Toolman

80 gsm paper

80 g/m²

21 lb bond · 54 lb text · 30 lb cover

What 80 gsm is for

The world standard for office paper. Outside North America this is what a copier is loaded with and what "a sheet of paper" means with no further qualification.

80 gsm in American basis weights

One metric weight becomes six different pound figures, because each American grade is weighed at a different sheet size. None of them is more correct than the others — but some are outside the range that grade is actually sold in, and those are marked.

GradeBasis size80 gsm isUsed for
Bond / Writing17 × 22 in21.3 lbOffice copier paper, letterheads and business stationery.
Text / Book25 × 38 in54.0 lbBook pages, brochures, magazine interiors and flyers.
Cover20 × 26 in29.6 lb — not made at this weightBusiness cards, book covers, postcards and folders.
Index25.5 × 30.5 in44.2 lb — not made at this weightIndex cards, tabbed dividers and stiff record cards.
Tag24 × 36 in49.2 lb — not made at this weightTags, tickets and hanging labels.
Bristol22.5 × 28.5 in36.5 lbDrawing board, presentation card and heavy stock.

Nearby weights

gsmlb bondlb textlb cover
60164122Thin book paper and economy copier stock
70194726Budget office paper and mass-market paperback pages
75205128The North American office default, sold as 20 lb bond
80215430The world standard for office paper
90246133A step up from copier paper, used for letterheads and documents meant to be handed over rather than filed
100276837Quality stationery and the inner pages of good brochures

Frequently asked questions

What is 80 gsm in lb?

It depends which grade — that is the whole difficulty. 21 lb bond, 54 lb text, 30 lb cover. American basis weights are not comparable between grades, so a pound figure means nothing without the grade beside it.

How thick is 80 gsm paper?

Roughly 0.1 mm for an uncoated sheet — about 0.100 mm — though thickness depends on how the paper was made as much as on its weight. A bulky uncoated stock and a compressed glossy one at the same gsm can differ by half again.

What is 80 gsm paper used for?

The world standard for office paper. Outside North America this is what a copier is loaded with and what "a sheet of paper" means with no further qualification.

All paper weights, and why lb figures disagree · Paper sizes