Poster sizes: from A3 to billboards
Indoor posters are usually A3, A2, A1 or A0. Outdoor advertising works in sheets: in Germany a single sheet is A1 and the large billboard is the 18/1 at 356 × 252 cm. In the UK, the classic roadside billboard is the 48-sheet at 6.1 × 3.05 m.
Contents of this page
ISO sizes for posters
| Size | cm | Pixels at 150 dpi | Typical for |
|---|---|---|---|
| A3 | 29.7 × 42 | 1754 × 2480 px | notices, noticeboards |
| A2 | 42 × 59.4 | 2480 × 3508 px | shop windows, offices, classrooms |
| A1 | 59.4 × 84.1 | 3508 × 4967 px | events, pavement signs |
| A0 | 84.1 × 118.9 | 4967 × 7022 px | cinemas, conference posters, plans |
150 dpi is enough for posters viewed from one or two metres. If you show photos with fine detail or use small type, go for 200 to 300 dpi. More on print resolution.
UK outdoor poster sizes
British outdoor advertising also counts in sheets, but the base sheet is a little different from the German one. The sizes most people will come across:
| Name | Size | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 4-sheet | 1016 × 1524 mm (40 × 60 in) | shopping centres, stations |
| 6-sheet | 1200 × 1800 mm | bus shelters, street furniture, often backlit |
| 48-sheet | 6096 × 3048 mm (20 × 10 ft) | roadside billboards |
| 96-sheet | 12192 × 3048 mm (40 × 10 ft) | large roadside sites |
German outdoor poster sizes
Outdoor advertising in Germany is based on the sheet, an A1 piece of paper. Larger formats are pasted together from several sheets, and the number before the slash tells you how many.
| Name | Size | Where |
|---|---|---|
| 1/1 sheet | 59.4 × 84.1 cm (A1) | general poster sites, advertising columns |
| 2/1 sheet | 84.1 × 118.9 cm (A0) | general poster sites |
| 4/1 sheet | 119 × 168 cm | general poster sites, advertising columns |
| 6/1 sheet | 119 × 252 cm | advertising columns |
| 8/1 sheet | 119 × 336 cm | whole advertising columns |
| City Light Poster | 118.5 × 175 cm | backlit cases at bus and tram stops |
| 18/1 billboard | 356 × 252 cm | large billboards, also as backlit Mega-Light boards |
Measurements can vary by a few centimetres from one media owner to the next, because frames and paste margins differ. For the artwork, the media owner’s spec sheet always applies.
US poster sizes
| Size | Inches | cm |
|---|---|---|
| Tabloid | 11 × 17 | 27.9 × 43.2 |
| Medium | 18 × 24 | 45.7 × 61 |
| Large | 24 × 36 | 61 × 91.4 |
| Movie one sheet | 27 × 40 | 68.6 × 101.6 |
The large roadside billboard in the US is the bulletin at 14 × 48 feet (4.27 × 14.63 m). It is usually printed on vinyl in one piece rather than pasted from sheets.
Paper for posters
Indoors, 135 to 200 g/m² coated paper or a dedicated poster paper is enough. Outdoor posters that are pasted up are printed on blueback paper, which is dyed blue on the reverse so older posters underneath do not show through. For posters that go in a frame or a pavement sign, a glossy finish is usually a poor choice, because it adds to the reflections from the acrylic.
Frequently asked questions
What are the standard poster sizes?
Indoors usually A3, A2, A1 or A0. In the US, 18 × 24 and 24 × 36 inches are common.
How big is a 48-sheet billboard?
6096 × 3048 mm, which is 20 × 10 feet.
How big is an 18/1 poster in Germany?
356 × 252 cm. In theory it is made of 18 A1 sheets.
What resolution does a poster need?
Usually 150 dpi at final size is enough. For billboards, 20 to 50 dpi often does the job.