Paper and Envelope Size Guide for Graphic Designers

Here is our no-nonsense Paper and Envelope size guide

Being a Graphic Designer, it is important that you have as much information to hand before starting a project. One point, in particular, is when you are planning a print project, it is imperative that you talk to your printer so that they know what to expect from you when the artwork comes in. They will be able to guide you with the best way of setting up your artwork for print planning. Offering advice to how it will be planned for the press, what size paper will be used and how your document size can affect this.

Below is a very helpful resource list to the more commonly used paper and envelope formats along with their size dimensions. I find this particularly useful when planning print projects as it gives me an idea of how much will fit on a sheet.

The following shows the width and height of all ISO A and B paper formats, as well as the ISO C envelope formats.

A Series Formats
4A0 – 1682mm x 2378mm
2A0 – 1189mm x 1682mm
A0 – 841mm x 1189mm
A1 – 594mm x 841mm
A2 – 420mm x 594mm
A3 – 297mm x 420mm
A4 – 210mm x 297mm
A5 – 148mm x 210mm
A6 – 105mm x 148mm
A7 – 74mm x 105mm
A8 – 52mm x 74mm
A9 – 37mm x 52mm
A10 – 26mm x 37mm

B Series Formats
B0 – 1000mm x 1414mm
B1 – 707mm x 1000mm
B2 – 500mm x 707mm
B3 – 353mm x 500mm
B4 – 250mm x 353mm
B5 – 176mm x 250mm
B6 – 125mm x 176mm
B7 – 88mm x 125mm
B8 – 62mm x 88mm
B9 – 44mm x 62mm
B10 31mm x 44mm

C Series Formats
C0 – 917mm x 1297mm
C1 – 648mm x 917mm
C2 – 458mm x 648mm
C3 – 324mm x 458mm
C4 – 229mm x 324mm
C5 – 162mm x 229mm
C6 – 114mm x 162mm
C7 – 81mm x 114mm
C8 – 57mm x 81mm
C9 – 40mm x 57mm
C10 – 28mm x 40mm

Envelope Formats – along with their proposed content format.
C6 – 114mm x 162mm – A4 folded twice = A6
DL – 110mm x 220mm – A4 folded twice = 1/3 A4
C6/C5 – 114mm x 229mm – A4 folded twice = 1/3 A4
C5 – 162mm x 229mm – A4 folded once = A5
C4 – 229mm x 324mm – A4
C3 – 324mm x 458mm – A3
B6 – 125mm x 176mm – C6 Envelope
B5 – 176mm x 250mm – C5 Envelope
B4 250mm x 353mm – C4 Envelope
E4 – 280mm x 400mm – B4

Untrimmed Paper Formats – All A and B series formats described previously are trimmed paper end sizes – i.e. the size when delivered to the end user or client. Other ISO standards define the format series RA and SRA for the untrimmed raw paper which is normally the size when received by the printers. These sizes are useful to know when planning-up your print projects.

RA Series Formats
RA0 – 860mm x 1220mm
RA1 – 610mm x 860mm
RA2 – 430mm x 610mm
RA3 – 305mm x 430mm
RA4 – 215mm x 305mm

SRA Series Formats
SRA0 – 900mm x 1280mm
SRA1 – 640mm x 900mm
SRA2 – 450mm x 640mm
SRA3 – 320mm x 450mm
SRA4 – 225mm x 320mm

Other useful sizes:

Photography Sizes
Standard American Photograph Sizes
4″ x 6″ – 10.16 x 15.24 cm
5″ x 7″ – 12.70 x 17.78 cm
8″ x 10″ – 20.32 x 25.40 cm
8″ x 12″ – 20.32 x 30.48 cm
8 1/2″ x 11″ – 21.59 x 27.94 cm
8 1/2″ x 14″ – 21.59 x 35.56 cm
11″ x 17″ – 27.94 x 43.18 cm
12″ x 18″ – 30.48 x 45.72 cm
13″ x 19″ – 33.02 x 48.26 cm
16″ x 20″ – 40.64 x 50.80 cm
16″ x 24″ – 40.64 x 60.96 cm
20″ x 24″ – 50.80 x 60.96 cm
20″ x 30″ – 50.80 x 76.20 cm

Standard European Photograph Sizes
9 x 13 cm – 3.54″ x 5.12″
10 x 15 cm – 3.94″ x 5.91″
13 x 18 cm – 5.12″ x 7.09″

Pixel Sizes at 300dpi
4″ x 6″ – 1200 x 1800
5″ x 7″ – 1500 x 2100
8″ x 10″ – 2400 x 3000
16″ x 20″  – 4800 x 6000