Paper sizes

2218
Robert Johnston
Paper sizes

There are two major classifications of paper measurements:

  • European format: series A, B and C of the ISO 216 standard.
  • American format: letter, legal and tabloid size.

The European format is the most used in almost the whole world, and while the American format is especially popular in some countries of the American continent.

The standardization of paper dimensions helps to unify production and printing criteria, and at the same time serves as a guide for professionals in related industries, such as publishing, advertising, or office supplies..

A-series paper size

The most widely used measure of paper in almost all the countries of the world is series A, known as the fundamental series, because other measures are derived from it. These are the sheet sizes:

Paper size Millimeters Centimeters Inches
A series A0 841 x 1189 mm 4.1 x 118.9 cm 46.8 inch
A1 594 x 841 mm 59.4 x 84.1 cm 23.4 x 33.1 inches
A2 420 x 594 mm 42 x 59.4 cm 16.5 x 23.4 inch
A3 297 x 420 mm 29.7 x 42 cm 1.7 x 16.5 inches
A4 210 x 297 mm 21 x 29.7 cm 8.3 x 11.7 inches
TO 5 148 x 210 mm 14.8 x 21 cm 5.8 x 8.3 inches
A6 105 x 148 mm 10.5 x 14.8 cm 4.1 x 5.8 inches
A7 74 x 105 mm 7.4 x 10.5 cm 2.9 x 4.1 inches
A8 52 x 74 mm 5.2 x 7.4 cm 2 x 2.9 inches
A9 37 x 52 mm 3.7 x 5.2 cm 1.5 x 2 inches
A10 26 x 37 mm 2.6 x 3.7 cm 1 x 1.5 inch

See also Paper sizes A0, A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8, A9, A10.

B-series paper size

Series B is made up of page formats that are often used to make posters and books. These are your measurements:

Paper size Millimeters Centimeters Inches
B series B0 1000 x 1414 mm 100 x 141.4 cm 39.4 x 55.7 inches

B1

707 x 1000 mm 70.7 x 100 cm 27.8 x 39.4 inches
B2 500 x 707 mm 50 x 70.7 cm 19.7 x 27.8 inches
B3 353 x 500 mm 35, 3 x 50 cm 13.9 x 19.7 inches
B4 250 x 353 mm 25 x 35.3 cm 9.8 x 13.9 inches
B5 176 x 250 mm 17.6 x 25 cm 6.9 x 9.8 inches
B6 125 x 176 mm 12.5 x 17.6 cm 4.9 x 6.9 inches
B7 88 x 125 mm 8.8 x 12.5 cm 3.5 x 4.9 inches
B8 62 x 88 mm 6.2 x 8.8 cm 2.4 x 3.5 inch
B9 44 x 62 mm 4.4 x 6.2 cm 1.7 x 2.4 inch
B10 31 x 44 mm 3.1 x 4.4 cm 1.2 x 1.7 inch

C series paper size

The C series paper formats are used to create envelopes. These are your measurements:

Paper size Millimeters Centimeters Inches
C series C0 917 x 1297 mm 91.7 x 129.7 cm 36.1 x 51.5 inches
C1 648 x 917 mm 64.8 x 91.7 cm 25.5 x 36.1 inches
C2 458 x 648 mm 45.8 x 64.8 cm 18.0 x 25.5 inches
C3 324 x 458 mm 32.4 x 45.8 cm 12.8 x 18.0 inches
C4 229 x 324 mm 22.9 x 32.4 cm 9.0 x 12.8 inches
C5 162 x 229 mm 16.2 x 22.9 cm 6.4 x 9.0 inches
C6 114 x 162 mm 11.4 x 16.2 cm 4.5 x 6.4 inches
C7 81 x 114 mm 8 x 11.4 cm 3.2 x 4.5 inches
C8 57 x 81 mm 5.7 x 8.1 cm 2.2 x 3.2 inch
C9 40 x 57 mm 4 x 5.7 cm 1.6 x 2.2 inch
C10 28 x 40 mm 2.8 x 4 cm 1.1 x 1.6 inch

Letter, legal and tabloid size

In the United States, Canada and some Latin American countries, other paper formats other than series A are used, called letter, legal, letter and legal, included within the traditional American system of measures.

These page measures are used especially for letter and document writing purposes. These are its dimensions:

Paper size Millimeters Centimeters Inches
American system Letter 220 x 280 mm 22 x 28 cm 8.6 x 11 inches
Job 220 x 340 mm 22 x 34 cm 8.6 x 13.3 inches
Letter 216 x 279 mm 21.6 x 27.9 cm 8.5 x 10.9 inches
Legal 216 x 356 mm 21.6 x 35.6 cm 8.5 x 14 inches
Tabloid 279.4 x 431.8 mm 27.9 x 43.1 cm 11 x 17 inches

As the sizes letter and letter have similar measures, it is common for them to be used interchangeably. The same occurs with legal and legal size, hence, although it is not an explicit rule, the formats of the Anglo-Saxon system are usually reduced to letter and legal size for practical purposes..

On the other hand, the tabloid size is the one used in the production of many printed newspapers in the American continent..

Paper dimensions according to ISO 216

There is a notable difference between the sizes of the A series, which are the most used in the world, and the sheet sizes that are used in much of the American continent. The reason for this difference is the DIN 476 standard, created in Germany by the engineer Walter Porstmann in 1917.

The objective of this first standardization was to use as much paper as possible. As the measures turned out to be efficient, they were maintained over time, hence when the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) decided to establish the dimensions of the different paper formats, they simply adhered to the measures established in DIN 476, considered the pioneering standard.

Currently, almost all over the world the ISO 216 standard is used, with the exception of Canada, the United States, most of the Central American countries, Venezuela, Colombia and Chile. in which letter size is used, legal, letter, legal and tabloid of the American system instead of their series A equivalents.

See also Letter, Legal, Letter, Legal, and Tabloid paper sizes


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