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A ream of paper contains 500 sheets of the same quality and size, used as a base unit of measure for paper weight. Originally, a ream was 20 notebooks of 24 sheets, but printers bought reams with 516 sheets. Paper weight is indicated with a pound sign and can be confusing as paper is cut after its weight is determined. Different weights are suitable for different tasks, and paper mills offer basic styles in different weights. Short reams of 480 sheets exist and are labeled as such.
A ream of paper is a package of 500 sheets of paper of the same quality and style that have been cut to the same size. Consumers often purchase paper in ream form, while printers can work in even larger volumes. This quantity is also used as the base unit of measure for calculating paper weight, which is a reference to its density. Weight is usually indicated with a pound sign (#), often at the end of a ream, so consumers can refer to this information when selecting paper.
Originally, a ream of paper was 20 notebooks, bundles consisting of 24 sheets of paper, meaning that one ream actually contained 480 sheets. The definition of “quire” itself has also changed over the centuries, but that’s an entirely separate issue. To add to the mess, printers typically bought reams that held 516 sheets of paper, to account for potential waste. Eventually, many paper companies adopted a 500-sheet standard to reduce confusion.
However, it is still possible to find a so-called “short ream” of only 480 sheets. Short reams are most common with fine or unique papers, but also crop up in the office supply arena. Consumers should look for a label that indicates whether a pack of paper is a short ream or not. This can become especially critical for shoppers buying paper at random, as a box of ten short reams will be less than the 5,000 sheets of paper one would expect.
As discussed earlier, paper stack is also used to measure paper density. When stationery is labeled 20#, for example, it means that a stack of 500 sheets measuring 17 by 22 inches (36 by 56 centimeters) weighs 20 pounds (9 kilograms). Other types of paper use different base sizes. In countries using the metric system, many paper companies standardize this measurement, using 1 square meter as the base size for a ream when determining weight, regardless of paper type. Weights can be confusing, as paper is often cut after its weight has been determined; this explains why a ream of 35# bond, for example, doesn’t actually weigh 35 pounds (16 kilograms).
Paper weight is a major concern for many people. Some weights, for example, won’t fit on ordinary office printers, while others are too flimsy for certain tasks. Many paper mills offer basic styles in different weights, allowing people to choose the one that best suits their purpose, whether it’s a formal wedding invitation or a business letter.
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