You’re likely standing over a printer or staring at a stack of flyers wondering exactly how to chop the standard US Letter size in half. Most people just want a quick measurement. It’s 5.5 by 8.5 inches. Simple. But if you are trying to design a booklet, print a menu, or set up a wedding invitation, that "simple" math starts to feel a lot more complicated once you factor in margins and bleed.
Standard paper in North America is a weird beast. Unlike the rest of the world, which uses the logical, ratio-based ISO 216 standards (like A4), we stick to the 8.5 x 11 inch format. It doesn't scale perfectly. If you fold an A4 sheet in half, you get an A5. It keeps the same proportions. If you fold a US Letter sheet in half? You get something totally different. The aspect ratio shifts from 1.29 to 1.54. It’s stubbier.
The basic math of half of 8.5 x 11
Let's look at the two ways this goes down.
If you cut it "hamburger style"—the way we all learned in grade school—you are bisecting the 11-inch side. That leaves you with two pieces that are 5.5 x 8.5 inches. This is the most common "half size" used in the United States. It's the size of a classic statement-sized notepad or a folded church bulletin.
If you cut it "hot dog style," you’re splitting the 8.5-inch side. Now you have two long, skinny strips that are 4.25 x 11 inches. You see this for door hangers, wine lists, or those long-form bookmarks.
Most people searching for half of 8.5 x 11 are looking for that 5.5 x 8.5 dimension. It’s basically the "Statement" size in your printer settings. If you’ve ever tried to buy a mini-binder at Staples or Office Depot, this is the paper you’re looking for. It’s ubiquitous yet frustrating because it refuses to play nice with standard photo ratios or international mailing standards.
Why designers hate the US Letter ratio
Honestly, the 8.5 x 11 format is a bit of a historical accident. There are various theories involving the arm span of early paper mold workers, but the result is a sheet that doesn't "nest."
When you take half of 8.5 x 11, you lose the visual balance of the original sheet. If you take a photo that looks great on a full page and try to shrink it down to the half-page, you’ll have to crop it. The math just doesn't work. This is why professional layout artists often prefer the A-series. In that system, $1:\sqrt{2}$ is the magic ratio. It stays the same forever, no matter how many times you fold it.
We don't have that luxury in the States.
If you're designing something in Canva or Adobe InDesign, you have to be careful. You can't just design on a full 8.5 x 11 sheet and tell the printer to "print two per page." Your margins will be wonky. The "gutter"—that space in the middle where the fold or the cut happens—needs to be double your outside margins. If you have 0.5-inch margins on the outside, your center gap needs to be a full inch. Otherwise, when you cut the paper, your text will look like it's falling off the edge of the sheet.
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Practical applications for the 5.5 x 8.5 size
Think about the last time you went to a local theater. The playbill? That’s 5.5 x 8.5. It's the king of the "half-fold."
Because it’s exactly half of a standard sheet, it’s the cheapest thing to print. You aren't paying for "off-cuts" or wasted paper. When a print shop runs a job, they want to use every square inch of the parent sheet. Using the exact half of 8.5 x 11 means they can run two-up on a standard sheet and four-up on a 11 x 17 (Tabloid) sheet.
Here are a few places where this specific half-size is the industry standard:
- Zines: The DIY publishing world lives on the half-letter fold. It’s easy to staple (long-reach staplers are a must here).
- Invoices: Many small businesses use half-sheet carbonless forms to save money on paper.
- Invitations: A standard A9 envelope fits a half-folded 8.5 x 11 sheet perfectly. Well, technically an A9 is 5.75 x 8.75, giving you just enough wiggle room so you aren't cramming the paper in.
- Planners: The "Junior" or "Half-Letter" planner community is huge. Brands like Levenger or the disc-bound systems (Happy Planner, etc.) use 5.5 x 8.5 as their primary canvas.
Printing 5.5 x 8.5 at home
If you’re trying to print this at home, don't just "eyeball" it.
Most modern home printers have a setting for "Statement" or "5.5 x 8.5." If yours doesn't, you have to define a custom paper size. If you’re printing two "half-size" designs on one "full-size" sheet, you’re doing what’s called "2-up" printing.
Beware the "printable area" trap. Most home inkjets cannot print to the very edge of the paper. They need a "gripper margin" to pull the sheet through the rollers. Usually, this is about 0.125 to 0.25 inches. If you design your half-sheet right up to the 5.5-inch midline, your printer might cut off the internal edge.
