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What is clay paper? Mr Beam explains it

What is clay paper And how is it different from other types of paper?

At clay paper It is coloured paper or coloured cardboard. This paper is made from a coloured pulp mass. Clay paper Differences from photo cardboard only insignificantly, and often these two terms are used in general for colourful, thicker paper. As a rule, however, photo cardboard is a bit thicker as a tone cardboard. Photo cardboard is mostly offered in a gram mage of 300 g/m² and is accordingly stable and robust. If there is talk of handicraft paper, this can generally mean any paper that can be used for a wide variety of handicrafts.

What is clay paper?

If you look around in a handicraft business or online shop, it may be that you clay paper met under different names. In some shops, the colourful, rather thick paper than a clay box, tone paper, photo cardboard or just as clay paper designated. Maybe it is only declared as a handicraft paper. As a rule, these terms are used synonymously, and it is always a thick, colourful paper that you can use for tinkering. Where the designation "clay paper" come, is not known. Tone is not included in the paper. It may be a derivation of cardboard. It could also be that the name stems that a tinted paper porridge is used for the production of the construction paper.

As is clay paper manufactured?

Towel paper is comparatively cheap, and this is among other things because of the simple manufacturing processes. The following steps are necessary to make the thick, colourful paper:


  • In the first step, pulp is produced. For this purpose, wooden pieces are cooked in an alkaline solution. Mostly becomes wood used by larch or spruce.
  • In the second step, the resulting wood porridge is mixed with a large proportion of waste paper and clean, warm water. A much larger proportion of waste paper is contained in the tone paper than, for example, in conventional printer paper. The waste paper ensures that the wood porridge becomes thicker.
  • The fibres should combine in the next step. In order for this to happen, the fibres are squeezed. In technical terms, this process is also called "Gautschen". The pulp is pressed and drained. Thanks to the gusts, you can do without adding adhesives in the production of tone paper.
  • Tone paper Is not only available in one colour, but in very many. There are at least 40 different colours in which this paper is made. In order to be able to produce coloured paper, you now have to add the desired colour pigment to the pulp mass.
  • In the next step, the mass of cellulose is applied to a wire conveyor belt. The porridge with warm air is blown from above and from below. In this way, the tone paper can dry.
  • In the last step, the paper created in this way is raised on large roles and can then be cut into the different formats.

What properties has clay paper?

clay paper

Who is wondering what is clay paper, may also want to know what the clay paper Characteristics are. If you think of sound paper, you probably think directly about tinkering. Because the clay paper Properties ensure that this paper is perfect for tinkering. The following clay paper Properties characterize this type of paper:


  • Tay paper is more stable than conventional printer paper. Even with the same gram mage is clay paper more stable and can be used in a variety of ways.
  • Even if clay paper is very stable, it can be processed well with different cutting tools such as scissors, knives or our laser cutter.
  • clay paper Is in many sizes, Gram matures and colours available. There is a large selection.
  • clay paper is cheap to buy.
  • clay paper Is perfect with properties such as its rough surface structure if you want to work with different colours, liquids and adhesives. Thanks to the rough structure, liquids and adhesives move in and hold well.
  • clay paper can be combined with many materials such as plastic, leather, textiles and other types of paper.


A small disadvantage may be that it clay paper Often you can buy in packs that contain many colours. This often leads to the fact that clay paper remains in some colours and stacks over time. Here, it can make sense to buy larger quantities of individual colours. Thanks to the rough surface structure of tinted board, it is easy to design this paper with a wide variety of techniques. You can sound paper Print, describe, paint and stamp them on top. Towel paper can also be folded to a certain extent. It is also possible to use it for the origami folding technology. However, some thinner types of paper are usually more suitable for origami. With the thicker tone paper, you can help yourself with a fold and a ruler if you really want to fold straight lines.

Origami from clay paper

Clay paper Or tone cardboard - what is the difference to coloured paper?

There is a crucial difference between tone paper or tone cardboard and coloured paper. In contrast to coloured paper, clay box is completely coloured. This means that if you cut or tear clay box, then there are no white edges. If it is important to you that your paper is coloured, then you should decide for a sound cardboard and not coloured paper. Towel paper and tone cardboard are made directly from a coloured mass.

Tips for buying tone paper

When buying a tone cardboard, as with many other things, if you buy the paper in larger quantities, the single sheet is usually cheaper. A lot and large is usually cheaper here than small packs. The purchase of individual arches is therefore not necessarily recommended. A single sheet in DIN A3 costs a lot more compared to a package with 100 arches in DIN 4. It is also important that you On a certain strength of the eighth test. If you buy the clay box too thin, then you may not be able to make it as desired. A gram mage is given in many craft instructions. Paper is often used in a gram mage of 130 g/m². Paper in this strength is ideal for various handicrafts. It is stable, but still flexible. If the handicraft is to be particularly stable, clay paper with a gram mage of 300 g/m² is recommended. If you buy tone paper in cheap large packs, this can have the disadvantage that arches in colours that you rarely use for tinkering left. Here it is important to weigh up or find ways of using rarely used colours. Clay cardboard is suitable, for example, for homemade envelopes or can be used for handicrafts with paper mache.

Clay cardboard - versatile

clay paper

Coloured handicraft paper like Tonbox and photo cardboard are suitable for different design options. With tone paper you can, for example, invitation cards and decorations for the Children's birthday handcraft. The paper is also suitable for gift packaging, school bags, scrapbooking, Lantern, Window pictures, paper figures and much more. With a tone cardboard you can let your imagination run wild. Whether you want to paint, glue or cut, Everything is possible with a sound cardboard. Also our Laser cutter Is optimal for tinkering with clay paper suitable. If you want to finally implement your creative ideas with a tone cardboard, you are well advised with the laser cutter from our shop. With the laser cutter, there are hardly any limits to your imagination.

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You want more about others Materials for lasers Experienced? Then look ours Material guide in the Mr Beam Blog on. We provide you with many materials like cork, felt, concrete or Hardwood before.

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