Paper Weight
On the side of the copy paper box, next to the copier, in every office across the country there is a number on the side of the paper box that denotes the weight of the paper. Have you ever wondered what this weight means?
A number followed by a pound symbol on the end of the box that the paper comes in indicates the basis weight of the paper. The common misconception is that the weight indicated on the box is the weight of the full box of paper. However, the weight is actually decided before the paper is packaged. It is usually determined by the fixed weight of five hundred sheets of basic sized paper. Five hundred sheets of paper are also known as a ream. This weight is measured in pounds in that raw paper’s basic sheet size. Basic sheet size is the size that the company manufactures the paper in prior to it being cut to a specific size for use by a consumer. The basic sheet size that is used by the manufacturers is 17×22. The most common sizes are letter (8.5×11) and legal (11×17) and these can both be cut out of this basic sheet size. However, there are many larger sizes available. Some of these larger papers are used for blueprints and other engineering drawings. There are also many smaller sizes cut. These can be used for books, instruction manuals and pamphlet printing. Paper that is not the same basic size can still be compared using an equivalent weights conversion chart.
The weight specified on the side of the box is determined by the weight of the ream. However, this does not mean the mass of the ream that is eventually sold to the customer, but rather the weight of the basic ream in which the sheets are of a larger size. This size is what is used in the manufacturing process before the paper is cut to the dimensions that it will be sold in, such as legal or letter size. To find the mass of the paper, one must undertake a complicated formula that involves knowing the mass of the basis ream, the number of sheets in the ream and the dimensions of the uncut sheet in that ream.
For example, 20-pound legal sized bond paper and 20-pound letter sized bond paper is the same paper just cut to different sizes from the original ream. This paper was the same weight in the original ream at the manufacturer. Further, 20-pound bond paper is always lighter and thinner than 32-pound bond paper no matter what size it is cut to later for sale to the customer.
The value to the customer of knowing the weight of paper products is to be able to easily compare papers of differing brands. This also helps customers determine the thickness and quality of the paper they are using or buying. Customers can also determine if they are getting a good quality paper for the price.
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