Always check your "Scale to Fit" settings. If you let the software "Scale to Fit," it might shrink your 5.5 x 8.5 design down to 90% to accommodate those unprintable margins, leaving you with weird white borders you didn't want.
The "Weight" factor: It’s not just about the inches
When you cut a sheet in half, the "feel" of the paper changes.
A standard 20lb bond paper (your basic copier paper) feels flimsy at 8.5 x 11. When you cut it down to 5.5 x 8.5, it actually feels a bit sturdier. It’s a physics thing—the smaller surface area has less "flop."
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If you're making something like a greeting card, you want to move up to 65lb or 80lb cover stock. But wait! If you're folding that card to make a 5.5 x 8.5 finished product, you have to consider the "grain" of the paper. Paper has a grain, just like wood. If you fold against the grain, the paper will crack and look amateur. Most 8.5 x 11 paper is "grain long," meaning the fibers run the 11-inch way. When you fold it to make a half-sheet, you’re folding across the grain.
Pro tip: Use a bone folder or the back of a spoon to score the paper before you fold it. It breaks the fibers cleanly and gives you a professional edge.
Beyond the basics: Half-letter vs. A5
People often confuse half of 8.5 x 11 with the European A5 size. They aren't the same.
A5 is 148 x 210 mm, which translates to roughly 5.8 x 8.3 inches. It's narrower and taller than our American half-letter. If you buy a cool leather journal from a European brand (like Leuchtturm1917 or Moleskine), it’s probably A5. If you try to punch holes in a 5.5 x 8.5 sheet of paper to fit in an A5 binder, you’re going to have a bad time. The hole spacing is different (ISO vs. US Standard).
It's a headache for international business. If you’re sending a PDF to a colleague in London, and you’ve formatted it for 5.5 x 8.5, their printer is going to scream. Or it’ll just chop off the bottom of your text.
Digital Setup: Getting the pixels right
If you are designing for the web or social media but want it to be "half-page" friendly, you need to know the pixel dimensions. At a standard 300 DPI (dots per inch) for high-quality printing, a half of 8.5 x 11 sheet is 1650 x 2550 pixels.
- 72 DPI (Web): 396 x 612 pixels
- 150 DPI (Draft Print): 825 x 1275 pixels
- 300 DPI (Pro Print): 1650 x 2550 pixels
If you’re using a program like Canva, just type in "5.5 x 8.5 inches" directly. Don't try to guess the pixels.
Common misconceptions about cutting paper
A lot of people think they can just take a stack of 100 sheets and slice them down the middle with a craft knife and a ruler. You can, but you won't get a clean edge.
When you cut a thick stack of paper, the blade actually pushes the paper. This creates "draw," where the bottom sheets are slightly different sizes than the top sheets. If you need 5.5 x 8.5 to be exact—especially for something like a bound book—you really need a hydraulic paper cutter or a very high-end guillotine trimmer.
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And if you’re folding multiple sheets together to make a booklet? You run into "creep."
Creep happens because the inner sheets have to wrap around the outer sheets at the fold. This makes the inner sheets "stick out" further than the outer ones. If you have a 32-page booklet made of 8.5 x 11 sheets folded in half, the middle page will be nearly 1/8th of an inch "longer" than the cover. Professional printers "shave" the edges after folding to fix this. If you’re doing it at home, you’ll just have to live with the staggered edge or trim it manually.
Actionable steps for your project
Now that you know the math, here is how you actually execute.
First, determine your orientation. Are you going for the 5.5 x 8.5 (the standard half-sheet) or the 4.25 x 11 (the skinny strip)? Most templates default to the former.
Second, set your margins. If you are printing on a full 8.5 x 11 sheet with the intent to cut it, leave at least a 0.5-inch "safe zone" around all edges.
Third, if you’re making a folded card, score the paper first. Seriously, don't skip this. Use a ruler and a dull point (like a dried-out ballpoint pen) to create a groove before you fold. It makes the "half of 8.5 x 11" look like it came from a professional shop instead of a kitchen table.
Finally, if you’re printing a large quantity, go to a local print shop (like FedEx Office or a local mom-and-pop). They can "cut to size" for a few bucks. It’s worth it for the precision. They have giant machines that can slice through 500 sheets at once with laser accuracy, ensuring every single "half-sheet" is exactly 5.5 x 8.5.
Essentially, you're dealing with a size that is practical, cost-effective, and deeply rooted in North American office culture. It’s the "Goldilocks" of paper—not too big, not too small, and just right for a quick note or a handmade zine. Just remember: measure twice, score before you fold, and always mind the grain.