Paper Weight Conversions
Ever get confused when your printer talks about a 70# text paper and a 70# cover? How does that compare to the 24# bond letterhead you use or the 140# index you’ve been using? This page can help educate you about basis weights and convert a paper weight to an equivalent in another. The highlighted areas are the standard basis weights for the paper types listed in the first column on the left. To find the equivalent weight of 20 lb. bond to other paper types, locate 20 lb. in the bond paper section and read across the other columns.
| Paper Types Basis weight | Book (25” x 38”) | Bond (17” x 22”) | Index (25.5” x 30.5”) | Cover (20” x 26”) | Bristol (22.5" x 28.5”) |
| LB. | LB. | LB. | LB. | LB. | |
| Book (Text) | 30 | 12 | 25 | 16 | 20 |
| 40 | 16 | 33 | 22 | 27 | |
| 45 | 18 | 37 | 25 | 30 | |
| 50 | 20 | 41 | 27 | 34 | |
| 55 | 22 | 45 | 30 | 37 | |
| 60 | 24 | 49 | 33 | 41 | |
| 65 | 26 | 53 | 36 | 44 | |
| 70 | 28 | 57 | 38 | 47 | |
| 75 | 30 | 61 | 41 | 51 | |
| 80 | 32 | 65 | 44 | 54 | |
| 90 | 36 | 74 | 49 | 61 | |
| 100 | 39 | 82 | 55 | 68 | |
| 120 | 47 | 98 | 66 | 81 | |
| Bond | 33 | 13 | 27 | 18 | 22 |
| 41 | 16 | 33 | 22 | 27 | |
| 51 | 20 | 42 | 28 | 34 | |
| 61 | 24 | 50 | 33 | 41 | |
| 71 | 28 | 58 | 39 | 48 | |
| 81 | 32 | 67 | 45 | 55 | |
| 91 | 36 | 75 | 50 | 62 | |
| 102 | 40 | 83 | 56 | 69 | |
| Index | 110 | 43 | 90 | 60 | 74 |
| 134 | 53 | 110 | 74 | 91 | |
| 171 | 67 | 140 | 94 | 115 | |
| 208 | 82 | 170 | 114 | 140 | |
| Cover | 91 | 36 | 75 | 50 | 62 |
| 100 | 40 | 82 | 55 | 68 | |
| 110 | 43 | 90 | 60 | 74 | |
| 119 | 47 | 97 | 65 | 80 | |
| 146 | 58 | 120 | 80 | 99 | |
| 164 | 65 | 135 | 90 | 111 | |
| 183 | 72 | 150 | 100 | 123 | |
| 238 | 94 | 194 | 130 | 160 | |
| Bristol | 84 | 33 | 69 | 46 | 57 |
| 99 | 39 | 81 | 54 | 67 | |
| 114 | 45 | 93 | 62 | 77 | |
| 119 | 47 | 97 | 65 | 80 | |
| 148 | 58 | 121 | 81 | 100 | |
| 178 | 70 | 146 | 97 | 120 |
Basis Weight: Basis weight is the standard measurement of an amount of paper. For example, the basis weight of bond is determined by the weight of 500 sheets of 17” x 22” paper (the parent size). If a ream of 17” x 22” paper weighs 20 pounds, this is called 20 lb. paper.
Parent Sheet Sizes:
Book: 25” x 38”
Bond: 17” x 22”
Index: 25.5” x 30.5”
Cover: 20” x 26”
Bristol: 22” x 28.5”
Other Paper Terms:
Cut size paper: Any sheet of paper that is cut to a smaller size than the parent sheet.
Caliper: The thickness of paper, usually expressed in thousands of an inch (mils). 20 lb. bond is usually 3.5 point (mils).
