Paper sizes

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This article/section is a stub — probably a pile of half-sorted notes and is probably a first version, is not well-checked, so may have incorrect bits. (Feel free to ignore, or tell me)

Paper sizes

Various relatively common sizes

This article/section is a stub — probably a pile of half-sorted notes and is probably a first version, is not well-checked, so may have incorrect bits. (Feel free to ignore, or tell me)

Printers often support a range of similar paper sizes, often including:

  • A4 (used in many places)
    • 210 × 297mm
    • Part of ISO 216's A series (see below)
  • Letter (in the US and a few other places)
    • 8.5" x 11" (215.9 x 279.4mm)


And also occasionally:

  • Legal - 8.5" x 14" (216 × 356 mm)
  • B5 (ISO and/or JIS)
    • ISO: 176×250 mm
    • JIS: 182×257 mm
  • A5 (148 × 210 mm)
  • “Ledger/Tabloid” (279 × 432 mm)
  • Executive (190 × 254 mm), and


Scanners often support sizes up to ~A4/Letter, and usually a little more..

Photocopiers often support B4, A3, partially because that includes newspaper sizes.


A4, B5 and such are part of series:

  • ISO 216 A series (JIS A series is identical) {{{1}}}
    • 4A0 (1682×2378mm)
    • 2A0 (1189×1682mm)
    • A0 (841×1189mm, 1 m2) (posters, technical drawings)
    • A1 (594×841mm) (flip charts, posters)
    • A2 (420×594mm) (flip charts, drawings, diagrams, large tables)
    • A3 (297×420mm) (newspapers, drawings, diagrams, large tables)
    • A4 (210×297mm) (printers, magazines, letters, magazines, forms, catalogs, copying machine)
    • A5 (148×210mm) (books, note pads)
    • A6 (105×148mm) (books, postcards)
    • A7 (74×105mm)
    • A8 (52×74mm) (some playing cards, some business cards)
    • A9 (37×52mm)
    • A10 (26×37mm)
  • ISO 216 B series, 'ledger'
    • B0 (1000 × 1414mm)
    • B1 (707 × 1000mm)
    • B2 (500 × 707mm)
    • B3 (353 × 500mm) (newspapers)
    • B4 (250 × 353mm) (newspapers)
    • B5 (176 × 250mm) (books)
    • B6 (125 × 176mm) (books)
    • B7 (88 × 125mm)
    • B8 (62 × 88mm)
    • B9 (44 × 62mm)
    • B10 (31 × 44mm)


  • JIS B sizes (JIS)
    • B0 (1030 × 1456mm)
    • B1 (728 × 1030mm)
    • B2 (515 × 728mm)
    • B3 (364 × 515mm)
    • B4 (257 × 364mm)
    • B5 (182 × 257mm)
    • B6 (128 × 182mm)
    • B7 (91 × 128mm)
    • B8 (64 × 91mm)
    • B9 (45 × 64mm)
    • B10 (32 × 45mm)
    • B11 (22 × 32mm)
    • B12 (16 × 22mm)

Many others

See also


Relevant standars:

  • ISO 216 defines the fairly well known A series (A4, A3, A5, etc.), and also related B, and C series
  • ANSI defines letter, tabloid/ledger
  • JIS P 0138-61 (Japanese) defines:
    • The same A series as ISO 216
    • a slightly different B series


Unsorted:

Weight/sturdiness

This article/section is a stub — probably a pile of half-sorted notes and is probably a first version, is not well-checked, so may have incorrect bits. (Feel free to ignore, or tell me)

Paper comes in various weights/sturdinesses and finishes/textures. Laser printers are usually general-purpose in that regard, but some may not work so well with some - particularly once the paper feeding mechanism is somewhat worn.


On weights:

  • In the US you will read figures like '20-pound', '24-pound' and such, which is a measure per ream, where a ream usually means 500 sheets of 17 by 22 inch - exactly four times the size of Letter (so a 500-page pack of 20 pound Letter weighs 5 pounds).
  • In metric countries you often see something like '80 gram', which actually actually means 80 grams per square meter (g/m2, sometimes abbreviated gsm)


Printing paper is usually between 60g and 120g, and non-specialist stores that sell just one weight usually sell 80 grams / 20 pound. (..15 to 30 pound)


You could check your printer's manual for optimal choice for your printer. For example, our printer prefers 90grams / 24lb paper, although it will deal well enough with 80 grams / 20 pound paper.


Printing paper is often between 0.07 millimeters (0.0028 in) and 0.18 millimeters (0.0071 in) thick.




Related things

Holes

ISO 838:

  • two holes of 6 ±0.5mm diameter,
  • 80mm ±0.5mm apart
  • 12±1 mm to the nearest edge of the sheet
  • symmetrically around the center
  • ...so good for A7 and larger


'888' is a nickname for the four-hole variation (all 80mm apart), which adds stability and lessens tearing in rings binders that have four rings. It is not standardized, but widely used.

Other standard sizes

  • ISO 7810 defines sizes of identity cards, visas, banking/credit cards and such [1]