What Is Matte Cover Paper At FedEx Office? A Complete 2026 Guide To Professional Printing Specs

When preparing documents, marketing collateral, or creative presentations at FedEx Office, selecting the correct paper stock is the single most critical decision influencing the tactile and visual quality of your finished project. Among the premium materials available for commercial and retail printing, Matte Cover Paper stands out as a highly requested, professional-grade stock.

Matte cover paper at FedEx Office is a heavy, cardstock-weight paper featuring a smooth, non-reflective coating. Unlike standard printer paper, which is thin and uncoated, or gloss cardstock, which has a shiny, light-reflecting finish, matte cover provides a dull, elegant surface that minimizes glare while maintaining exceptional color contrast and text readability.

Understanding the technical specifications, weight dynamics, and optimal use cases of this specific stock ensures your print campaigns achieve maximum impact.

Technical Specifications of FedEx Matte Cover Paper

To select the ideal paper stock, you must understand the distinction between "Cover" and "Text" weights, as well as the metric weight measurements used in the commercial printing industry. FedEx Office sources high-quality digital paper stocks optimized for their production-grade laser presses, such as the Canon imagePRESS and Xerox Iridesse digital engines.

The primary technical specifications for the standard matte cover paper stocked at FedEx Office include:

• Basis Weight (U.S. Standard): Typically offered in 80 lb Cover or 100 lb Cover. It is crucial not to confuse 80 lb Cover with 80 lb Text; cover stocks are significantly thicker and more rigid than text stocks.
• Metric Weight (GSM): 80 lb Cover equates to approximately 216 gsm (grams per square meter), while 100 lb Cover equates to approximately 270 gsm.
• Caliper (Thickness): Caliper is measured in points (where 1 point = 1/1000 of an inch). FedEx 80 lb Matte Cover has a caliper of approximately 9.5 to 10.5 pt, providing a sturdy, premium hand-feel.
• Brightness Rating: Usually ranges between 92 and 96 on the US Ge brightness scale, ensuring crisp white spaces and excellent contrast for colored inks.
• Coating Formulation: It features a light pigment coating (often referred to in commercial printing as a "dull" or "silk" coat) that fills in the microscopic valleys of the paper fibers. This creates an ultra-smooth surface that stabilizes toner adhesion during the digital fusing process without creating a reflective sheen.

Comprehensive Comparison: Matte Cover vs. Other FedEx Paper Stocks

To help you choose the right paper for your project, the table below compares the standard paper stocks available at FedEx Office locations.

Pros and Cons of Choosing Matte Cover Paper

Evaluating the aesthetic and functional properties of matte cover paper helps prevent unexpected results after your job is sent to the production press.

The Advantages

• Zero Glare and High Readability: Because the coating diffuses light rather than reflecting it, documents printed on matte cover are highly readable under harsh office fluorescent lighting or outdoor sunlight. This makes it ideal for text-heavy presentations and manuals.
• Sophisticated, Modern Aesthetic: Glossy paper can sometimes look commercial or overly bright. Matte cover provides a muted, elegant, and artistic appearance that appeals to premium brands, law firms, architectural agencies, and medical practices.
• Resistance to Fingerprints and Smudges: Glossy coatings easily collect natural oils from fingers, leaving visible smudges. Matte surfaces resist fingerprinting, making them superior for pieces designed for heavy physical handling.
• Ease of Writing: Unlike gloss-coated stocks, which repel most inks, the smooth matte surface accepts ballpoint pens, stamps, and highlighters without significant smudging.

The Limitations

• Subdued Color Vibrancy: Because the matte coating absorbs and diffuses light, colors will not "pop" with the same intense saturation as they do on gloss stocks. Deep blacks can look slightly softer (closer to charcoal), and bright neon tones may appear slightly subdued.
• Susceptibility to Scuffing: Heavy toner coverage on matte stock can sometimes be prone to minor scuffing or burnishing during post-press finishing, such as folding, cutting, or binding.

Best Use Cases for FedEx Matte Cover Paper

Choosing the right stock depends heavily on how the printed asset will be used, stored, and held. Matte cover is highly recommended for several specific professional applications:

Corporate Presentation Covers and Pitch Decks

When presenting a proposal to high-value clients, the cover sheet sets the tone before the document is even opened. An 80 lb or 100 lb matte cover provides the rigid physical structure required to protect the internal pages, while the non-glare surface displays your corporate logo and title with clean, understated professionalism.

Restaurant and Spa Menus

Menus are handled continuously and are exposed to varying lighting conditions. Matte cover prevents overhead dining lights from reflecting off the page, allowing guests to read items easily. Additionally, its resistance to fingerprint smudges keeps the menus looking cleaner for a longer duration compared to gloss alternatives.

