Graph paper is sold in a handful of standard grids. The right one depends on how small you write, how precise the work is and whether you think in inches or centimetres. Here is a quick way to choose.
Metric sizes
| Grid | Typical use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 mm | Science plots, calibration, engineering | Needs a good print. Heavy line every 10 mm. |
| 2 mm | Detailed sketches, school science | Heavy line every 10 mm. |
| 5 mm | Everyday notebooks, secondary maths | The standard in most metric countries. |
| 1 cm | Primary school, large graphs | Each square is a centimetre. |
Imperial sizes
| Grid | Typical use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1/10 inch (engineering) | Engineering calculations, electronics | Ten squares per inch. |
| 1/8 inch | Small handwriting, detailed drawing | Eight squares per inch. |
| 1/4 inch | The US standard for school and notes | Four squares per inch. |
| 1/2 inch | Early graphing, large sketches | Two squares per inch. |
| 1 inch | Classroom activities, posters | One square per inch. |
How to decide
- Writing numbers in the squares? Choose 5 mm or 1/4 inch or larger.
- Plotting many points on one sheet? Choose 2 mm, 1/8 inch or 1/10 inch, with a heavier line to count by.
- Teaching young children? Choose 1 cm or 1/2 inch, since fat pencils fit.
- Making a scale drawing? Pick the grid that gives a whole number of squares per real unit. 1 cm per metre or 1/4 inch per foot are typical.
Heavier lines
A heavier line every few squares works like the numbers on a ruler. The presets on this site put the heavy line at a familiar interval: every inch on the imperial grids, and every centimetre or five centimetres on the metric ones. You can change the interval in the generator.
Squares per page
The number of squares on a page is the printable width and height divided by the square size, rounded down. On A4 with 10 mm margins, a 5 mm grid has 38 by 55 squares and a 1 cm grid has 19 by 27. On US Letter with the same margins, a 1/4 inch grid has 30 by 40 squares.
If you want ready-made PDFs, see the list of downloads on the graph paper page.