B is for Basis Weight
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B is for BASIS WEIGHT
Paper is commonly identified using basis weight - 24 Writing or a 80 Text, 100 Cover. Weighing 500 sheets (a ream) of any grade of paper in its standard basic size will determine its basis weight. To put it simply, 500 sheets of 17 x 22 (the basic size for a writing grade paper) of 24 lb. writing paper will weigh 24 pounds. Each type of paper has a standard basic size determined from over a century of manufacturing these different type of sheets. As printing presses and machinery changes, these basic paper sizes do not.
- Text, Book and Offset paper’s standard basic size is 25 x 38
- Writing, Bond and Ledger paper’s standard basic size is 17 x 22
- Cover paper’s standard basic size is 26 x 20
- Newsprint, Tag, Tissue and Board’s standard basic size is 24 x 36
The basis weight of a paper strongly influences the strength properties and paper traits such as thickness, opacity and runnability.
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