UGANDA STANDARD  
  US 821
First Edition
2008-09-08
 
 
Reference numbe r
US 821: 2008
 © UNBS 2008
  
Bond paper — Specification 
 US 821: 2008 
ii © UNBS 2008 – All rights reserved
 Compliance with this standard does not, of itself confer immunity from legal obligations 
A Uganda Standard does not purport to include all necessary provisions of a contract. Users are 
responsible for its correct application  
© UNBS 2008  
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilised in any 
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, in cluding photocopying and microfilm, without prior written 
permission from UNBS. 
Requests for permission to reproduce this document should be addressed to 
The Executive Director 
Uganda National Bureau of Standards 
P.O. Box 6329 
Kampala  
Uganda 
Tel: 256 414 505 995 
Fax: 256 414 286 123 
E-mail: unbs@infocom.co.ug
Web: www.unbs.go.ug  US 821:2008 
© UNBS 2008 – All rights reserved  iii
 Contents Page 
Foreword ............................................................................................................................................................iv  
1 Scope.......................................................................................................................... ............................1  
2 Normative re feren ces........................................................................................................... .................1  
3 Requirements................................................................................................................... ......................1  
3.1 Class .......................................................................................................................... .............................1  
3.2 Materi al ....................................................................................................................... ............................1  
3.2.1 General ........................................................................................................................ ...........................1  
3.2.2 Physical pr opertie s ...............................................................................................................................2  
3.3 Dimens ions ..................................................................................................................... .......................2  
3.3.1 Sheets......................................................................................................................... ............................2  
3.3.2 Reels .......................................................................................................................... .............................3  
4 Packing and marking ............................................................................................................ ................3  
4.1 Packing........................................................................................................................ ...........................3  
4.1.1 Sheets......................................................................................................................... ............................3  
4.1.2 Reels .......................................................................................................................... .............................3  
4.2 Marking........................................................................................................................ ...........................4  
4.2.1 Sheets......................................................................................................................... ............................4  
4.2.2 Reels .......................................................................................................................... .............................4  
5 Inspection and me thods of test ................................................................................................. ..........4  
5.1 Inspection..................................................................................................................... ..........................4  
5.2 Conditioning ................................................................................................................... .......................4  
5.3 Dimensions of sh eets ........................................................................................................... ................4  
5.4 Fibre comp osition .............................................................................................................. ...................5  
5.5 Grammage....................................................................................................................... .......................5  
5.6 Bursting st rength .............................................................................................................. ....................5  
5.7 Tearing re sistance............................................................................................................. ....................5  
5.8 Brightness (w hite paper) ....................................................................................................... ...............5  
5.9 Roughness ...................................................................................................................... .......................5  
5.10 Opaci ty ........................................................................................................................ ...........................5  
 US 821: 2008 
iv © UNBS 2008 – All rights reserved
 Foreword 
Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is a parastatal under the Ministry  of Tourism, Trade and 
Industry established under Cap 327, of the Laws of Uganda.  UNBS is mandated to co-ordinate the 
elaboration of standards and is  
(a) a member of International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) and  
(b) a contact point for the WHO/FAO Codex A limentarius Commission on Food Standards, and  
(c) the National Enquiry Point on TBT/SPS Agr eements of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). 
The work of preparing Uganda Standards is carried out through Technical Committees. A Technical 
Committee is established to deliberate on standards in a gi ven field or area and consists of representatives of 
consumers, traders, academician s, manufacturers, governme nt and other stakeholders. 
Draft Uganda Standards adopted by the Technical Committ ee are widely circulated to stakeholders and the 
general public for comments. The committee reviews the comments before recommending the draft standards 
for approval and declaration as Uganda Standards by the National Standards Council.  
Committee membership 
The following organisations were represented on th e Technical Committee for Chemicals and environment 
standards, UNBS/TC 5 in the dev elopment of this standard: 
• Graphic Systems (U) Ltd 
• Kendo Mills 
• Kengroup 
• Picfare Industries Ltd. 
• Riley Packaging (U) Ltd 
• Transpaper 
• Uganda National Bureau of Standards 
• Uganda Printers Association 
 
