--- title: "Cockling Meaning: Understanding Causes and Solutions" description: Learn effective solutions for preventing paper waving and cockling in your books with these tips. image: https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/hubfs/hpmm.jpg --- [Skip to Content](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/blog/waving-cockling#body) **[InSite Login](https://insite.bradford-bigelow.com/PortalSite/) *•* [Customer Portal](http://portal.bradford-bigelow.com/) *•* [Request a Quote](https://resources.bradford-bigelow.com/quote)** [![BB-Logo](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BB-Logo.png?width=250&height=67&name=BB-Logo.png "BB-Logo")](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/) Toggle Menu - Who We Are Toggle children for Who We Are - [The B&B Story](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/the-bb-story) - [Meet the Team](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/meet-the-team) - [Build a Career](https://careers.bradford-bigelow.com) - [What's New](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/whats-new) - Printing Toggle children for Printing - [Long-Run 4-Color Printing](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/manroland) - [Long-Run 1 and 2-Color Printing](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/timson) - [Medium Run 4-Color Printing](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/hp) - [Short Run 4-Color Printing](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/screens) - Finishing & Logistics Toggle children for Finishing & Logistics - [Binding Styles](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/binding-styles) - [Warehousing & Fulfillment](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/warehousing-fulfillment) - Quality & Sustainability Toggle children for Quality & Sustainability - [Leading Quality Solutions](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/leading-quality-solutions) - [ISO 9001:2015](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/iso-9001) - [G7 Master](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/g7-master) - [Environmental Initiatives](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/environmental-initiatives) - [FSC & SFI](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/fsc-sfi) - Resources Toggle children for Resources - [Ink, Insight & Impact Blog](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/blog) - [Publisher Resource Center](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/publisher-resource-center) - Open Search Search Submit Search - [Get In Touch](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/contact) [back to blog](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/blog) [Paper](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/blog/topic/paper) # Cockling Meaning: Understanding Causes and Solutions Read Time **2 mins** ![](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/hubfs/hpmm.jpg) Cockling Meaning: Understanding Causes and Solutions 3:00 At Bradford & Bigelow, we often encounter questions about the challenges of inkjet printing, particularly on thin, uncoated paper. Two common issues are waving and cockling. In this blog post, we'll explain why these phenomena occur and how to minimize their impact on your books.   **Understanding Waving & Cockling** **Waving** happens when the paper develops undulating waves, usually along the direction of the paper feed. This can result in uneven printing and distortions in the final image. **Cockling** refers to the wrinkling or buckling of the paper surface, which often makes the paper feel rough or uneven to the touch. Cockling can severely affect the appearance and readability of printed materials.   **Why Does This Happen?** The primary causes of waving and cockling in inkjet printing on thin, uncoated paper are related to the interaction between the ink and the paper's properties: - Paper Absorption and Expansion: - Ink Absorption: Uncoated paper lacks a protective barrier, so the ink is absorbed directly into the fibers. This rapid absorption causes the paper fibers to swell unevenly. - Moisture Content: As the ink penetrates the paper, it increases the paper's moisture content. Different parts of the paper absorb ink at different rates, leading to irregular expansion. - Paper Tension and Stress: - Tension Imbalance: As the ink dries, the paper fibers contract unevenly, creating tension within the paper that leads to distortions. - Mechanical Stress: Feeding thin paper through an inkjet printer can introduce mechanical stresses that exacerbate waving and cockling. - Environmental Factors: - Humidity and Temperature: Variations in environmental conditions can affect how paper behaves during printing. High humidity can increase the paper's moisture content, while temperature fluctuations can influence drying rates.   **Choosing the Right Paper for Your Needs** When selecting paper for inkjet printing, there's a tradeoff between cost and the likelihood of experiencing waving and cockling: Economic Paper  Offset #40 and #42.5: These are more affordable paper options, but they are more prone to waving and cockling due to their thinner and less-treated nature. They are suitable for cost-sensitive projects where minor distortions are acceptable. ![40](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/40.png?width=2016&height=585&name=40.png) Higher-Quality Paper  #50 and #60 Treated Paper: These options are more expensive but offer better resistance to waving and cockling. Treated paper is designed to control ink absorption and maintain paper integrity, resulting in smoother and more professional prints. This type of paper is ideal for projects where quality is paramount and minor imperfections cannot be tolerated. ![50](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/50.png?width=2016&height=585&name=50.png) Understanding the causes of waving and cockling in inkjet printing on thin, uncoated paper can help you make informed choices for your printing needs. By balancing cost and quality, you can achieve better results and maintain the quality of your printed materials. ## Ready to improve your print production and minimize issues? [Get Started](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/quote) ![](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/hubfs/Headshots/IC%20Headshot%20reg%20bg.png) [mailto:](mailto:) ##### Imanol Cortazar Imanol is President of Bradford & Bigelow, a leading print and fulfillment company specializing in educational publishing. He brings executive-level expertise in print production, operations, and the evolving needs of publishers. Share the Love [mailto:?subject=Cockling%20Meaning%3A%20Understanding%20Causes%20and%20Solutions&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bradford-bigelow.com%2Fblog%2Fwaving-cockling](mailto:?subject=Cockling%20Meaning%3A%20Understanding%20Causes%20and%20Solutions&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bradford-bigelow.com%2Fblog%2Fwaving-cockling) You May Like These ## Related Articles ![](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Case%20Studies%20Cutting%20Costs.jpg?width=700&name=Case%20Studies%20Cutting%20Costs.jpg) Case Studies ### [Case Study: Choosing the Right Stocks, Cutting Unnecessary Costs](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/blog/case-study-choosing-the-right-stocks-cutting-unnecessary-costs) ![](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Website/1-1.png?width=700&name=1-1.png) Paper ### [How Do You Choose the Right Paper for an Offset Print Run?](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/blog/how-do-you-choose-the-right-paper-for-an-offset-print-run) ![](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CSTPIW.jpg?width=700&name=CSTPIW.jpg) Case Studies ### [Case Study: The Price is Wrong, Evaluating Your Vendors](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/blog/case-study-the-price-is-wrong-evaluating-your-vendors) [![BB-Logo](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/hs-fs/hubfs/BB-Logo.png?width=300&height=80&name=BB-Logo.png "BB-Logo")](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/) Your supply chain partner for 8.5x11 perfect, saddle, coil, and case bound products ###### Resources - [Meet the Team](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/meet-the-team) - [Careers](https://careers.bradford-bigelow.com) - [B&B Blog](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/blog) ###### Contact Us 978-904-3100 Have a question? 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[**Request a quote *⟶***](https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/quote)   ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Imanol Cortazar", "url" : "https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/blog/author/imanol-cortazar" }, "dateModified" : "2026-04-14T13:29:29.041Z", "datePublished" : "2024-05-20T14:10:15.000Z", "headline" : "Cockling Meaning: Understanding Causes and Solutions", "image" : [ "https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/hubfs/hpmm.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/blog/waving-cockling", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/hubfs/Logo600px-1.png" }, "name" : "Bradford & Bigelow" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@id" : "https://www.bradford-bigelow.com/blog/waving-cockling#blogposting", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "about" : [ { "@type" : "Thing", "description" : "A print defect in which paper develops undulating waves along the direction of paper feed, causing uneven printing and image distortion.", "name" : "Waving" }, { "@type" : "Thing", "description" : "A print defect in which paper wrinkles or buckles on the surface due to uneven ink absorption, affecting the appearance and readability of printed materials.", "name" : "Cockling" } ], "articleSection" : "Paper", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Imanol Cortazar" }, "description" : "Waving and cockling are common inkjet printing problems on thin, uncoated paper caused by uneven ink absorption, fiber expansion, and moisture. 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