Cricut Settings for Every Cardstock Weight: The Complete Reference
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Last updated: May 2026 — by Ashlee Falco
Cricut Design Space has a «cardstock» setting, and most people just click it and hope. That works maybe 70% of the time. The other 30% — when your blade doesn't cut all the way through, or when it tears your material, or when you're using a specialty finish that doesn't fit the preset — you're flying blind with guesses.
This guide gives you the exact settings — blade type, mat, Design Space preset, manual pressure and speed — for every cardstock weight you might use, and every Cricut machine that exists. It's a reference sheet you can keep open while you work. No more wasted material. No more crushed expectations.
The 30-second answer
- 65-67 lb smooth (standard): Light Cardstock setting, standard blade, light grip mat, or manual pressure 2–3
- 80-100 lb smooth (premium): Cardstock setting, standard blade, light grip mat, or manual pressure 3–4
- 250 gsm glitter: Cardstock setting, standard blade, light grip mat, speed 6, pressure 4, or manual pressure 3–4 (glitter needs slower, steadier pressure)
- 230 gsm specialty (mirror, holographic, metallic): Cardstock setting, standard blade, light grip mat, pressure 3–4 — same as 100 lb smooth
Understanding the settings you're actually adjusting
Cricut gives you five variables:
- Material preset: What Design Space thinks you're cutting (Light Cardstock, Cardstock, Premium Cardstock, etc.)
- Blade type: Standard, fine-point, deep-point, or knife blade
- Mat type: Light grip, standard grip, strong grip, or fabric grip
- Speed: How fast the machine moves the blade (1–10, where 10 is fastest)
- Pressure: How hard the blade presses (1–5, where 5 is maximum)
The presets are starting points, not gospel. If your cardstock is particularly coated or textured, you might need to adjust pressure or speed manually. This guide shows you what manual adjustments look like.
Complete settings reference by cardstock weight
65 lb smooth (thin, standard printer-grade cardstock)
Design Space preset: Light Cardstock or Light Cardstock (Cricut Maker: Cardstock on Medium Pressure)
Blade type: Standard blade
Mat type: Light grip mat
Manual settings (if adjusting): Speed 10, Pressure 2–3
Notes: This weight is borderline flimsy. It cuts cleanly but doesn't feel premium. If you're making cards, customers notice. If you're making toppers that stick into cake, it bends. Test a scrap before committing to your full design.
67 lb smooth (Celebration Warehouse standard)
Design Space preset: Light Cardstock
Blade type: Standard blade
Mat type: Light grip mat
Manual settings: Speed 10, Pressure 2–3
Notes: This is your sweet spot for fold-heavy projects (cards, banners that bend). The weight is substantial without being stiff. It folds without cracking, cuts without tearing, and photographs beautifully. Most guides and templates are designed for this weight.
80 lb smooth (premium, felt-weight cardstock)
Design Space preset: Cardstock
Blade type: Standard blade
Mat type: Light grip or standard grip mat (test Light first; if cuts are incomplete, step to Standard)
Manual settings: Speed 8–9, Pressure 3
Notes: This weight is visibly thicker. It feels premium in hand. Toppers made from 80 lb material feel substantial. Cards from 80 lb feel like a keepsake. The trade-off: it's heavier for projects, and some intricate designs might need a second pass or slightly stronger pressure.
100 lb smooth (cardstock, jacket-weight)
Design Space preset: Premium Cardstock (Cricut Maker: Cardstock on Heavy Pressure)
Blade type: Standard blade (some users report success with deep-point, but standard works)
Mat type: Standard grip or strong grip mat
Manual settings: Speed 5–7, Pressure 4–5
Notes: This weight is thick. It's closer to thin cardboard than cardstock. It cuts cleanly but requires pressure and patience. Designs with intricate detail might need two passes. If your blade is dull, you'll see immediate tearing. Keep a fresh blade handy.
110 lb smooth (cardstock, cover-weight)
Design Space preset: Premium Cardstock or manually adjust
Blade type: Standard blade
Mat type: Strong grip mat
Manual settings: Speed 4–5, Pressure 5 (maximum)
Notes: This is the upper limit for standard blades on most Cricut machines. It's almost cardboard. It requires maximum pressure and slow speed. Intricate designs absolutely need two passes. If you're considering 110 lb, you might want a knife blade (Cricut Maker only) instead.
250 gsm shed-free glitter (Celebration Warehouse glitter)
Design Space preset: Cardstock (but adjust manually for glitter)
Blade type: Standard blade
Mat type: Light grip mat (glitter can't stick as well to strong grip; it reflects and doesn't grip)
Manual settings: Speed 6, Pressure 3–4
Notes: Glitter is finicky. The glitter surface reflects light and doesn't grip like smooth cardstock. Slow speed (6 instead of 10) gives the blade time to cut through the glitter without ripping it. The white backing cuts cleanly, so your main issue is glitter tearing. Keep pressure moderate — too much flattens the glitter and can cause drag.