 UGANDA STANDARD US 821: 2008
 
© UNBS 2008 – All rights reserved                1  
 Bond paper — Specification 
1 Scope 
This specification covers four classes (based on grammage) of general purpose bond paper suitable for 
printing, typewriting and for pen and ink writing and that are supplied in sheets or reels. 
2 Normative references 
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies. 
US ISO 187, Paper and board — Conditioning of samples 
US ISO 536, Paper and board — Determination of grammage  
US ISO 1974, Paper — Determination of tear ing resistance (Elmendorf method)  
US ISO 2470, Paper, board and pulps — Measurement of diffuse blue reflectance factor (ISO brightness) 
US ISO 2471, Determination of opacity (paper backing) — Diffuse reflectance method  
US ISO 2758, Paper– Determination of bursting strength  
3 Requirements 
3.1 Class 
The paper shall be one of the following classes (with t he specified nominal grammage) as specified by the 
purchaser: 
i) Class 1 46 g/m2; 
ii) Class 2 60 g/m2; 
iii) Class 3 70 g/m2; and 
iv) Class 4 80 g/m2. 
3.2 Material 
3.2.1 General 
The paper shall be reasonably free from paper dust, small fibre bundles, holes, wood splinters, specks and 
other defects that may im pair its serviceability. US 821: 2008 
2 © UNBS 2008 – All rights reserved
 The colour of the paper shall be as follows, and in the case of Class 1 and Class 2, as specified by the 
purchaser: 
i) Class 1 - white or tinted paper; 
ii) Class 2 - white or tinted paper; 
iii) Class 3 - white paper; and 
iv) Class 4 - white paper. 
3.2.2 Physical properties 
The physical properties of the paper shall comply with the relevant requirements given in Table 1. 
In addition, the sizing of the paper shall be such that, each side of the paper will accept all common writing 
media (applied in the normal manner) without undue signs of feathering or spread. 
Table 1 — Physical requirements 
Requirement Test Method 
Property 
subsection C1ass 1 C1ass 2 C1ass 3 Class 4 
Fibre composition 100 % chemlcally processed. 5.4 
Grammage, g/m2 
50 60 70 80  Nominal 
5.5 
45 55 65 75  Actual, min. 
Bursting strength, kpa, 
min. 100 125 140 150 5.6 
Tearing resistance (ND), mN, min. 250 350 410 440 5.7 
Brightness (of white paper), %, min. 80 80 80 80 5.8 
Roughness, m l/min, 
max. 
250 300 300 250  Topside 5.9 
- 400 400 300  Wire side 
Opacity, %, min. 65 73 78 82 5.10 
 
3.3 Dimensions 
3.3.1 Sheets 
Sheets shall be of one of the preferred nominal sizes identified by a si ze designation given in Table 2, or 
by one of the other size designations specified by the purchaser.  
The actual width and length of a sheet, determined in accordance with 5.3, shall conform to the 
appropriate values given in Table 2 or as laid down in the relevant specification. 
The sheets shall be so cut that the machine direction (MD)  of the paper, relevant to the size designation, is US 821:2008 
© UNBS 2008 – All rights reserved  3
 parallel to the dimension specified by the purchaser. 
Table 2 — Dimensions of sheets of preferred size designation 
Size designation Width,  
mm Length,  
mm 
RAO 860 ± 4 1 220 ± 5 
RAI 610 ± 4 860 ± 4 
A3 297 ± 2 420 ± 2 
A4 210 ± 2 297 ± 2 
AS 148 ± 1.5 210 ± 2 
 
3.3.2 Reels 
A reel shall not contain more than one splice, and when a splice is present its position shall be clearly 
indicated on each side of the reel. The nominal width of a reel shall be one of the wi dths given in Table 3, as 
specified by the purchaser, and the dimensions of a r eel, when measured in accordance with 5.1, shall 
conform to the values given in Columns 2, 3 and 4. 
Table 3 — Dimensions of reels 
Nominal width, 
mm Actual width, 
mm Diameter, max , 
mm Internal diameter of core,  
mm 
215 215 ± 50 
320 320 ± 50 
410 410 ± 50 
430 430 ± 50 
460 460 ± 50 
880 880 ± 50 800-1200 76 ± 1/15-13 
 
