Paper weight conversion

GSM to Pounds (lb) Conversion

Enter a GSM value to see the equivalent basis weight in lb for all three U.S. paper categories at once, or scroll to the full conversion chart.

GSM to lb calculator

GSM (g/m²)

Enter a value of 0 or more.

Bond/Writing 17 × 22 in31.92 lb

Text/Book/Offset 25 × 38 in81.07 lb

Cover 20 × 26 in44.38 lb

Need the opposite direction? Use the lb to GSM converter or the two-way paper weight converter.

GSM to lb conversion chart

Calculated with the exact basis sizes — 17 × 22 in (Bond), 25 × 38 in (Text), 20 × 26 in (Cover) — and 500-sheet reams. Values are rounded to two decimals; commercial stocks are usually labeled with the nearest standard weight.

GSM to pounds conversion chart
GSM	lb — Bond/Writing	lb — Text/Book/Offset	lb — Cover
35	9.31	23.65	12.94
45	11.97	30.40	16.64
50	13.30	33.78	18.49
60	15.96	40.54	22.19
70	18.62	47.29	25.89
75	19.95	50.67	27.74
80	21.28	54.05	29.58
90	23.94	60.80	33.28
100	26.60	67.56	36.98
105	27.93	70.94	38.83
115	30.59	77.70	42.53
120	31.92	81.07	44.38
130	34.58	87.83	48.07
135	35.91	91.21	49.92
148	39.36	99.99	54.73
150	39.90	101.34	55.47
160	42.56	108.10	59.17
170	45.22	114.85	62.87
176	46.81	118.91	65.09
200	53.20	135.12	73.96
216	57.45	145.93	79.88
250	66.49	168.90	92.45
270	71.81	182.41	99.85
300	79.79	202.68	110.94
325	86.44	219.57	120.19
350	93.09	236.46	129.43
400	106.39	270.24	147.92
450	119.69	304.02	166.41

Formula

lb = GSM × basis area (m²) × 500 ÷ 453.592

Example for 120 GSM Bond paper: the basis sheet is 17 × 22 in = 0.2413 m². So 120 × 0.2413 × 500 ÷ 453.592 ≈ 31.92 lb.

For background on why the U.S. system uses three different basis sizes, see the paper weight guide.

Frequently asked questions

How many pounds is 80 GSM?

80 GSM equals about 21.3 lb Bond, 54.0 lb Text or 29.6 lb Cover, depending on the paper category.

How many pounds is 300 GSM?

300 GSM is about 110.9 lb Cover — a typical heavy card stock. As Text it would be 202.7 lb, but papers that heavy are normally specified as Cover.

Which category should I use for card stock?

Card stock is almost always specified in lb Cover. Use the Cover column for postcards, business cards and packaging boards.

What is the exact GSM to lb formula?

lb = GSM × basis area in square meters × 500 ÷ 453.59237. The basis area is 17 × 22 in for Bond, 25 × 38 in for Text and 20 × 26 in for Cover.