Cardstock Property Tables and Terms

[mbauer]

Adding one more chart, this time the GSM is listed first, might be easier to find your US version of pounds (LB) easier.
2024 GSM Equivalent First.pdf

Mike

[mbauer]

Chris asked why can't we get away from the US version of paper weight.

Basis weight is miss-leading, it is trying to say "hey, we going mess with your brain".

The different card stock and paper products are placed into category's such as Bond, Index, Cover, Tag, and a few others.

Now why don't we cut each of those category's sheet sizes into different sized dimensions?
Lets use 20"x26" for Cover, okay then 24"x36" should work for Tag.

We can call these sheet sizes "Basis Weight Sheet Size".

What does 500-sheets weigh of each kind of Basis Sheet Size?

500 sheets of 125 Tag, cut to 24"x36" weighs 125lbs
500 sheets of 65 Cover, cut to 20"x26" weighs 65lbs
Big question this creates: What does a sheet of Cover 65 weigh if it used the same Basis Sheet size the Tag does when weighed?

Chris is really asking why we don't just cut a single sheet, of each Category, to one square meter, 39.37008" x 39.37008" and weigh that.

Mike

[Siwi]

It likely originates from a time before it was possible to measure very small weights, thus it was necessary to weigh a whole stack of paper as one. This also made it more convenient for the manufacturer who might be shipping pallets of paper and could just add up the number of packs and has 500 times less counting to do.


Metric paper weights are, unsuprisingly, much more straightforward, using 'grams per square metre'. I don't understand why Imperial could not just adopt 'ounces per square yard or something, given that pressure is 'pounds per square inch'. It would be as convenient to everyone and translate across multiple paper sizes.

[ReynoldsSlumber]

This graphic from Neenah Paper is very useful for an intuitive, visual comparison. Here it is with tag basis added as a transparent outline (text basis is the darkest blue):

[mbauer]

Originally Posted by Siwi

It likely originates from a time before it was possible to measure very small weights, thus it was necessary to weigh a whole stack of paper as one. This also made it more convenient for the manufacturer who might be shipping pallets of paper and could just add up the number of packs and has 500 times less counting to do.


Metric paper weights are, unsuprisingly, much more straightforward, using 'grams per square metre'. I don't understand why Imperial could not just adopt 'ounces per square yard or something, given that pressure is 'pounds per square inch'. It would be as convenient to everyone and translate across multiple paper sizes.

I'm thinking since paper was not invented in the USA. We just wanted to be different and use the crazy way.

Actually you might be onto the issue, scales for weighing things are more accurate today than even a few years ago.

Now wondering if the GSM has always been, or a semi-recent change.

Mike

[Siwi]

It would appear that using GSM originated in fabric, which would certainly predate paper and fine measurements. But in the US fabric does use ounces per sqaure yard!