Making grid / graph paper in Microsoft Word

Standard sizes of graph paper are frequently available but there are times when a specific size of graph paper or a specific grid size is needed for a project.

Although it might make sense to use Excel, which works almost exclusively with grids, to create such things, there is no function in Excel that allows you to choose specific sizes for cells other than in typographic units such as characters or points.  Word is the program to use.

Before you start give some thought to the size grid you want to print.  If you are working with 8 1/2" x 11" paper you are limited to printing on all but the outer 1/4" border.  If you wanted a grid of 3/8" (0.375") you would be able to print 8.25 "  /  .375" = 22 columns across and 10.5" / .375" = 28 rows.   

If you wanted a fixed number of columns (say 30) you would have to divide 8.25" / 30 to determine that the column and row size would be 0.35"

Once you have the row / column numbers computed follow these steps to create the grid.

Easy!