Conversion factors

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Here we present two tables of the conversion factors for customary and SI units related to paper products.

CUSTOMARY UNITS TO SI UNITS

QUANTITY OTHER UNITS MULTIPLY BY FOR SI UNIT
Grammage (mass on ream basis)
Pounds per ream (lb/ream) per 3000 square feet (lb/3000 ft2)
1.6275
Grams per square meter (g/m2)
Grammage (mass in grams per square meter)
Pounds per 1000 square feet (lb/1000 ft²)
4.8824
Grams per square meter (g/m2)
Thickness
Millimetres (mm)
Mils (or points or thousandths of an inch)
1000
25.4
Micrometers (µm)
Apparent density
Kilograms per cubic centimetre (g/cm²)Pounds per cubic foot (lb/ft²)
1000
16.01846
Kilograms per square meter (kg/m2)
Tensile strenght
Kilograms-force per 15 millimetre width (kgf/15 mm)
Pounds-force per inch (lbf/in)
0.65378
0.175127
Kilonewtons per meter (kN/m)
Tensile index (replaced breaking length)
Kilometres breaking length (Km)
9.80665
Newtonmeters per gram (N m/g)
Tensile energy absorption (TEA)
Kilograms-force meters per square meter (Kgf m/m2)
Foot pinds-force per square foot (ft lbf/ft2)
9.80665
14.5939
Joules per square meter (J/m²)
Tearing strenght
Grams-force (gf)
9.80665
Millinewtons (mN)
Tear index (replaced tear factor)
Computed as 100 grams-force per gram per square meter (100 gf(g/m²))
0.0980665
Millinewtons sq. meters per gram (mN m²/g)
Bursting strength
Kilograms-force per square centimetre (kgf/cm²)
Pounds-force per square inch – psi (lbf/in²)
98.0665
6.89476
Kilopascals (kPa)
Burst index (replaced burst factor)
computed as grams-force per square centimetre per gram per square meter ((gf/cm² /(g/m²))
0.0980665
Kilopascals sq. meters per gram (kPa m²/g)
Z-direction strength properties (unit as appropriate)
Kilograms-force per square centimetre (kgf/cm²)
Pounds-force per square inch (lbf/in²)
Foot pounds-force per square inch (ft lbf/in²)
98.0665
6.89476
2101.5
Kilopascals (kPa)
Kilopascals (kPa)
Joules per square meter (J/m²)
Concora Medium Test (CMT)
Kilograms-force (kgf)
Pounds-force (lbf)
9.80665
4.44822
Newtons (N)
Ring Crush Test (RCT)
Kilograms-force per centimetre (kgf/cm)
Pounds-force (for a 6-inch length) (lbf/6 in)
0.980665
0.02919
Kilonewtons per meter (kN/m)
Edgewise compressive strength (ECT)
Pounds-force per inch (lbf/in)
0.175127
Kilonewtons per meter (kN/m)
Flat crush resistance of corrugated board (FCT)
Kilograms-force per square centimetre (kgf/cm²)
98.0665
Kilopascals (kPa)

LENGTH

1 meter1.094 yards
1 centimetre0.394 inches
1 millimetre0.039 inches
 1 yard 0.914 meters
 1 foot0.305 meters 
 1 inch2.54 centimetres

WEIGHT

1 metric tonne0.984 long tons1.102 short tons
1 kilogram2.306 pounds35.274 ounces
1 gram0.035 ounces
1 pound453.6 grams
1 ounce28.35 grams

SURFACE

1 square meter1.196 square yards10.764 square feet1550 square inches
1 square centimetre0.155 square inches
1 square millimetre0.002 square inches
1 acre0.4046 hectare
1 square yard0.836 square meters
1 square foot929 square centimetres0.0929 square meters
1 square inch6.452 square centimetres
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