<p>From <a href="https://www.dickblick.com/productinfo/learn/paper/#question2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">DickBlick</a>:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Manufacturers generally offer three or more finishes, usually labeled rough, cold press, not/cold press and hot press.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>I have never seen "not press" as a substitute for cold press, it might be regional. So in order of rough to smooth: rough, cold press, hot press. Bond is a hot pressed paper. Plate paper is the smoothest. </p>

<p>Of course your best bet is to look at/feel the paper yourself, but these catagories should give you a starting point. </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-05T16:41:53.143Z
2019-02-05T16:41:53.143Z
rebusB
<p>Yes! Different papers have different "tooth" -- this is another term for the <em>roughness</em> of the paper. The smoother a piece of paper feels, the less tooth; the rougher, the more tooth.</p>

<p>Most writing or copier/printer paper has very little tooth. It's not common for a tooth "value" to be shown on a package of paper, but different levels of tooth are sold for different purposes:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/HQf65.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/HQf65.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a>
<sub><em>Image from <a href="http://helloartsy.com/how-to-choose-quality-drawing-paper/" rel="noreferrer">Hello Artsy: How to choose quality drawing paper</a></em></sub></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-01T13:00:07.500Z
What am I supposed to the tell the shopkeeper about the kind of paper that I want.  I live in India, I don't think shopkeepers would know about the teeth.
Aquarius_Girl
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-01T13:02:32.290Z
Try specifying what you want to draw with -- "a pad of drawing paper that is for graphite or colored pencils", for example. (It may also help to find that product on Amazon and bring them that description.)
Erica
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-02-05T16:26:21.170Z
The shopkeeper might understand "roughness" or "texture" if the term "tooth" doesn't translate well.
rebusB
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-01T12:45:19.627Z
2016-06-01T12:45:19.627Z
Erica
<p>I was told in the other question that cold press paper means paper having tooth.</p>

<p>So, I want to know - are there any levels of tooth in papers?</p>

<p>I have paper in the house. It is not glazed. I want to know how much tooth it has.</p>

<p>Google search resulted in tooth decay information.</p>

<paper>
Does paper have tooth levels?
Aquarius_Girl
# Does paper have tooth levels?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-06-01)

I was told in the other question that cold press paper means paper having tooth.

So, I want to know - are there any levels of tooth in papers?

I have paper in the house. It is not glazed. I want to know how much tooth it has.

Google search resulted in tooth decay information.

**Tags:** paper


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-06-01. Score: 11 | Accepted answer

Yes! Different papers have different "tooth" -- this is another term for the *roughness* of the paper. The smoother a piece of paper feels, the less tooth; the rougher, the more tooth.

Most writing or copier/printer paper has very little tooth. It's not common for a tooth "value" to be shown on a package of paper, but different levels of tooth are sold for different purposes:

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/HQf65.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/HQf65.jpg)
*Image from [Hello Artsy: How to choose quality drawing paper](http://helloartsy.com/how-to-choose-quality-drawing-paper/)*

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: What am I supposed to the tell the shopkeeper about the kind of paper that I want.  I live in India, I don't think shopkeepers would know about the teeth.  
> **username_2**: Try specifying what you want to draw with -- "a pad of drawing paper that is for graphite or colored pencils", for example. (It may also help to find that product on Amazon and bring them that description.)  
> **username_1**: The shopkeeper might understand "roughness" or "texture" if the term "tooth" doesn't translate well.  

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### Answer by username_1 on 2019-02-05. Score: 1

From [DickBlick](https://www.dickblick.com/productinfo/learn/paper/#question2):

> Manufacturers generally offer three or more finishes, usually labeled rough, cold press, not/cold press and hot press.

I have never seen "not press" as a substitute for cold press, it might be regional. So in order of rough to smooth: rough, cold press, hot press. Bond is a hot pressed paper. Plate paper is the smoothest.

Of course your best bet is to look at/feel the paper yourself, but these catagories should give you a starting point.


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