Paper Weight Guide: Understanding lb, pt, and GSM

Paper weight trips up almost everyone, and for good reason: the same paper can be described three different ways, in pounds (lb), points (pt), or GSM. Worse, “80 lb text” and “80 lb cover” are completely different papers. Here is what each scale means and which weight to pick for common jobs, in plain terms.

The three scales

Scale	What it measures	Where you see it
lb (pounds)	Weight of a ream at a base size	Most US printing
pt (points)	Thickness (1 pt = 1/1000 in)	Cardstock, business cards
GSM	Grams per square meter	International, most consistent

Why pounds are confusing

The pound system measures the weight of 500 sheets at a paper type’s “base size,” and that base size differs between text and cover stocks. So 80 lb text (a thick-ish paper) and 80 lb cover (a true cardstock) are not the same at all. GSM avoids this mess by measuring weight per square meter regardless of paper type, which is why it is the most reliable scale.

Common weights by job

Job	Typical weight
Letterhead, flyers	70 to 100 lb text
Brochures	100 lb text
Postcards	14 to 16 pt
Business cards	14 to 16 pt
Booklet covers	80 to 100 lb cover

Heavier signals quality

Within reason, heavier paper feels more substantial and signals quality, which is why business cards and postcards use thick point-stock. But heavier is not always better: letterhead needs to fold and feed through printers, so text-weight is right there. Match weight to function. See coated vs. uncoated paper.

We match paper to the job

Tell us the project and we will recommend the right stock and weight, no decoding scales required. See our digital printing options, and read coated vs. uncoated paper. Request a free quote.