4 Packing and marking 
4.1 Packing 
4.1.1 Sheets 
Sheets shall, unless otherwise spec ified by the purchaser, be packed flat and wrapped in reams in 
accordance with commercial practice. Only sheets of the same class, colour and dimensions shall be packed 
together. 
4.1.2 Reels 
Paper supplied in reels shall be tightly wound on cores without wrinkling or distortion US 821: 2008 
4 © UNBS 2008 – All rights reserved
 4.2 Marking 
4.2.1 Sheets 
The following information shall appear in clear a nd indelible marking on the wrapping of each ream: 
a) the manufacturer’s/distributor’s name, physical address and /or trade mark; 
b) the commodity name, “ bond paper”; 
c) the class of paper; 
d) the colour of paper; 
e) the size designation and, when relev ant the machine direction of the sheets; 
f) the number of sheets in the wrapping; 
g) when relevant, the purchaser’s order number or catalogue number; and 
h) any additional marking required by the purchaser.  
4.2.2 Reels 
The following information shall appear in clear and indelible marking on one side of each reel: 
a) the information specified in 4.2.1(a) – (d), (g) and (h); 
b) the nominal width of the reel; and 
c) the net mass of the paper. 
NOTE The attention of the manufacturer is drawn to t he relevant provision of the Weights and Measures Act. 
5 Inspection and methods of test 
5.1 Inspection 
After checking for compliance with the requirements of Cl ause 4, visually examine each unit in the sample for 
compliance with the relevant requirements of 3.2.1 and 3.3.2. 
In the case of reels, measure, to the nearest 1 mm, the actual width and diameter of each reel and the internal 
diameter of the core 
5.2 Conditioning 
Condition all test specimens and test pieces in ac cordance with US ISO 187, using the conditioning 
atmosphere designated as 23/50. 
5.3 Dimensions of sheets 
Accurately measure, to the nearest 1 mm, the width and length of each sheet in the test sample. US 821:2008 
© UNBS 2008 – All rights reserved  5
 5.4 Fibre composition 
Use TAPPI T401 to determine the presence of mechanical wood fibre in the paper. 
5.5 Grammage 
Determine the grammage in accordance with US ISO 536, but use test pieces of size at least 0.01 m2. 
5.6 Bursting strength 
Determine the bursting strength in accordance with US ISO 2758. 
5.7 Tearing resistance  
Determine the tearing resistance in the machine directi on (MD) of the paper in accordance with US ISO 1974, 
using the singe tear tester. 
5.8 Brightness (white paper) 
Take as brightness of white paper and diffuse blue re flectance factor (ISO brightness), determined in 
accordance with US ISO 2470. 
5.9 Roughness  
Determine the roughness of the top side and, when rele vant, the wire side of the paper, using the Bendtsen-
type instrument. 
5.10 Opacity 
Determine opacity in accordance with US ISO 2471. US 821: 2008 
6 © UNBS 2008 – All rights reserved
 Annex A 
(normative) 
 
Notes to purchasers 
The following requirements shall be specified in tender invitations and in each order or contract: 
a) the class of paper (see 3.1); 
b) the colour of the paper (see 3.2.1); 
c) whether the paper is to be supplied in sheets or reels (see 3.3); 
d) the size of the sheets, width of the reels and the dimension of a sheet that is parallel to the machine 
direction of the paper (see 3.3.1); 
e) the packing of sheets or reels (see 4.1); and 
f) additional marking on reams or reels (see 4.2) 
 US 821:2008 
© UNBS 2008 – All rights reserved  7
 Certification marking 
Products that conform to Uganda standards may be  marked with Uganda National Bureau of Standards 
(UNBS) Certification Mark shown in the figure below.  
The use of the UNBS Certification Mark is gove rned by the Standards Act, and the Regulations made 
thereunder. This mark can be used only by those licens ed under the certification mark scheme operated by 
the Uganda National Bureau of Standards and in co njunction with the relevant Uganda Standard. The 
presence of this mark on a product or in relation to a product is an assurance that the goods comply with the 
requirements of that standard under a system of supervision, control and  testing in accordance with the 
certification mark scheme of the Uganda National  Bureau of Standards. UNBS marked products are 
continually checked by UNBS for conformity to that standard.  
Further particulars of the terms and conditions of  licensing may be obtained from the Director, Uganda 
National Bureau of Standards.  
 
 US 821: 2008 
 
ICS nn.nnn.nn 
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© UNBS 2008 – All rights reserved