Printer paper
Printer Paper: read the 75 to 120 gsm examples and handling notes. Folding, cutting and glue tips. Find craft uses, sheet sizes and weight equivalents.
Copy and printer paper is smooth paper made to pass through office printers. Cellulose pulp is formed, pressed and dried, with fillers and sizing used to control the surface and ink behaviour.
- Typical weight
- 75–120 gsm
- US lb · calculated at the named basis
- 19.9–31.9 lb bond equivalent (17 × 22 in, 500 sheets)
Weights to look for
Common bond weights are 20, 24, 28 and 32 lb: about 75, 90, 105 and 120 gsm respectively. A4 80 gsm copy paper falls between 20 and 24 lb bond.
Folding, creasing, cutting and gluing
- Fold
- A 75–90 gsm sheet is useful for airplanes and simple origami. Heavier premium sheets make thick layered packets.
- Crease
- Ordinary copy paper needs no scoring. Match the corners carefully before pressing a crease.
- Cut
- Cuts well for templates and snowflakes. Use a thinner sheet if a twelve-layer packet is difficult to cut.
- Glue
- Glue stick is convenient for flat joins. Use liquid glue sparingly to reduce ripples.
What to make
Start with a Letter rectangle for the airplane, or trim A4 into a square for a dog or snowflake.
Common sheet and pack sizes
Common office sizes include Letter, Legal, Tabloid and A4. Set a printer to the loaded sheet size before printing a template.
Bond and writing weights
Bond, writing and copy weights use a 17 × 22 inch basic sheet and a 500-sheet ream. The lb value does not describe the weight of a Letter-size pack.
20 lb bond paper
20 lb bond converts to 75.194 gsm. It is a useful starting sheet for the traditional airplane and simple cut-paper patterns.
24 lb bond paper
24 lb bond converts to 90.2328 gsm. Choose it for a firmer printed template or simple folded card insert.
28 lb bond paper
28 lb bond converts to 105.2716 gsm. It has more body for printouts, but layered origami corners become bulky.
32 lb bond paper
32 lb bond converts to 120.3104 gsm. It suits substantial printouts and flat decorations better than a small many-layer crane.