Cardstock for Card Making 101: The Best Supplies, Weights, and Techniques 

Whether you’re just starting your making journey or you’ve been crafting for years, there’s a bit of a magical feeling you get creating a handmade card. Even the smallest piece of art can carry a big message– but as any seasoned maker will tell you, the secret to a professional-looking card starts long before you pull out the glitter and pens.  

It starts with the fundamentals: choosing the right cardstock for card making. 

While it might be tempting to grab whatever paper is sitting on the shelf, the difference between standard paper and quality cardstock is night and day. Cardstock provides the durability, structure, and premium feel that transforms a simple note into a keepsake.  

In this guide, we’ll guide you through everything you need to know about selecting the best cardstock, understanding paper weights, and mastering the techniques that lead to perfectly personalized results. 

Starting From Scratch vs. Ready-to-Make Card Kits 

Before diving into the technical details of paper weights, your first big decision is how you want to build your project. There are two main paths: crafting a card wholly from scratch or using ready-to-make card systems, like Cricut Insert Cards or Cutaway Cards. 

Quick and Professional Results with Card Kits 

Pressed for time? Need to make cards in bulk? Luckily for you, Cricut has a quicker path to professional results with specialized options that take the guesswork out of card making:

• Insert Cards: These kits include pre-folded cards with corner slots and a contrasting insert. You cut a design into the front, slide the insert into the slots, and you have a beautiful, multi-colored card in minutes (and without using any glue). 
• Cutaway Cards: These take a different approach by using a full-strength adhesive on the inside of the card. You stick a beautiful backer to the adhesive, cut your design, and then “weed” away the cutouts to reveal the backer underneath. This allows for “floating” designs where pieces aren’t connected to the rest of the card, like the center of an ‘O’ or a ‘B’. 

Making a Card From Scratch

When making a card from scratch, you choose the exact weight for the base, the colors for the layers, and the unique fold style. This is the best route for pop-up cards, shaker cards, or non-traditional sizes. It requires a bit more planning and measuring, but the results are entirely one-of-a-kind. 

Both options provide a high-end look and are perfect when you need to make several cards quickly for holidays or events. 

What Is the Best Cardstock for Card Making? 

If you’ve decided to go the fully customized route, step one is finding the right cardstock for your card project.  

When searching for the best cardstock for card making, you’ll quickly find that not all paper is created equally. Cardstock is (essentially) a middle ground between standard paper and heavy cardboard. It is thick enough to stand upright on a mantel but flexible enough to be cut and folded into intricate designs. 

For most greeting cards, you will want to consider three main categories of cardstock: 

• Lightweight Cardstock: Perfect for delicate layers and intricate die-cuts.  
• Medium Cardstock: The versatile workhorse for most card projects.  
• Heavyweight Cardstock: Sturdy card bases that can to support heavier layers of embellishment. 

Beyond weight, you should also consider the finish. Smooth cardstock is ideal for stamping and clean ink blending, while textured cardstock adds a sophisticated, tactile dimension to your projects. 

Cardstock Weights Explained (LB vs GSM) 

If you’ve ever looked at a pack of paper and felt confused by the numbers on the label– you’re not alone. Understanding the difference between LB (pounds) and GSM (grams per square meter) is the key to getting your projects just right. 

Papers and cardstock are categorized by the weight of the paper. Weight is measured by pounds per 500 sheets in the US (lb), or by how many grams per square meter internationally (GSM). The higher the number the thicker and heavier the paper or cardstock. 

• 65 lb / ~120 GSM: This is often considered lightweight or medium-light cardstock. It is excellent for layering, scrapbooking, and 3D paper flowers where you need the paper to be easily manipulated. 
• 80 lb / ~216 GSM: This is the most popular weight for card making. It is sturdy enough for a card base but thin enough to fold cleanly. It is a fantastic choice for professional-quality greeting cards that will be handled frequently. 
• 100lb / ~270 GSM: This is heavy cardstock. It’s a great choice if you plan on adding heavier layers, pop-up elements, or interactive features.  

