What Drafting Paper Do I Need?

All drafting paper is not created equal. There are many different types of drafting paper available for a variety of jobs. It is important to know the right type of paper required for the specific task you need to accomplish. Drafting paper is specially made to be used with pens or pencils. It is smooth and manufactured from various materials that include film and vellum. It is also erasable.

Let's take a look at some of the different varieties of drafting paper that are commonly available:

What drafting paper do I need?

1. Vellum paper

This is a clearprint paper that is both dimensionally stable and translucent. It can be used for printing, tracing and drafting. It is manufactured from plastericized cotton. Humidity and temperature will not affect it. Clearprint vellums are able to be used with laser and inkjet printers for the vast majority of printing applications. They are also an outstanding medium for charcoal, pastels, colored markers and painting.

2. Keuffel and Esser graph paper

This is an engineered grid paper that is printed in blue, orange and green inks. It is printed on either a tracing or a bond paper that is high quality. You will be able to find grid papers in polar, semi logarithmic, 1/2 inch logarithmic, inch and metric.

3. Drafting film

This is ideal for drawing with pencils and pens. It is extremely durable and capable of withstanding a large amount of changes and revisions, which are common during the drafting process. Drafting film is also known for being able to withstand various changes in humidity and temperature, with no visible changes to the paper itself. The film is dimensionally stable and manufactured from a polyester material that can be purchased in various thicknesses. Drafting film can be purchased in either sheets or rolls.

4. Alva-line vellum tracing paper

This type of paper contains the following benefits:

- Uniform quality: All of these papers are uniform in their working surface, formation and transparency.

- Very strong: These papers provide a high level of resistance when it comes to tearing and folding. It easily surpasses all of the governments specifications in regards to these issues.

- No ghosts: There will be no lines appearing that are not desired on either the original or any of the reproductions.

- Surface that is trouble-free and versatile: This paper works equally well with crayons, typing, pencil, water color and ink. It will always hold the precise amount of pencil graphite required.