Printable lined paper
Enter the line spacing, click “Create PDF”, print. Add a dashed midline for handwriting practice or a red margin line like a school notebook.
How it is calculated
Lined paper is handy for letters, notes, spelling tests or handwriting practice. Here you set the line spacing to the exact millimetre and print as many sheets as you need.
How it works
- Enter the line spacing in millimetres (4 to 20 mm). College ruled is the default on this page.
- Turn on the midline and margin line if you want them.
- Choose paper size, orientation, margin and colour, then click “Create PDF”.
- Print at actual size (100 %).
How it is calculated
US ruling is defined in fractions of an inch: wide ruled 11/32 in, college ruled 9/32 in, narrow ruled 1/4 in. With 1 in = 25.4 mm exactly (NIST SP 811) that is 8.73, 7.14 and 6.35 mm. The first line sits 10 mm below the top margin, leaving room for a name or date; the midline is exactly halfway between two lines, and the margin line is 20 mm in from the left margin. PDF points are 1/72 in (ISO 32000-1).
Honest limits
There are no punched-hole markers or header box. Printers often shrink pages slightly when “Fit to page” is on, so the spacing is only exact at 100 %.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between college ruled and wide ruled?
College ruled lines are 9/32 in (7.14 mm) apart, wide ruled lines 11/32 in (8.73 mm). Wide ruled suits younger children and larger handwriting.
Can I print handwriting practice paper?
Yes: choose a large line spacing and turn on the dashed midline, which marks the height of lower-case letters.
How do I add a margin line?
Tick “Left margin line”. It is drawn in red, 20 mm in from the page margin.
Why is my line spacing slightly off?
Your printer probably scaled the page. Choose “Actual size” or 100 % and check the 50 mm ruler.
Sources and legal basis
- ISO 216:2007 – Writing paper and certain classes of printed matter – Trimmed sizes – A and B series (A4 = 210 × 297 mm)
- Wikipedia – Letter (paper size): 8.5 × 11 in = 215.9 × 279.4 mm (ANSI/ASME Y14.1 size A)
- NIST SP 811 – Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (1 in = 25,4 mm exakt)
- Wikipedia – Ruled paper: wide ruled 11/32 in (8.7 mm), college ruled 9/32 in (7.1 mm), narrow ruled 1/4 in (6.4 mm)
- Adobe – ISO 32000-1:2008 Document management – Portable document format (PDF 1.7)
- pdf-lib – Andrew Dillon (MIT)
As of:
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