White both sides, premium | Luxury packaging |
| Factor | Detail |
|---|---|
| Recyclability | Most papers and boards are widely recyclable |
| Biodegradability | Paper and card biodegrade naturally (unlike plastics) |
| FSC certification | Forest Stewardship Council mark indicates the paper comes from sustainably managed forests |
| Recycled content | Many boards contain a percentage of recycled fibre |
| Bleaching | Chlorine bleaching can pollute waterways; ECF (Elemental Chlorine Free) and TCF (Totally Chlorine Free) processes are less harmful |
| Energy | Paper manufacturing requires significant energy and water |
AQA Exam Tip: When recommending a paper or board for a given scenario, always state the specific material name, its key property and why it is suitable. For example: "Corrugated card would be suitable for the packaging because the fluted inner layer provides excellent cushioning to protect the product during transit."
A designer is developing the outer packaging for a new breakfast cereal. The brief specifies that the packaging must have a high-quality printed outer surface (to carry branding, nutritional information and regulatory text), provide rigidity (so the box holds its shape on shelf and during transport), be cheap in very high production volumes (millions of units per year), be recyclable or derive from renewable sources, and be foldable on automated box-erecting machines.
Step 1: Identify the critical properties. The outer face must be smooth, white and coated so printing is sharp and colours are vibrant. The board must have sufficient stiffness (bending resistance) to stand upright on shelves without buckling, but must fold cleanly along score lines without cracking. Moisture resistance is not critical because the cereal itself is dry and the inner bag is a polyethylene liner. Cost must be controlled — paper mills charge by weight, so the lightest viable board is desirable.
Step 2: Compare candidate papers and boards.
Step 3: Make and justify the choice. The optimal material is duplex board at around 250-350 gsm. The white coated outer face provides an excellent substrate for lithographic printing, accepting fine detail, photographic imagery and brand colours with high fidelity. The board's stiffness — engineered by the mill through fibre orientation and multiple layers — ensures the box stands upright on shelves and does not collapse under the weight of cereal. Duplex board is specifically formulated to fold cleanly along scored creases without cracking the coated outer surface, which is essential for the automated erecting and gluing machines in a cereal-plant packing line. By using a grey uncoated inner face, the manufacturer avoids the cost of bleaching and coating both sides, saving materially on a billion-unit product line.
Working and physical property check: Duplex board cuts, creases and folds reliably on die-cutting machinery, accepts UV-cured and water-based inks, and bonds well with hot-melt adhesive used on automatic packaging lines. Its gsm is chosen to balance stiffness against cost — too light and boxes crumple on shelf; too heavy and per-unit cost climbs unnecessarily. At end of life, duplex board is widely recyclable through kerbside paper collections and is made from a mix of virgin and recycled fibres, scoring well on sustainability. This worked example explains why effectively every cereal, ready-meal, pharmaceutical and cosmetic carton on UK supermarket shelves is duplex board rather than any other paper or board product.
Misconception: Students often use "card", "paper" and "cardboard" interchangeably when answering questions about packaging. This vagueness loses marks. Paper and board are technically distinguished by grams per square metre (gsm): paper is below ~170 gsm, board is above. "Cardboard" is an informal term and should be replaced with the specific product name — duplex board, solid white board, corrugated card, mount board or foam board — each of which has different structure, surface, cost and application. Examiners reward precise technical vocabulary; vague terms like "cardboard" will typically only gain credit once rather than once per specific material referenced.
Question (9 marks): "A design agency has been asked to develop packaging for a premium Belgian chocolate gift box sold at airports for travellers to give as gifts. Evaluate the use of duplex board compared with solid white board for this product."
Grade 3-4 answer (basic recall): "Duplex board is cheap and has a white side and grey side. Solid white board is white on both sides. Solid white board is better for a premium product because it looks nicer. Duplex is cheaper. For a chocolate gift box at the airport you should use solid white board."
Why this is Grade 3-4: Basic correct facts; weak reasoning; no quantitative or process detail; no discussion of printing, shelf presentation or branding; conclusion correct but not justified in depth.
Grade 5-6 answer (developed application): "Solid white board is white on both sides because both faces are bleached and coated, which means when the recipient opens the chocolate box the inside is clean and white rather than grey and uncoated. For a premium gift product sold at airports, the consumer will notice this immediately — a visible grey interior would look cheap. Solid white board also has excellent printability and can be foil-stamped, embossed and varnished to create a luxury appearance. Duplex board is the industry standard for mass-market cereal and medicine boxes because the grey inside face is hidden by a bag or blister pack, but for a chocolate gift box the inside is visible. Duplex is cheaper but solid white board is the correct choice for this premium, aesthetic-led product."
Why this is Grade 5-6: Correctly explains the two-sided coating; references premium processes (foil stamping, embossing); links to the airport gift context; compares both materials; arrives at a justified conclusion; could use more quantitative and manufacturing detail.
Grade 7-9 answer (critical evaluation with technical precision): "For a premium airport chocolate gift, solid white board (SBS — solid bleached sulphate) at ~300-400 gsm is the correct specification. SBS is produced from 100% virgin pulp and is bleached and coated on both faces, giving a uniform brightness of ~88-92 ISO (compared with duplex board's typical ~70 ISO on the reverse face). Both faces are suitable for high-resolution offset lithographic printing at 150-200 lpi screen rulings, supporting the sharp four-colour process imagery and fine brand typography expected at this price point. SBS also supports premium finishing processes — hot-foil stamping (metallic foil bonded under heat and pressure), blind embossing (raised texture without ink) and spot UV varnish (selective high-gloss over matte) — all of which are the visual and tactile cues that communicate 'gift' and 'premium' to a time-pressed airport consumer. Duplex board (coated one side) is significantly cheaper because the grey uncoated reverse face saves 30-40% on bleaching and coating costs, but in an open-lid gift context the grey inner face would directly undermine the brand's premium positioning. An alternative optimisation is to specify duplex with the white face on the visible inside, leaving the outside to be covered with a printed wrap — rare in practice because it complicates assembly. Overall, SBS is the industry-standard choice for luxury confectionery packaging; the 20-30% extra material cost is negligible compared with the retail premium of £15-30 per 200 g box and is essential to justify the price."
Why this is Grade 7-9: Uses precise technical vocabulary (SBS, ISO brightness, lpi, four-colour, offset lithography); quantifies cost deltas; discusses specific finishing processes; links to brand and retail context; considers alternative solutions and rejects them with reasons; justifies premium cost against retail value.
This content is aligned with the AQA GCSE Design and Technology (8552) specification, Paper 1: Core technical principles — Materials and their properties. For the most accurate and up-to-date information, please refer to the official AQA specification document.