How Heavy Is A Ream of Paper?
A Ream of Paper weighs about
2.5 kg (5.51 lb)
Computed value (area × grammage); the inputs are cited under Sources below.
- a bowling ball7.26 kg
heaviest ball allowed in tenpin bowling (16 lb); USBC sets no minimum weight
- a domestic cat4.5 kg
adult domestic cat (Felis catus); males larger; range 4.1–5.4 kg
- a gallon of water3.78 kg
1 US gallon (3.785 412 L) of pure water at 4 °C
- a ream of paper2.5 kg
A4, 80 g/m2, 500 sheets per ream; area 1/16 m2 as stated on the Cambridge ISO 216 page (exactly 5 g per sheet)
- You
Open full comparison → to add more objects on one scale.
Put it in perspective
- About 1.5× a gallon of water
- About 1.8× a domestic cat
- About 2.9× a bowling ball
Why weights differ
A4 sheet area from ISO 216 trimmed dimensions 210 mm x 297 mm = 0.06237 m2. 0.06237 m2 x 80 g/m2 x 500 sheets / 1000 = 2.4948 kg. The same Cambridge page also gives the rounded ISO area 1/16 m2 (0.0625 m2).
Sources
[1] University of Cambridge
International standard paper sizes (ISO 216) - University of CambridgeMuseum / zoo / university
“Usual typewriter and laser printer paper weighs 80 g/m² ... the A4 format has an area of 1/16 m² and weighs with the common paper quality 5 g per page”
Value as published: 80 g/m² · accessed 2026-11-11.
How this value was computed
- area-m2: 0.0625 m2 — 来源 [1] (source [1])
- grammage-g-per-m2: 80 g/m2 — 来源 [1] (source [1])
- sheets: 500 sheets — 来源 [1] (source [1])
Last updated 2026-11-11.Report a correction (please include a source link).
Related objects
- a brick2 kg (4.41 lb)
- a 13-inch MacBook Air1.23 kg (2.712 lb)
- a cinder block18.1 kg (40 lb)
- an iPhone 16170 g (5.997 oz)
- a bag of cement94 lb (42.64 kg)
Frequently asked questions
How much does a ream of paper weigh?
A Ream of Paper weighs about 2.5 kg (5.51 lb) — A4, 80 g/m2, 500 sheets per ream; area 1/16 m2 as stated on the Cambridge ISO 216 page (exactly 5 g per sheet).
How much is a ream of paper in pounds and ounces?
5.51 lb, which is 88.2 oz. In metric terms: 2.5 kg.
Is a ream of paper heavier than a gallon of water?
No. A Ream of Paper weighs about 2.5 kg (5.51 lb), while a gallon of water is about 3.78 kg (8.34 lb) — roughly 1/1.51.
Why do sources give different weights?
A4 sheet area from ISO 216 trimmed dimensions 210 mm x 297 mm = 0.06237 m2. 0.06237 m2 x 80 g/m2 x 500 sheets / 1000 = 2.4948 kg. The same Cambridge page also gives the rounded ISO area 1/16 m2 (0.0625 m2).
Where does this number come from?
Every source is listed at the bottom of this page with publisher, link, access date and a verbatim quote. Numbers are only published when a qualifying source can be verified.