TechNote Paper-02
Paper Weights and Conversions
06-Sep-2005 Ed Palmer

Summary: Paper weights are measured by different standards depending on the country (US vs. metric) and the paper type. Converting between US and metric weights is a complex subject.

Thickness: Paper weight is a direct relection of paper thickness. By measuring the thickness of a sheet of paper with an accurate micrometer, the weight can be determined from the chart below. Thickness is normally expressed in inches or millimeters, but can also be measured in points, where 1 point = .001 inches.

Paper Grade	Bond (Ledger, Manifold, Onionskin)	Index	Tag	Cover	Book (Bible, Coated, Offset)	Newsprint	Bristol
Basic Size	17 x 22 inches	25.5 x 30.5 inches	24 x 36 inches	20 x 26 inches	25 x 38 inches	24 x 36 inches	22.5 x 28.5 inches
Convert lbs to g/m2	3.7597 x lbs = g/m2	1.808 x lbs = g/m2	1.6275 x lbs = g/m2	2.7041 x lbs = g/m2	1.4801 x lbs = g/m2	1.6275 x lbs = g/m2	2.1928 x lbs = g/m2
Convert g/m2 to lbs	0.26598 x g/m2 = lbs	0.55311 x g/m2 = lbs	0.61445 x g/m2 = lbs	0.36981 x g/m2 = lbs	0.67561 x g/m2 = lbs	0.61445 x g/m2 = lbs	0.45604 x g/m2 = lbs

Basis Weight Equivalents

Using the formulas listed above, a table of equivalent weights has been prepared to simplify conversions.

• Numbers in bold are the standard basis weights for the paper type listed at the top of the column.
• Non-bold numbers are the calculated equivalent weights for other paper types. These paper types are not normally produced at these weights.
• All numbers are rounded down.
• If a weight is expressed in points, divide it by 1000 for the thickness in inches.

Example of usage:

Tray 2 on the mL450 is rated at 17 to 53 lbs for Bond paper. From the table below, this would be equivalent to 24 to 74 lbs for Cover paper (cardstock).

	Thickness
Grammage g/m2	Inches	mm	Bond	Index (Cardstock)	Tag (Cardstock)	Cover (Cardstock)	Book	Newsprint	Bristol
25			7	14	15	9	17	15	11
30			8	16	18	11	20	18	13
34			9	19	21	13	23	21	15
36			10	20	22	13	24	22	16
44			12	25	27	16	30	27	20
45			12	25	28	17	30	28	21
46			12	25	28	17	31	28	21
49			13	27	30	18	33	30	22
52			14	29	32	19	35	32	24
55			15	31	34	20	37	34	25
57			15	32	35	21	39	35	26
59			16	33	36	22	40	36	27
60	.0032	.081	16	33	37	22	41	37	27
64			17	35	39	24	43	39	29
67	.0036	.092	18	37	41	25	45	41	30
74			20	41	45	27	50	45	34
75	.0038	.097	20	42	46	28	51	46	34
81			22	45	50	30	55	50	37
Grammage g/m2	Inches	mm	Bond	Index	Tag	Cover (Cardstock)	Book	Newsprint	Bristol
89			24	49	55	33	60	55	40
90	.0048	.12	24	50	55	33	61	55	41
104			28	57	64	38	70	64	47
105	.0058	.147	28	58	65	40	71	65	48
108	.0060	.152	29	60	66	40	73	66	49
111			30	61	68	41	75	68	51
118	.0061	.155	31	65	73	44	80	73	54
120			32	67	74	44	81	74	55
125			33	69	77	46	84	77	57
133			35	74	82	49	90	82	61
135	.0068	.173	36	75	83	50	91	83	62
147	.0072	.183	39	81	90	54	99	90	67
148			39	82	91	55	100	91	67
149			40	82	91	55	100	91	68
150	.0073	.185	40	83	92	56	102	92	69
155			41	86	95	57	105	95	71
160			43	88	98	59	108	98	73
162	.0074	.188	43	90	100	60	110	100	74
Grammage g/m2	Inches	mm	Bond	Index	Tag	Cover (Cardstock)	Book	Newsprint	Bristol
163	.0076	.193	43	90	100	60	110	100	74
170			45	94	105	63	115	105	78
175			47	97	108	65	119	108	80
176	.0078	.198	47	97	108	65	119	108	80
178			47	98	109	66	120	109	81
184			49	103	113	68	124	113	85
189			50	105	116	70	128	116	86
197			52	109	121	73	133	121	90
199	.0085	.216	53	110	122	74	134	122	91
203	.009	.229	54	113	125	75	137	125	93
216			58	120	133	80	146	133	99
219	.0092	.234	58	121	135	81	148	135	100
227			60	126	139	84	153	139	104
243			65	135	150	90	164	150	111
244	.0095	.241	65	135	150	90	165	150	111
253	.010	.25	67	140	156	94	171	156	115
263			70	146	162	97	178	162	120
270	.011	.289	72	150	166	100	183	166	123
Grammage g/m2	Inches	mm	Bond	Index	Tag	Cover (Cardstock)	Book	Newsprint	Bristol
285	.013	.33	76	158	175	105	192	175	130
298			79	165	183	110	201	183	136
307	.014	.356	82	170	189	114	207	189	140
325			86	179	199	120	219	199	148
326	.015	.38	87	180	200	120	220	200	148
351			93	194	216	130	237	216	160
352			94	194	216	130	237	216	160
395	.0175	.445	105	218	243	146	267	243	180
398			106	220	244	147	269	244	181
407			108	225	250	150	275	250	186
439			117	243	269	162	296	269	200
488			130	270	300	181	330	300	227

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