A stapler is an office staple. Although there’s a common standard size, various different staple sizes are available, depending on what you need to bind and the type of stapler you have. Our guide will cover staple types and sizes, including a handy staple sizes chart that will ensure you buy the staples that suit your binding needs.

Staple Length

The length of a staple refers to its legs, the parts of the staple that push through the layers of paper and fold underneath the pages. If you need to staple a thick pile of paper at once, you’ll need a staple with long legs. Ensure you purchase the correct leg length as standard staplers are only designed to hold 1/4 inch legs. When you see the size of a staple in millimeters or inches, it’s referring to the length of the staple’s legs.

staple length

Staple Width

The width of a staple, sometimes called its crown, is the top or crossbar of a staple. It’s the part of the staple you will see flat across the top of whatever you bind.

staple width

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Wire Gauge

The wire gauge of a staple refers to the thickness of the staple itself. The thicker the wire is, the more stable and durable the staple. If you’re stapling pieces of cardboard together to form a box, you’ll want a thicker wire gauge than if you’re stapling together a couple of pieces of paper. There are a few different kinds of wire gauges.

Fine Wire: The thinnest staple, ranging from 20 - 23 gauge thickness. This is the type of staple you’ll find around an office.
Medium Wire: Usually between 18 - 19 gauge thickness. It’s stronger than a fine wire staple, but not quite strong enough to be used in construction.
Heavy Wire: The thickest kind of staple, usually between 15 - 16 gauge thickness. This kind of staple is best utilized in heavy-duty projects like construction or roofing.

wire guage

Staple Point

The staple point, also known as the teeth, refers to the end of each leg that pierces the paper. Most staples have a chisel point to help the staple push smoothly through materials.

staple point

Staple Sizes Chart

Most staplers will say on the bottom what size staple they take, so before you make a purchase, check the bottom of your stapler first. Often, the size will appear in the metric, two-number form, for example, 23/6. The first number refers to the gauge of the staple, and the second number refers to the length of the staple’s legs. Generally, for office use, it’s the leg length that will vary, depending on how many pages you need to staple at once.

Staple Sizes——Charts, Definitions, And More For All Types Of Staples

Staple Sizes——Charts, Definitions, And More For All Types Of Staples

N NAILS SERIES N08/10/11/13/15/17/19/21