Your preferred type of paper for 16x20 or larger?

I was just looking for some opinions about paper for big enlargements. I'm printing 11x14 and very soon will be moving to 16x20 enlarged from a 4x5 negative. I've mainly used VC paper so far, but I'm finding it to be a little thin/delicate for larger prints. Would I be better or worse off with fiber for big prints? I don't think there is any double weight VC paper for 16x20 plus but I could be wrong. What is your preferred type of paper for large prints?

Arcturus said:

I was just looking for some opinions about paper for big enlargements. I'm printing 11x14 and very soon will be moving to 16x20 enlarged from a 4x5 negative. I've mainly used VC paper so far, but I'm finding it to be a little thin/delicate for larger prints. Would I be better or worse off with fiber for big prints? I don't think there is any double weight VC paper for 16x20 plus but I could be wrong. What is your preferred type of paper for large prints?

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Do you mean "RC" instead of VC paper?

Ilford Portfolio is a double weight RC paper and is available in 16x20. B&H has it in stock, both Pearl and Glossy.

Regular Ilford RC paper in 16x20 is quite doable. I would suggest to do single-tray processing for sizes like this regardless whether it's RC or FB. See http://www.heylloyd.com/technicl/wb/single_r.htm

I recently made a 16"x20" for wall display and used Ilford Multigrade FB Classic Gloss Variable Contrast paper and was quite happy with the results. I had previously used RC paper of that size and found it difficult to mount properly.

I only make fine art prints on "double weight" fiber. I prefer graded all the way around, from 11x14 to 30x40 (inches). I've found all brands suitable to at least 20x24 sheet, glossy or semi-matte. The options in roll paper, from which prints larger than 20x24 may be made, are severely limited, often forcing me to change brands or to VC, from sheet sizes. The trick, if there is one, is to keep editions of your negative as consistent as possible as they are enlarged. The other concern, which is no trick, is to use care in your print physical processing. I've never found any decent paper of any sheet size to be any different than any other in that regard. FWIW, I don't consider standard sheet sizes to 20x24 to be big enlargements.