Paper Weight Calculator
Calculate paper weight in grams, convert between GSM and basis weight, and determine total weight for multiple sheets
Calculate Paper Weight
Grams per square meter (most common)
1 ream = 500 sheets, 1 bundle = 1,000 sheets
Common Paper Types:
Weight Results
Enter paper specifications to see weight results
Example Calculation
Standard Office Paper Ream
Paper: A4 size (210mm × 297mm)
Grammage: 80 GSM
Quantity: 500 sheets (1 ream)
Calculation:
• Area = 0.210m × 0.297m = 0.06237 m²
• Weight per sheet = 0.06237 m² × 80 g/m² = 4.99 g
• Total weight = 4.99 g × 500 = 2,495 g ≈ 2.5 kg
GSM vs Basis Weight
• GSM (Grammage): Weight of 1 square meter of paper
• Basis Weight: Weight of 500 sheets at standard size
• 80 GSM ≈ 20 lb bond ≈ 50 lb text ≈ 75 lb cover
• Different paper types have different basic sheet sizes
Paper Weight Guide
Lightweight
35-80 GSM
Newsprint, tissue
Standard
60-120 GSM
Copy paper, stationery
Photo Paper
180-240 GSM
High-quality prints
Cardstock
250-350 GSM
Business cards, covers
Quick Conversions
1 GSM = 0.67 pounds/ream (bond)
20 lb bond ≈ 80 GSM (standard office)
Different paper types have different basis sizes
GSM is metric, basis weight is imperial
Understanding Paper Weight
What is Grammage (GSM)?
Grammage, measured in grams per square meter (GSM), is the standard metric for paper weight. It tells you how much one square meter of paper weighs, regardless of the sheet size.
Calculation Formula
Weight = Area × Grammage
Weight = (Length × Width) × GSM
Common Applications
- •Printing cost calculations
- •Shipping weight estimates
- •Paper specification comparisons
Basis Weight System
Basis weight measures the weight of 500 sheets (one ream) cut to a standard "basic size" that varies by paper type. It's commonly used in North America.
Basic Sheet Sizes
Bond: 17" × 22"
Text: 25" × 38"
Cover: 20" × 26"
Index: 25.5" × 30.5"
Why Different Systems?
- •GSM: Universal, size-independent
- •Basis weight: Traditional, type-specific
- •Both systems help compare paper quality