Graph Paper Sizes Explained: ¼ Inch vs 5 mm vs 1 cm
"Graph paper" covers several grid sizes, and picking the wrong one makes math homework cramped or drawings too coarse. Here is how the common sizes compare and when to use each.
The common grid sizes
- ¼ inch (6.35 mm), 4 squares per inch: the US classroom standard. Big enough for one digit per square. Quarter-inch graph paper.
- 5 mm: the metric standard across Europe and Asia, and a favorite for bullet journals and engineering sketches. 5 mm graph paper.
- 4 mm: a finer grid for small handwriting, charts and dense diagrams. 4 mm graph paper.
- 1 cm (10 mm): large squares for young students, number work and floor plans. 1 cm graph paper.
- 1 mm with heavier 10 mm lines: precise plotting and technical drawing. Millimeter graph paper.
Free quarter-inch graph paper
Which size for which job?
- Elementary math: 1 cm. Room for one digit per square keeps columns lined up.
- Middle and high school math, graphing functions: ¼ inch.
- Science lab charts and data: 5 mm or millimeter paper.
- Floor plans: ¼ inch, using a scale like 1 square = 1 foot.
- Pixel art, cross-stitch, knitting charts: 5 mm, or knitting graph paper with rectangular cells.
- Engineering calculations: engineering paper.
- 3D sketches: isometric graph paper.
Inches or millimeters?
Quarter-inch (6.35 mm) and 5 mm look similar but are not interchangeable: over a full page the difference adds up to several squares. If a worksheet or teacher specifies a size, match it exactly. Every grid here keeps its true size when you print at 100% ("Actual size"); see how to print at actual size.
Free PDFs
5 mm graph paper
1 cm graph paper
Need a grid size that is not listed, a heavier line every five squares, or axes? Any graph paper page lets you set your own spacing in the editor.