Staple sizes – How they work

The most common type of office stapler usually takes No. 56 staples, also known as 26/6. In this instance, the '26' refers to the gauge of the wire and the '6' refers to the length of the staple shanks in millimetres. However, there are some less popular staple sizes, in which the first number is not relative to the wire gauge. In these cases, the second number still usually refers to the shank length. There are also a few staple sizes which are just listed as a number.

The staple size is usually on the underside of your stapler. Some staplers are able to take multiple shank lengths, which you can choose according to your stapling capacity needs. We have a handy chart below to help you find your staples. If your stapler or staple size is not listed below, call a member of the sales team on 0345 567 4000 for friendly advice.