Printing knowledge: Paper Characteristics
Printing knowledge: Paper Characteristics Basic Size and Basis Weight The basis weight refers to the weight in pounds of 500 sheets of paper when it has been cut to that paper's standard basic size. For example the basic size for Bond paper is 17 x 22 inches. If 500 sheets (a ream) of Bond is cut to its basic size of 17 x 22 inches and weighs 20 pounds, it is classified as 20 lb. bond. If a 17 x 22" ream of Bond paper weighed 24 pounds it would be called 24 lb. Bond, and so on. The chart below contains some common paper types and their basic size. Paper Type Basic Size Bond Ledger Offset Book Cover Index Bristol Vellum Bristol Printing Bristol Tag 17" x 22" 17" x 22" 25" x 38" 25" x 38" 20" x 26" 25-1/2" x 30-1/2" 22-1/2" x 28-1/2" 22-1/2" x 28-1/2" 24" x 36" ISO Size Standards The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has established standards for paper sizes based on