Skip to content
Print Large Poster
More free tools

Print an 18 x 24 inch poster on Letter paper

18 x 24 inches is a common size for school projects, science fair boards and wall prints. It is also the largest size that stays easy to handle on a table. You can lay it out and glue it in one sitting.

On Letter paper with a 0.25 inch margin and a 0.5 inch overlap, the poster takes 9 sheets in portrait (3 across, 3 down). In landscape it takes 8 sheets (2 across, 4 down). The tool is set to 18 inches wide. Add your picture to see the grid.

1. Your image

Loading a sample picture. You can also drop or paste an image.

Hatched area is blank paper. A shaded strip is overlap you glue. A1, A2 and so on are the page names.

Sheets
 
Poster size
 
Print quality
 

Print at 100% (Actual size). Do not choose Fit to page.

How to assemble

  1. Print one page and check it. Print at 100%.
  2. Trim the white edge along the solid marks. Keep the dashed edges.
  3. Line up pages A1 and A2, then B1 and B2. Glue each strip.
Paper orientation

3. Poster size

How the picture fills the poster

Fit shows the whole picture. The poster may have white at the edges.

Set the poster size by
Units

Most home printers cannot print within 0.25 in (6 mm) of the edge. The overlap is the strip you glue.

 

 

Sheets for an 18 x 24 inch poster

These counts use a 0.25 inch printer margin and a 0.5 inch overlap. The tool above shows the exact numbers for your picture.

Sheets for an 18 x 24 inch poster
Poster sizeLetter, portraitLetter, landscapeTabloid (11 x 17), portraitTabloid (11 x 17), landscape
18 x 24 in3 x 3 (9 sheets)2 x 4 (8 sheets)2 x 2 (4 sheets)2 x 3 (6 sheets)
24 x 18 in4 x 2 (8 sheets)3 x 3 (9 sheets)3 x 2 (6 sheets)2 x 2 (4 sheets)

Why landscape wins here

Two landscape sheets cover 18 inches across with their overlap. The extra sheet in portrait only adds waste. Landscape cuts one sheet and one seam. The cost is a longer column of 4 sheets. If your poster is wider than it is tall, flip the numbers and the same logic applies.

Best uses

  • Science fair title banners and project boards.
  • A map or a timeline for a classroom wall.
  • Fan art, a child's drawing or a family photo for a bedroom.

Resolution for 18 inches

You need about 2700 pixels across for 150 dpi at 18 inches wide. Most phone photos are larger. Screenshots and web images often are not, so check the dpi line in the tool before you print 9 sheets.

Print at actual size

In the print dialog, choose 100% or Actual size. Do not choose Fit to page. That setting shrinks every tile, and the pieces will not line up. Print the test page first and measure it.

Questions

How many sheets is an 18 x 24 inch poster?

9 Letter sheets in portrait (3 x 3) or 8 in landscape (2 x 4), with a 0.25 inch margin and a 0.5 inch overlap. On Tabloid paper it takes 4.

Can I print 18 x 24 on A4?

Yes. Choose A4 in the paper list. The counts are the same as for Letter at this size.

Should I print a test page first?

Yes. The test page button prints only page A1. Measure it, check your margins, and then print the other sheets.

More poster guides

More free tools from Bingemind