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Basic Weights

The basis weight of a paper is the designated fixed weight of 500 sheets, measured in pounds, in that paper's basic sheet size.

It is important to note that the "basic sheet size" is not the same for all types of paper.

Chart titled 'Paper Conversion Chart' comparing various paper lengths and weights, with columns for equivalent weight, bond ledger, offset text, cover, tag, index, points, caliper, millimeters, and grams per square meter (gsm).

Paper Sizes Chart

Diagram showing different paper sizes: on the left, U.S. sized paper including Ledger/Tabloid 11x17 inches, Legal 8.5x14 inches, and Letter 8.5x11 inches; on the right, A-series sized paper including A3 11.69x16.54 inches, A4 8.27x11.69 inches, and A5 5.83x8.27 inches.

Standard U.S. Paper Sizes

  • Ledger/Tabloid (11" x 17" / 279 x 432 mm)
    Great for printing two Letter-sized pages side by side. Often used for large documents or scaled-down technical drawings.

  • Legal (8.5" x 14" / 216 x 356 mm)
    Same width as Letter but 3 inches longer. Commonly used for legal documents to allow extra space for notes.

  • Letter (8.5" x 11" / 216 x 279 mm)
    Most widely used paper size in North America. Similar to A4 and fits standard home printers.

Standard International A-Series Paper Sizes

  • A3 (297 x 420 mm / 11.7" x 16.5")
    Similar to Ledger/Tabloid. Fits two A4 pages side by side. Great for brochures, drawings, and larger documents.

  • A4 (210 x 297 mm / 8.3" x 11.7")
    Half the size of A3. Slightly taller and narrower than U.S. Letter. The most commonly used paper size worldwide (except North America).

  • A5 (148 x 210 mm / 5.8" x 8.3")
    Half the size of A4. Ideal for flyers, handouts, and stationery.

Tip: Choose the size that fits your project, preferences, and printer capabilities.

Caliper:

Caliper refers to the thickness of a sheet of paper expressed in thousandth of an inch. This measurement is taken with a micro meter. Normally, paper caliper should not have more than a + or - 5% variance within a sheet. Generally, the relation between caliper and basis weight the greater the caliper (the thicker the paper), the greater the paper weight.

Equivalent Weight:

While different paper types have different basic sizes, papers can still be compared by using equivalent weight.

Offset Paper Versus Laser Paper

✅ 1. Purpose / Intended Use

Offset Paper: Offset printing presses (used for high-volume commercial printing like newspapers, magazines, books).

Laser Paper: Laser printers (office/home use) that use toner and heat.

✅ 2. Surface Finish

Offset Paper: Usually uncoated or lightly coated, more porous.

Laser Paper: Typically smoother and sometimes glossier to handle heat and toner adhesion better.

✅ 3. Paper Weight & Thickness

Offset Paper: Often lighter (e.g. 60-100 gsm), but varies.

Laser Paper Typically heavier (90-120 gsm+), to prevent jamming or curling under heat.

✅ 4. Ink/Toner Compatibility

Offset Paper: Works with liquid ink; absorbs ink well.

Laser Paper: Designed for dry toner; resists curling or smudging under heat.

✅ 5. Printing Quality

Offset Paper: Good for text-heavy documents; less crisp for high-resolution images.

Laser Paper: Better for sharp images and text, especially color.

✅ 6. Cost

Offset Paper: Generally cheaper (used for bulk printing).

Laser Paper: Often more expensive, due to coating and weight.

✅ Summary: When to Use Each

Offset paper : Use This Paper Type Commercial printing (books, newspapers, flyers)

Laser paper : Office/home laser printing (reports, brochures, images)

Laser paper: Printing high-quality color documents

Offset paper: Printing drafts or mass copies with offset press