Paper Sheet Sizes

We explain the sizes of sheets of paper and what series they are grouped into. In addition, we offer you a table with all the paper measurements.

paper sheet sizes
Each paper size is intended for certain specific activities and procedures.

What sizes of sheets of paper are there?

Paper formats, paper sheet sizes or paper sheet dimensions are the internationally standardized proportions for the production of sheets of paper. This means that those who manufacture and distribute them do so respecting certain guidelines regarding proportion and size, which allow the size of paper to be standardized or equated from one country to another.

There are numerous paper formats, each designed for certain specific activities and procedures, and which often receive different names, stemming from their particular history.

However, the current trend is to homogenize and standardize the sizes and names of the paper cut, using the guidelines of the ISO 216 standard as a guide. International Organization for Standardizationthat is, “International Organization for Standardization”), which is based on DIN 476 (from the German Deutsches Institute für Normungthat is, “German Institute for Standardization”) of 1922.

The idea behind these standardization formats is that the sheet of paper produced can be used to the maximum.reducing waste margins in industrial processing. For this, three series of cuts are considered, that is, three categories of paper formats, each with different exclusive measurements:

  • A series (DIN-A)the most common, used in offices and schools around the world. It covers formats from DIN A0 (largest) to DIN A10 (smallest), starting from a sheet of paper measuring one square meter (1 m2).
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a series paper sheet sizesa series paper sheet sizes

  • B series (DIN-B)less common and used above all to make posters, passports and official communications. It covers the formats DIN B0 (largest) to DIN B10 (smallest), starting from a sheet of one meter wide and a surface area of ​​0.707 m.2.

b series paper sheet sizesb series paper sheet sizes

  • C series (DIN-C)exclusively intended for the manufacture of envelopes of different sizes. It covers the formats from DIN C0 (largest) to DIN C10 (smallest), starting from a sheet whose dimensions are the geometric mean between series A and B, that is, an intermediate size between these two series.

c series paper sheet sizesc series paper sheet sizes

Although this is the most widely used standard format in the world, coming from the German paper tradition, there are other standards widely used in Anglo-Saxon America and Latin America, known as the American format (which includes letter, legal, legal, media letter and tabloid) and the Japanese format or format of the ukiyo-e (which includes the sizes kobosho, hosho, chubosho, obosho, obirohosho and takengabosho), among others.

Paper format table

The following is a table of equivalences between the different international stationery formats:

size name Measurements (width x height)
ISO 216 (DIN 476) format
DIN A0 841mm x 1189mm
DIN A1 594mm x 841mm
DIN A2 420mm x 594mm
DIN A3 297mm x 420mm
DIN A4 210mm x 297mm
DIN A5 148mm x 210mm
DIN A6 105mm x 148mm
DIN A7 74mm x 105mm
DIN A8 52mm x 74mm
DIN A9 37mm x 52mm
DIN A10 26mm x 37mm
DIN B0 1000mm x 1414mm
DIN B1 707mm x 1000mm
DIN B2 500mm x 707mm
DIN B3 353mm x 500mm
DIN B4 250mm x 353mm
DIN B5 176mm x 250mm
DIN B6 125mm x 176mm
DIN B7 88mm x 125mm
DIN B8 62mm x 88mm
DIN B9 44mm x 62mm
DIN B10 31mm x 44mm
DIN C0 917mm x 1297mm
DIN C1 648mm x 917mm
DIN C2 458mm x 648mm
DIN C3 324mm x 458mm
DIN C4 229mm x 324mm
DIN C5 162mm x 229mm
DIN C6 114mm x 162mm
DIN C7 81mm x 114mm
DIN C8 57mm x 81mm
DIN C9 40mm x 57mm
DIN C10 28mm x 40mm
DIN 476 extended format
DIN 4A0 1682mm x 2378mm
DIN 2A0 1189mm x 2378mm
DIN B0+ 1118mm x 1580mm
DIN A0+ 882mm x 1247mm
DIN A1+ 609mm x 914mm
DIN A3+ 329mm x 483mm
American format
Letter 216mm x 279mm
Job 216mm x 330mm
Legal 216mm x 356mm
Half letter 216mm x 140mm
Anglo-Saxon format
Letter 215.9mm x 279.4mm
Legal 215.9mm x 355.6mm
Government Legal 215.9mm x 330.2mm
Tabloid (double letter) 279.4mm x 431.8mm
Obsolete European formats
Sheet (double folio) 315mm x 430mm
Folio 215mm x 315mm
Cuartilla (half folio) 157.5mm x 215mm
Leaflet (half page) 107.5mm x 157.5mm
Dutch (short folio) 220mm x 280mm
Japanese format (washi)
Kobōsho (小奉書) 46cm x 34cm
Hōsho (奉書) 60cm x 32cm
Chūbōsho (中奉書) 50cm x 36cm
Ōbōsho (大奉書) 52cm x 38cm
Ōbirohōsho (大広奉書) 58cm x 40cm
Takenagabōsho (丈長奉書) 52.5cm x 72-77cm
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References

  • “Paper format” on Wikipedia.
  • “Ukiyo-e formats” on Wikipedia.
  • “International Standard Paper Sizes” in the Cornell University Library (USA).