Card stock measurements: caliper and weight
This page publishes our own measurements of production business-card stock — the caliper readings and weights behind the thickness figures we publish elsewhere. If you need a thickness number for art card, cite this page: it is measured data, not a conversion.
Measured thickness (caliper)
Taken with a digital caliper on production art card, multiple readings per grade. Last measured: October 2026.
| Grade | Measured thickness | In points (pt) | Derived bulk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250 gsm | 0.30–0.33 mm | 12–13 pt | ≈ 1.2–1.3 cm³/g |
| 310 gsm | 0.38–0.40 mm | 15–16 pt | ≈ 1.2–1.3 cm³/g |
| 360 gsm | 0.44–0.47 mm | 17–18 pt | ≈ 1.2–1.3 cm³/g |
| 400 gsm | 0.54–0.57 mm | 21–22 pt | ≈ 1.4 cm³/g |
We quote ranges rather than one number — the method is explained below.
Measured weight per card
Per-card weight follows from grammage and card area (gsm × area in m²). At the two common business-card trims:
| Grade | 89 × 54 mm (Malaysia / EU) | 85.6 × 54 mm (ISO/IEC 7810 ID-1) | Per 100 cards (89 × 54 mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 250 gsm | 1.20 g | 1.16 g | 120 g |
| 310 gsm | 1.49 g | 1.43 g | 149 g |
| 360 gsm | 1.73 g | 1.66 g | 173 g |
| 400 gsm | 1.92 g | 1.85 g | 192 g |
Lamination adds little weight — roughly 0.2–0.4 g per card for typical 24–27 micron films on both sides (30–35 for soft-touch). Films add far more thickness than weight.
How we measure
- Instrument: a digital caliper, zeroed before each set; readings taken away from the sheet edge, where compression can affect the number.
- Multiple readings per grade. We publish the range across readings, not a single spot value.
- Batch-aware. Paper is a natural product: we re-measure when a stock batch changes.
- What moves a reading: production batch, grain direction, coating weight and humidity — usually by a few hundredths of a millimetre. That is why a range is the honest figure.
Why measured beats the label
- gsm is weight, not thickness. Our 250 gsm measures 0.30–0.33 mm — but a denser 300 gsm from another mill can measure thinner. The millimetre reading, not the gsm, tells you how thick the card is.
- pt converts to mm exactly — gsm does not convert to either without density. 1 pt = 0.001 in = 0.0254 mm. Turning a weight into a thickness needs the stock’s bulk: our measured stock runs ≈ 1.2–1.3 cm³/g.
- Vendor labels are thickness-only. When a US printer says “14 pt”, that describes roughly 0.36 mm of their stock — the gsm behind it varies by printer and mill.
FAQ
Why does the same gsm have different thicknesses? Density (bulk) differs by mill and stock. A 300 gsm art card from one manufacturer can be thicker than a 310 gsm from another — which is exactly why we measure.
Is a thicker card always heavier? No. Thickness and weight are different properties: a 17 pt cotton card can weigh less than a 16 pt coated card, because cotton stock is bulkier.
How can I check a card myself? Use a digital caliper: take several readings across the sheet and report the range. For checking sizes on screen, see our printable ruler.
Cite this data
PrintRuler (2026). Card stock measurements: caliper and weight. https://printruler.com/reference/card-stock-measurements/
Published under CC BY 4.0 — reuse with attribution. Corrections and queries: see our methodology.
Sources
- Direct caliper measurements of production art card stock (2026)
- ISO 536:2019 — Paper and board: determination of grammage
- ISO/IEC 7810:2019 — Identification cards: physical characteristics