Paper weight converter
Convert gsm to pounds and back. Pick the grade first: 80 lb text and 80 lb cover are very different papers.
That's 1.18× as heavy as letterhead, while a flyer is 1.27× heavier. One A4 sheet weighs about 7.4 g.
What it means
What paper is that?
US basis weight is the weight of 500 sheets at that grade’s own basic size, which is why each grade converts differently.
Every unit
Your paper weight in every unit
Learn
Three things worth knowing
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Copier paper is 80 gsm
Office paper is 80 gsm (20 lb bond), letterheads 100 gsm, flyers 150 gsm, and business cards 300 to 350 gsm.
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A ream at the basic size
Each grade had its own sheet size at the mill: 25×38 inches for text, 20×26 for cover. Pounds per ream of that size became the label, and never got harmonised.
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Weight is not thickness
Bulky uncoated stock can be thicker than heavier coated stock. If thickness matters, ask for the caliper in microns or points, not the gsm.
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Background
About paper weight
The metric world states grams per square meter, which is unambiguous. The US states the weight of a ream at the grade’s basic size, so 80 lb text is 118 gsm while 80 lb cover is 216 gsm.