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Basis Weight and Grammage
Conversion Tables

Of Use in the Publishing Industry

To ensure production quality when publications designed or typeset in one country are printed in a second country, it may be necessary to convert US basis weights to their metric equivalents or vice versa. Because designers and publishers often do not have ready access to conversion tables, EDS Inc., Editorial & Design Services, has published the multidirectional tables on this page. (For grammage of Japanese papers, see Japanese Papers for Printing.)

Basis Weight
In the United States, the weight in pounds of one ream (500 sheets) of paper cut to the basic size (or trade size) for a specific grade of paper.
Grammage
In countries using the metric system, the weight in grams of one sheet of paper that is one square meter in area--not dependent on basic sheet size or paper grade.
Key to Paper Grades in Basis Weight and Grammage Equivalents Tables Grammage & Basis Weight
Equivalents Arranged by Grammage
Basis Weight & Grammage Equiva-
lents Arranged by US Paper Grade
Basis Weight & Grammage
Conversion Factors

Key to Paper Grades in Basis Weight
and Grammage Equivalents Tables
Paper
Grade
Basic SizeLook
Under
Paper
Grade
Basic SizeLook
Under
Bible25" x 38"BookManifold17" x 22"Bond
Bond17" x 22"BondNewsprint24" x 36"Newsprint
Book25" x 38"BookOffset25" x 38"Book
Bristol22.5" x 28.5"BristolOnionskin17" x 22"Bond
Coated25" x 38"BookSafety17" x 22"Bond
Cover20" x 26"CoverTag24" x 36"Tag
Index25.5" x 30.5"IndexText25" x 38"Book
Ledger17" x 22"BondWedding17" x 22"Bond

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Basis Weight and Grammage Equivalents
Arranged by US Paper Grade

Basis weights are given in bold type; Basic sizes are given in inches;
"Grammage" can be written either as shown in parentheses in the column
head or with the simplified notation "gsm" (i.e., grams per square meter).
N.B. Except for basis weights, all weights are rounded off to the nearest
whole number; Grammage is calculated from basis weight; Cross-grade
equivalents are calculated from grammage; Because of rounding,
cross-grade equivalents are sometimes inconsistent.
Paper
Grade
Bond
17 x 22
News-
print
24 x 36
Book
25 x 38
Cover
20 x 26
Bristol
22.5 x
28.5
Index
25.5 x
30.5
Tag
24 x 36
Gram-
mage
g slash m superscript 2.
Bond818201114171830
921231315192134
1228301721252845
1330331822273049
1637412227333760
2046512834424675
2455613341505590
28657140485865105
32748144556774120
36839150627583135
409210256698392150
News-
print
1022241316202236
1228311721252846
1330331822273049
1432351924293252
1534372025313455
1535392126323557
Book71517911141525
818201113161830
922241316202236
1227301620252744
1330331822273049
1432351924293252
1636402227333659
1739432429353964
1841452530374167
2045502734414574
2250553037455081
2455603340495589
28647038475764104
30687541516168111
31738044546573118
35829049617482133
399110055678291148
419510557718695155
439810859738898160
47109120668198109178
Cover29667340496066108
36839150627583135
409110055688291149
43100110607490100162
45105115637894105170
47108119658097108176
47109120668198109178
491131246885103113184
501161287086105116189
581331468099120133216
6013915384104126139227
6515016490111135150243
72166183100123150166270
79183201110136165183298
86199219120148179199325
94216237130160194216352
Bristol33778446576977125
39909954678190147
47108119658097108175
521211337390109121197
5813514881100121135219
7016217897120146162263
82189207114140170189307
93216237130160194216351
105243267146180218243395
117269296162200243269439
Index43100110607490100163
531221347491110122199
6715617194115140156253
82189208114140170189307
106244269147181220244398
Tag43100110607490100163
541251377593113125203
6515016590111135150244
76175192105130158175285
87200220120148180200326
108250275150186225250407
130300330181227270300488

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Grammage and Basis Weight Equivalents
Arranged by Grammage

Basis weights are given in bold type; Basic sizes are given in inches;
"Grammage" can be written either as shown in parentheses in the column
head or with the simplified notation "gsm" (i.e., grams per square meter).
N.B. Except for basis weights, all weights are rounded off to the nearest
whole number; Grammage is calculated from basis weight; Cross-grade
equivalents are calculated from grammage; Because of rounding,
cross-grade equivalents are sometimes inconsistent.
Gram-
mage
g slash m superscript 2.
Bond
17 x 22
News-
print
24 x 36
Book
25 x 38
Cover
20 x 26
Bristol
22.5 x 28.5
Index
25.5 x 30.5
Tag
24 x 36
25715179111415
308182011131618
349212313151921
3610222413162022
4412273016202527
4512283017212528
4612283117212528
4913303318222730
5214323519242932
5515343720253134
5715353921263235
5916364022273336
6016374122273337
6417394324293539
6718414525303741
7420455027344145
7520465128344246
8122505530374550
8924556033404955
9024556133415055
10428647038475764
10528657140485865
10829667340496066
11130687541516168
11831738044546573
12032748144556774
12533778446576977
13335829049617482
13536839150627583
14739909954678190
148399110055678291
149409110055688291
150409210256698392
155419510557718695
160439810859738898
16243100110607490100
16343100110607490100
17045105115637894105
17547108119658097108
17647108119658097108
17847109120668198109
184491131246885103113
189501161287086105116
197521211337390109121
199531221347491110122
203541251377593113125
216581331468099120133
2195813514881100121135
2276013915384104126139
2436515016490111135150
2446515016590111135150
2536715617194115140156
2637016217897120146162
27072166183100123150166
28576175192105130158175
29879183201110136165183
30782189207114140170189
32586199219120148179199
32687200220120148180200
35193216237130160194216
35294216237130160194216
395105243267146180218243
398106244269147181220244
407108250275150186225250
439117269296162200243269
488130300330181227270300

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Basis Weight and Grammage Conversion Factors
"Lb." means "pounds" (i.e., basis weight); "Gsm" means "grams
per square meter" (i.e., grammage); Some of the basic sizes here
are not included in the tables above.
Basic Size
(Trade Size)
Basis Weight to
Grammage
Grammage to
Basis Weight
17" x 22"3.7597 x lb. = gsm0.26598 x gsm = lb.
19" x 24"3.0836 x lb. = gsm0.32429 x gsm = lb.
20" x 26"2.7041 x lb. = gsm0.36981 x gsm = lb.
22" x 28"2.2827 x lb. = gsm0.43808 x gsm = lb.
22.5" x 28.5"2.1928 x lb. = gsm0.45604 x gsm = lb.
22" x 34"1.8799 x lb. = gsm0.53196 x gsm = lb.
24" x 36"1.6275 x lb. = gsm0.61445 x gsm = lb.
25" x 38"1.4801 x lb. = gsm0.67561 x gsm = lb.
25.5" x 30.5"1.808 x lb. = gsm0.55311 x gsm = lb.
1000 sq. ft.4.8824 x lb. = gsm0.20482 x gsm = lb.
3000 sq. ft.1.6275 x lb. = gsm0.61445 x gsm = lb.

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Last updated January 15, 2004.
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