The demands for high electrophotographic color print quality emphasize the importance of the paper surface. This work demonstrates the effects of the surface roughness and coating layer characteristics of low grammage coated papers on print mottle. Samples were prepared using different coating techniques, different coating formulations and different coat weights and by changing the calendering conditions to give different surface morphological properties. Print mottle was strongly dependent on substrate roughness. The impact of the surface topography was further demonstrated at different transfer voltages, and when the moisture content or resitivity of the paper was changed, where significant differences were found in print mottle especially when the paper was rough. Surface topography can be optimized by a suitable combination of surface treatment and finishing parameters to give a surface texture with good toner-recipient properties.