Essential Card Making Supplies to Stock Up On 

When making cards, you’ll need a few essential tools in your crafting kit to achieve those pro-quality results we’ve been mentioning:  

• Scoring Tools: To get those crisp, professional folds, a scoring stylus or scoring wheel is a must-have. These tools create a guide for the fold without breaking the paper fibers. 
• Your Favorite Cricut Cutting Machine: A precision cutting machine (like Cricut!) can easily handle the intricate details of the most complicated card designs 
• Adhesives: For cardstock, you want a strong adhesive that won’t warp the paper. Double-sided tape, foam dots for dimension, and high-quality liquid glue with a fine tip are staples in any seasoned card maker’s toolbox.  

How to Fold and Score Cardstock Without Cracking 

You’ve cut a gorgeous card design, and now you’re ready to complete the base. You begin the fold when disaster strikes– the edge cracks. This usually happens because the cardstock paper fibers are stretched and broken, or forced with too much pressure. 

The secret to a perfect fold is understanding grain direction. Like wood, paper has a grain– folding with the grain is much easier than folding against it. Regardless of the grain, you should always score your cardstock before folding, especially with heavier weights.

Use a scoring tool to create a groove where you want the fold to be. When you fold, the side with the indentation (the valley) should be on the outside of the fold. This compresses the fibers on the inside and stretches them less on the outside, resulting in a smooth, professional crease. 

Using Cardstock with Your Cricut 

Your Cricut machine can easily take card making to an entire new level of precision. For most cardstock projects, you’ll simply: 

1. Select and size your design in Design Space. Then, select Make. 
2. Select your material load style – choose Without Mat for Cricut Smart Materials; for all other materials select On Mat, then confirm your mat size if prompted. 
3. Select your specific kind of cardstock from the list of materials. 
4. Place cardstock onto mat. 
5. Load mat into the machine. 
6. Press ‘Go’. 
7. Remove cut design from mat and add to your project. 
8. For multi-color cardstock projects, repeat steps 2-7. 

We recommend doing a test cut to verify your selected setting is right for your specific material. If cardstock did not cut all the way through, or the cut was too deep, try using the More or Less settings in the pressure dropdown on the Make It page. 

An additional pro tip: to prevent curling when removing material from the mat after cutting, flip your mat over and peel it away from cardstock, rather than peeling cardstock away from the mat. 

Cardstock Tips for Pop-Up and Interactive Cards 

Interactive cards bring a definite “wow” factor, but they require a bit more planning regarding paper weight. 

For the card base, always go for a heavy cardstock (100–110 lb) to provide the necessary structure. For the internal pop-up mechanisms, a medium weight (80 lb) is often best. Medium weight is strong enough to hold its shape but flexible enough to fold flat without adding too much bulk to the card. 

When layering for 3D effects, try to balance the weight. If you use too many heavy layers, the card may become difficult to close or too heavy to mail with a standard stamp.  

Common Cardstock Mistakes (and How to Fix Them) 

Even the most pro-level crafters run into trouble sometimes! Here are a few common pitfalls and how to avoid them: 

• Choosing the wrong weight: Using 100 lb cardstock for a delicate 3D flower can make it look bulky, while using 65 lb cardstock for a heavy base can cause the card to sag. Always match the weight to the function. 
• Ignoring grain direction: If your folds are always cracking, check your grain. Try rotating your paper 90 degrees before scoring and folding 
• Skipping the score: Scoring is what separates a DIY look from a professional finish. 
• Over-gluing: Too much liquid glue can cause cardstock to ripple. Use thin layers or double-sided tape for a flatter finish. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Choosing the right cardstock for card making is the first step in creating something truly special. By understanding weights, mastering the art of the score, and using the right tools, you can ensure that every card you make is a masterpiece.

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different finishes and textures to find your unique style! After all, the best part of crafting is the joy of creating something that only you could make.   

Card making is even easier with the latest and greatest Cricut innovations – if you haven’t already, find your machine match on Cricut.com, or browse our available cardstock collections!