Very quick answer: No.
When I say I’ve spent countless hours searching for reams of lined paper, I truly mean countless hours—possibly even years—without any luck. While I can easily find templates online to print my own lined paper, purchasing pre-printed lined paper in bulk, especially in 8.5 in x 11 in, has proven to be a challenge.
The only option I haven't explored yet is reaching out to local printers to inquire about printing lined paper. The millennial in me hesitates to take that step. Perhaps when I reach a point where selling a lot of products makes home printing impractical, I’ll consider that route. For now, I’ll stick to printing at home.
What Printers Do I Use?
I’m a huge fan of Canon printers; they work seamlessly with both my MacBook and my husband’s Linux operating system. Currently, I have two Canon printers: an inkjet and a laserjet.
Canon Pixma iX6820
This inkjet printer is quite affordable and capable of producing large prints on heavy paper. I strongly recommend using only Canon ink. I’ve tried non-manufacturer ink before, and it either didn’t work or produced poor results. In fact, a previous Canon printer of mine broke due to using non-manufacturer ink, so I stick with Canon ink for this one.
Canon ImageClass LBP622Cdw
This laserjet printer is on the pricier side, but it’s definitely worth it if you print frequently. It’s wireless and easily connects to all our computers. I often use this printer for lined paper because it prints quickly and handles double-sided printing without any issues. While the manufacturer's toner can be expensive, I’ve used non-manufacturer toner without many problems. Since I mainly print lined paper, it doesn’t impact the quality as much.
How Do I Get Lined Paper?
Surprisingly, if you Google "lined paper," you’ll find numerous websites offering templates and even apps that allow you to create your own lined paper. One great resource is this website that provides free printables for various styles of lined, graph, and dotted paper. If you’re just starting out, this is a fantastic place to visit.
I also created my own lined paper using Illustrator. I wanted something very specific for my wired journals, and it works perfectly with my text blocks as well.
If you are interested, you are welcome to use my files.
Notebook:
PDF File: 5.5in x 8.5in with Margins
AI File: 5.5in x 8.5in with Margins
Pocket Notebook:
PDF File: 3.5in x 5.0in with Margins
AI File: 3.5in x 5.0in with Margins
Lastly, the benefit of printing at home is that you get to choose the paper. I've actually used online print companies to print lined paper for me but the quality of the paper is very poor and not cost-effective. It makes more sense to buy your own paper that you prefer and print lined paper at home.
If you have other resources to source quality lined paper for bookbinding, share in the comments!
-Ayla.