Engineering requires putting your ideas down on a material that best presents and preserves them. But what’s the best type of paper? Frequently, engineers, architects, and designers rely on bond paper, and its use is fairly standard among engineering and design students. It also comes in assorted weights and works well with graphite. But bond paper isn’t the only choice. Mylar and vellum paper are two alternatives which offer different qualities that make them desirable for professional engineering work. But the question is mylar or vellum: which is best for your engineering project? Here are the pros and cons for both.
Very Good Vellum
Originally, vellum paper was made from the skins of calves, sheep, goats, and other animals. Today it’s more likely to contain plant matter, but it still retains some of the basic qualities of vintage vellum. Vellum is a durable paper that resembles parchment and generally stands up to drawing and erasing. It is translucent without being transparent and can be useful as tracing paper. Vellum’s durability also allows you to repeatedly draw and erase without it tearing or wearing away. Regardless, vellum is best for doodling, experimenting, and planning a presentation before committing the final drawing to a more durable paper like mylar or another kind. Vellum will cost more than bond paper and is not known for its friendliness toward ink—it may not always absorb it. Regardless, it’s still a solid workhorse of a paper, and pretty affordable too.
Mighty Mylar
Mylar is a more modern paper, or rather, film. It’s worth mentioning that “Mylar” is a brand-name, so when you’re shopping for, say, 4 mil double matte inkjet mylar, what you’re looking for is something called polyethylene terephthalate polyester film (but the store clerks will understand what you mean if you ask for mylar). Mylar is made of a coated synthetic material that comes from petroleum. Mylar is known for having a textured surface with a frosty look. The surface is especially good at preventing ink and similar media from smudging—though it may require special pens, since it has trouble absorbing some inks—and it resists damage from water, oil, and dirt, making it ideal for final projects. Mylar is great for archiving purposes as well since the paper lasts a very, very long time. However, all that durability and quality demands a higher price. When you buy mylar, make sure you get the most out of the least amount of paper.
Next Steps
So, mylar or vellum: which is best for your engineering project? We’ve addressed the positives and negatives of both, but it comes down to the specific job. It’s probably best to think of vellum as the paper for the early part of a project, while mylar handles the tail end. If you have questions about mylar and vellum, contact us. We’ll offer a free consultation and see which paper will work best for you.
