Book thickness

How thick is a 300-page book?

A 300-page paperback is about 0.676 in (17.2 mm) thick on white paper and 0.75 in on cream — 150 sheets of paper.

0.676 inwhite paper17.2 mm
0.75 incream paper
150sheets (leaves)

Spine width by paper

PaperInchesMillimetresCentimetres
White paper, black ink0.6756 in17.16 mm1.72 cm
Cream paper, black ink0.75 in19.05 mm1.91 cm
Standard color (white)0.6756 in17.16 mm1.72 cm
Premium color (white)0.7041 in17.88 mm1.79 cm

Full cover size by trim

TrimFull cover incl. bleed (white)Weight
5 x 8 in10.926 x 8.25 in304 g
5.06 x 7.81 in11.046 x 8.06 in300 g
5.25 x 8 in11.426 x 8.25 in319 g
5.5 x 8.5 in11.926 x 8.75 in355 g
6 x 9 in12.926 x 9.25 in410 g
6.14 x 9.21 in13.206 x 9.46 in430 g
6.69 x 9.61 in14.306 x 9.86 in488 g
7 x 10 in14.926 x 10.25 in532 g
7.5 x 9.25 in15.926 x 9.5 in527 g
8 x 10 in16.926 x 10.25 in608 g
8.5 x 8.5 in17.926 x 8.75 in549 g
8.5 x 11 in17.926 x 11.25 in710 g

Offset papers by PPI

PPITypical stockSpineSpine (mm)
350 PPIBulky / heavy stock (~70 lb text)0.857 in21.8 mm
400 PPICream book paper (~55 lb)0.75 in19.1 mm
444 PPIWhite book paper (~50 lb)0.676 in17.2 mm
500 PPILightweight text (~45 lb)0.6 in15.2 mm
600 PPIThin text (~40 lb)0.5 in12.7 mm

Other page counts

Frequently asked questions

How thick is a 300-page book?
A 300-page paperback is about 0.676 in (17.2 mm) thick on white paper and 0.75 in on cream — 150 sheets of paper.
How many sheets of paper are in a 300-page book?
150 leaves — each sheet carries two pages, one on each side.
Can a 300-page book have text on the spine?
Yes.