Art Portfolios and Photography Books

For designers, architects, and photographers, color accuracy and texture are paramount. Matte cover paper excels at reproducing skin tones, architectural drawings, fine lines, and subtle gradients without the distracting glare of a high-gloss finish.

Premium Event Invitations and Postcards

If you are designing invitations for a corporate gala, gallery opening, or wedding, matte cover delivers a tactile weight that feels expensive and exclusive. The stock works beautifully with minimalist, elegant designs that rely on whitespace and clean typography.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Order Matte Cover Printing at FedEx Office

Ordering your prints correctly prevents production delays and ensures the final output matches your design specifications.

1. Prepare Your Design Files: Export your artwork or document as a print-ready PDF. Ensure all images are high resolution (at least 300 DPI) and that your document color space is set to CMYK to prevent color shifting during digital printing.
2. Access the FedEx Office Print Tool: Navigate to the official FedEx Office online printing portal, or visit a physical location.
3. Select Your Product Category: Choose the appropriate format for your project (e.g., "Document Printing," "Coil Bound Reports," or "Custom Cards").
4. Configure Paper Selection: Under the paper options dropdown menu, locate the "Cover Stock" section. Select Matte Cover. If given the choice, select 80 lb Cover for standard professional weight, or 100 lb Cover if you require maximum stiffness.
5. Set Finishing Options: If your document contains full-bleed images (printing all the way to the edge of the paper), select "Print with Bleed" and choose "Trim to Edge." You can also select binding options such as coil binding, comb binding, or wire-o binding, which pair exceptionally well with matte cover backings.
6. Review the Digital Proof and Submit: Carefully inspect the digital preview to ensure your margins, text boundaries, and images are aligned properly. Once verified, submit the order for local pickup or delivery.

Technical Recommendations for Designing on Matte Stock

Design Tip: Account for Dot Gain and Color Absorption

Because matte coatings are slightly more porous than high-gloss coatings, they exhibit a higher rate of dot gain (the tendency of ink or toner to spread slightly as it adheres to the paper). When designing text or fine details on matte cover, maintain a minimum font size of 6 pt and avoid ultra-thin serif fonts on dark backgrounds to prevent the text from filling in.

Layout Tip: Manage Margin and Bleed Settings

Always build your files with a 0.125-inch bleed on all sides if your graphics extend to the edge of the page. This prevents unsightly white slivers along the edges when the heavy matte cover stock is cut down on FedEx's industrial hydraulic paper cutters. Keep all critical text at least 0.25 inches away from the trim line.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you write on FedEx matte cover paper?

Yes, you can easily write on FedEx matte cover paper using standard ballpoint pens, permanent markers, and pencils. Unlike glossy finishes, which cause wet ink to smear and repel graphite, the matte coating provides enough texture for ink to adhere and dry quickly, though gel pens may still require a few seconds of drying time.

What is the difference between matte cover and matte text paper?

The primary difference is thickness and weight. Matte cover is a thick, rigid cardstock (typically 80 lb to 100 lb Cover / 216 to 270 GSM) used for covers, menus, and cards. Matte text is a much thinner, flexible paper (typically 28 lb to 32 lb Ledger / 100 to 120 GSM) designed for internal pages of a book, brochures, or standard document sheets.

How thick is 80 lb matte cover paper compared to regular printer paper?

FedEx 80 lb matte cover paper is approximately 10 pt in thickness (0.010 inches), which is roughly three to four times thicker than standard 20 lb copy paper. It has a rigid, card-like feel that does not bend easily under its own weight, whereas regular copy paper is highly flexible and prone to creasing.

Is matte cover paper the same as cardstock?

Yes, matte cover paper is a premium type of coated cardstock. In the printing industry, "cover paper" is the professional term used to describe cardstock, heavy-weight sheets, and pasteboards. The "matte" prefix simply refers to the smooth, non-glossy coating applied to the surface during manufacturing.

Does FedEx print double-sided on matte cover paper?

Yes, FedEx Office digital presses are fully capable of duplex (double-sided) printing on both 80 lb and 100 lb matte cover stocks. Because the paper is thick and opaque, there is virtually zero "show-through" or ghosting of images from one side to the other.

Elevating Your Print Projects with Professional Materials

Selecting the perfect paper stock requires balancing structural needs, aesthetic goals, and functional demands. Matte cover paper at FedEx Office remains a gold standard for professionals who want to convey quality, modern elegance, and durability without the distracting glare of glossy finishes. Whether you are launching a new restaurant menu, presenting a multi-million dollar business pitch, or distribution-testing self-published books, utilizing this high-caliber stock elevates your physical presentations.

For complex layouts or large-scale print runs, consider visiting your local FedEx Office print hub to touch the physical paper samples in their paper selector guide. This hands-on step ensures the tactile feedback matches your expectations before finalizing your production run.