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Tear a sheet of paper vertically, first, then horizontally. Which tear was straighter?
This is a quick, simple test for grain direction, a paper property that indicates which way fibers lined up on the paper machine during manufacturing. The straighter tear will tell you if it’s grain long or grain short.
A third simple test involves folding and is, perhaps, the biggest reason why designers should take time to learn about this important paper property. Use a cover weight for the most dramatic results then fold once horizontally and once vertically. The ragged, bumpy fold is going against the grain … hence the expression.
Since the grain of the sheet is aligned to the machine direction, the other dimension is referred to as the cross-grain. As paper is formed, the slurry of fibers (like logs going down a river) moves forward through the paper machine at high speeds, aligning in the direction of movement. Read more.
