How much does 500 sheets of 8.5x11 paper weigh

The way we talk about paper in the United States is amazingly convoluted. The short answer is that 500 sheets of bond paper with a size of 17" by 22" have a weight of 20 pounds. The manufacturer would cut a sheet that big into four letter-size sheets, so a 500-sheet ream of 20-pound bond paper weighs 5 pounds.

If it was something other than bond paper, then the size of the standard sheet used to determine the weight might be different. For example, Bristol paper is heavier and stiffer (like the paper in a manila file folder). Its standard sheet size is 22.5" by 28.5".

In general, the more a sheet of a certain grade of paper weighs, the thicker it is. You can purchase 20-pound and 24-pound bond paper at an office supply store. The 24-pound bond paper is thicker, heavier and more opaque than 20-pound bond.

The metric system has a much better way of measuring paper. A0 paper is a square meter of paper. One side is 84.1 centimeters long and the other is 118.9 centimeters (the longer side's length is the square root of 2 longer than the shorter side's length). A1 paper is half of an A0 sheet (preserving the square root of 2 rule). A2 is half of an A1 sheet, and so on. And paper weight is measured in grams per square meter, so it is very easy to figure out.

Lots More Information

How much does 500 sheets of 8.5x11 paper weigh

When people talk about “office copy paper”, they’re referring to the types of paper that most people that is used in printers and photocopiers at home/work. This is also the kind of paper that people usually buy at their local office supply stores (ex. Staples, Office Depot, Wal-Mart, etc).

The standard office copy paper weight is most commonly called “20 lb. bond”. Standard office copy paper weighs approximately 10.0 lbs per 1000 sheets. Office copy paper is the cheapest blank white paper you can buy.

Another name for this same copy paper weight is: “50 lb. uncoated text”

Yes, “20 lb. bond” and “50 lb. uncoated text” are basically the same kinds of paper. There is no difference between the two names for the paper. Weird, isn’t it?

Typically you see the different names depending on where you’re buying the paper from. But they’re both “office copy paper”; similar in color, thickness, and weight. It’s simply two different ways of manufacturing and naming the same paper.

The reason why they have different “poundage” is because of the concept of basis weight. Even though the paper is the same, they’re measured in two different sized stacks: bond is measured with 17” x 22” sheets weighing 20 lbs., and text is measured with 25” x 38” sheets weighing 50 lbs.

How much does 500 sheets of 8.5x11 paper weigh

If you go to your local office supply store, their standard office copy paper will be named “20 lb. bond”.

When you order printing or order paper from a larger paper distributor (places buying/selling large volumes of paper), you will see office copy paper called both: “20 lb. bond” and “50 lb. uncoated text”.

At Printivity, our “office copy paper” of choice is: 50 lb. uncoated text, and it also weighs approximately 10.0 lbs per 1000 sheets. 50 lb. uncoated too thin for you? We have thicker options!

What other kinds of office copy paper weights are there?

Customers who want other varieties of office copy paper can go for thicker types of office copy paper. This results in a more substantial feel, and more opaque (images on a thin sheet like “20 lb. bond” can be seen through the back):

  • 24 lb. bond (also called “60 lb. uncoated text”)
  • 28 lb. bond (also called “70 lb. uncoated text”)

Take your large office printing projects to Printivity!

Some print projects are too large or too color critical to print at the office. For those projects, order online at Printivity! We offer printing on standard paper weights at a fast turnaround at competitive pricing. When you have a project that requires a more professional looking paper, Printivity offers paper like 80 lb Text Gloss or Matte.


It’s okay if you are still unsure which paper type is best for you, because Printivity offers complimentary paper samples. Email our customer service department to to request a sample or ask any of your print questions.

What does 500 sheets of paper weigh?

A: 500 sheets (1 ream) of 20 pound copy paper weighs 5 pounds, so there are 10 reams per case…

How much does an 8.5 x11 piece of paper weigh?

The standard office copy paper weight is most commonly called “20 lb. bond”.

How many pounds is 500 pages paper?

The way we talk about paper in the United States is amazingly convoluted. The short answer is that 500 sheets of bond paper with a size of 17" by 22" have a weight of 20 pounds.

How many sheets of paper is a pound?

Paper is measured either in pounds per 500 sheets (one ream of paper) or in pounds per 1,000 sheets (see below) of a standard size of sheet based on the group or category of papers being graded.