230 gsm specialty finish (mirror, holographic, pearl, metallic)
Design Space preset: Cardstock
Blade type: Standard blade
Mat type: Light grip or standard grip mat
Manual settings: Speed 6–8, Pressure 3–4
Notes: Specialty finishes are stiffer than smooth cardstock because of the metallic or pearl coating. They cut cleanly once the blade gets through the surface finish. If you're getting incomplete cuts, you likely need a second pass rather than more pressure (more pressure can crack the finish or cause the blade to slip sideways). These materials are expensive — always test on a scrap first.
Cricut machine-specific adjustments
Cricut Joy (smallest machine)
Joy has fewer pressure/speed settings than Explore or Maker, but the same materials work. Use the Cardstock preset in Joy's menu, and don't override manually unless you have persistent problems. Joy's system is simpler — that's the trade-off for portability.
Cricut Explore (1st gen and 2nd gen)
Explore has Design Space presets and limited manual controls. Light Cardstock and Cardstock presets work as described above. If you need manual adjustments, use the fine-tuning options in Design Space (speed and pressure sliders). Explore doesn't have a knife blade option.
Cricut Maker (and Maker 3)
Maker gives you the most control — four blade options (standard, fine-point, deep-point, knife), plus full speed/pressure manual adjustments. If you're cutting heavy cardstock or specialty finishes regularly, Maker is worth the investment because you can adjust every variable.
With a knife blade (Maker-exclusive), you can cut 100+ lb cardstock or thin leather. For standard cardstock, standard blade + Design Space presets is all you need.
Common problems and solutions
Blade doesn't cut all the way through on first pass
Check in order:
- Is the blade fresh? A dull blade is the #1 culprit. Replace it
- Is pressure set high enough? Increase pressure by 1 step, test on a scrap
- Is speed too fast? Slow it down (lower the speed number) to give the blade time
- Still not working? A second pass at normal settings is cleaner than one pass at maximum pressure
Cardstock is tearing or the cut edge is rough
Check in order:
- Blade is dull or dirty (glitter can clog it). Replace or clean
- Pressure is too high for the material (flattens fibers, causes tearing). Reduce pressure by 1 step
- You're using a blade designed for a different material (fine-point on glitter, for example). Stick with standard blade for cardstock
Design is lifting off the mat mid-cut
Check in order:
- Mat adhesive is exhausted (happens after 20+ projects). Get a fresh mat
- You're using the wrong mat type. Glossy cardstock (metallic, pearl) doesn't stick to strong grip as well. Try light grip
- Pressure is too low (happens when someone under-pressures specialty finishes). Increase pressure slightly
Cut is clean but doesn't separate completely
This usually means you need a second pass, which is totally normal for heavy cardstock or specialty finishes. Just run the same cut again without adjusting pressure or speed. The blade will complete the path.
Blade maintenance and replacement
A dull blade causes 80% of cutting problems. Replace your blade:
- Every 50–100 cuts if you're doing heavy projects (toppers, cardstock daily)
- Every 150–200 cuts if you're cutting lighter materials (paper, vinyl)
- Immediately if you notice tearing, incomplete cuts, or rough edges
A fresh blade is cheaper than the cardstock you'll waste troubleshooting dull-blade problems. Keep blades in stock.
Frequently asked questions
Should I use the Cricut presets or manual settings?
Start with presets — they're designed for standard material batches. Once you know your machine and material, you can tweak manually. Most people never need to.
Can I use a blade other than Standard for cardstock?
Yes, but Standard is best. Fine-point is for detail (vinyl, paper). Deep-point is for thick materials. Knife blade (Maker only) is for heavy cardstock or leather. Stick with Standard unless you have a specific reason to switch.
What happens if I set pressure too high?
The blade presses hard enough that it can crack or splinter the material. For glitter, high pressure flattens the glitter and ruins the finish. For smooth cardstock, it can cause the blade to skip sideways. Pressure higher than needed is always worse than slightly lower and a second pass.
Is there a cardstock that Cricut just can't cut?
Anything with a plastic coating or vinyl backing is a no-go. Cricut cuts physical material — if the finish is laminated on, the blade can't separate fibers. Stick with uncoated cardstock.
How often should I clean my blade?
If you're cutting glitter, after every 5–10 cuts, use a small brush (toothbrush works) or lint roller to clean glitter particles out of the blade tip. Glitter clogs the blade fast. For smooth cardstock, cleaning is less critical but doesn't hurt.
Can I use these settings on cardstock for Cricut Joy vs. Cricut Maker?
Most settings work across machines, but Joy has a smaller menu of presets. If a setting says "Cardstock on Heavy Pressure," that's Maker-specific language. On Joy, just use Cardstock. The machines work similarly; the interface is just different.
Should I test every new cardstock on a scrap?
Yes. Every batch is slightly different — thickness varies, coating varies, ink residue varies. A single 12x12 scrap tells you if your settings are right. Worth it every time.
Ready to start?
- Identify your cardstock weight (check the label, or compare to the weight guide if you're unsure)
- Use the reference table above to find your settings — start with Design Space preset, then adjust only if you have problems
- Test on a scrap before committing to your full design, especially for specialty finishes
Cricut settings are less mysterious than they feel. Get your blade fresh, match your cardstock weight, and trust the presets. Everything else is tweaking. — Ashlee