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GSM calculator

Enter the paper weight in GSM and the sheet size in millimetres. The calculator returns how many whole sheets make up one kilogram.

Part of How to choose paper GSM

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Calculator

Sheets per kilogram

Sheets per kg208 sheets

The formula

Sheets per kg = 1,000,000,000 ÷ (GSM × sheet width in mm × sheet length in mm), rounded down to whole sheets.

Worked example

40 GSM, 300 mm, 400 mm gives 208 sheets.

01 / The method

How the formula works

GSM is the weight of one square metre of paper in grams. One sheet weighs its GSM times its area in square metres.

A 300×400 mm sheet covers 0.12 square metres. At 40 GSM, one sheet weighs 4.8 grams. A kilogram holds 1,000 grams, so 1 kg gives you 208 whole sheets.

The calculator rounds down, since a part sheet is no use on a packing bench.

02 / The reverse

Work out GSM from a sheet you weigh

To check the GSM of a delivery, weigh one sheet on a fine scale. Multiply the grams by 1,000,000, then divide by the width times the length in millimetres.

A 300×400 mm sheet weighing 4.8 grams works out at 4.8 × 1,000,000 ÷ 120,000, which is 40 GSM.

Weigh ten sheets and divide by ten for a steadier figure.

03 / Ordering

Turn a sheet count into weight

Butter paper sheets sell by count, from 10,000 sheets per size and GSM. At 300×400 mm and 40 GSM, 10,000 sheets weigh 48 kg.

Our sheet sizes: butter paper 300×400, 380×500, 450×600 and 500×700 mm. OGR 300×400, 400×600 and 500×700 mm. MG and MF 500×700 and 700×1,000 mm. Kraft 700×1,000 and 900×1,200 mm.

Run your size and GSM through the calculator before you order, so the sheet count and the weight on your quote agree.

04 / Reference

Sheets in one kilogram of butter paper

Whole sheets per kg at each butter paper sheet size we supply, at 35 and 50 GSM, from the formula above. Nominal figures: paper GSM runs within a mill tolerance.
300×400 mm238 sheets at 35 GSM · 166 sheets at 50 GSM
380×500 mm150 sheets at 35 GSM · 105 sheets at 50 GSM
450×600 mm105 sheets at 35 GSM · 74 sheets at 50 GSM
500×700 mm81 sheets at 35 GSM · 57 sheets at 50 GSM

Questions

Before you specify

How many sheets are in 1 kg of paper?

Divide 1,000 by the weight of one sheet in grams. A 300×400 mm sheet at 40 GSM weighs 4.8 grams, so 1 kg holds 208 whole sheets.

How do I find the GSM of a paper?

Weigh one sheet in grams, multiply by 1,000,000 and divide by the width times the length in millimetres.

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