Buying cardstock should be simple.
And yet, somehow, it often turns into a confusing journey involving numbers, GSM charts, and the sudden realisation that not all white card is the same shade of white.

To save your future self from pacing up and down the craft aisle (or scrolling through product pages at 1am), here are the five most common mistakes people make when choosing cardstock — and how to avoid them.

1. Buying Card That’s Too Thin

If your card flops over like a disappointed houseplant, it’s too thin.

For proper greeting cards, invitations or anything that needs to stand up without support, you should be looking at 250gsm and above. Anything under 200gsm is basically just bossy paper pretending to be card.

A safe, reliable choice:
https://mankeymonkey.co.uk/white-crafting-card

2. Forgetting to Check Whether the Card Is Pre-Scored

If you’ve ever folded thick card and ended up with a cracked spine that looks like it survived a minor accident, congratulations: you have discovered why pre-scored card exists.

If you prefer folding without drama, start here:
https://mankeymonkey.co.uk/pre-scored-white-card-blanks

3. Picking the Wrong Finish for the Job

Certain finishes work better for certain projects:

• Smooth white card is perfect for drawing, stamping and clean designs.

• Black card is ideal for gold pens, metallic inks and dramatic Christmas creations.

• Textured or specialist finishes are great for premium projects.

If you want bold and dramatic, black card always delivers:
https://mankeymonkey.co.uk/pre-scored-white-card-blanks/black-350gsm-pre-scored-square-card-blanks-148-148-mm-heavyweight-craft-cards

4. Forgetting About Envelopes Entirely

It happens. You get excited buying the card. You make the card. And then you realise you have absolutely nothing to put it in.

Make life easier and pick your envelopes at the same time as your card:
https://mankeymonkey.co.uk/products/envelopes

Brown kraft envelopes pair with almost everything and instantly make your project look intentional.

5. Ignoring What Your Printer Can Actually Handle

Even the bravest home printer has limits.

Before you attempt to feed 350gsm card through it and listen to it scream, check your printer specs. Many household printers only support up to 220–250gsm.

If your card is too thick for printing, don’t despair. Hand-drawn, hand-written and layered designs look even better on sturdy cardstock anyway.

Final Thought

Choosing cardstock shouldn’t be stressful. Once you know the right thickness, finish and format, it becomes much easier to pick the perfect card for your project. Start with strong basics, add the right envelope, and suddenly your craft projects look far more professional with far less effort.