# Folding paper in half more than seven times. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 8, 2002, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-paper-in-half-more-than-seven-times/131413 "2002-10-08T18:45:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tensoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@Tensoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tensoc)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-paper-in-half-more-than-seven-times/131413/1 "2002-10-08T18:45:07Z")
We were discussing this today, folding a piece of paper in half more than seven times is said to be impossible because the paper reaches a thickness 128 times that of what is normally is, however, I seem to remember a test being done by scientists, metioned here perhaps, where they were able to exceed that supposed limit. Anyone happen to know, or have the links? Thanks, ---
**Author:** ![TheJackOfHearts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheJackOfHearts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheJackOfHearts)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-paper-in-half-more-than-seven-times/131413/2 "2002-10-08T19:05:46Z")
I don’t know. You could always try searching the archives of Cecil’s columns, though. Who knows, you might find something useful like [this](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a910705.html) . ---
**Author:** ![Lost\_In\_Reality](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Lost\_In\_Reality](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lost_In_Reality)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-paper-in-half-more-than-seven-times/131413/3 "2002-10-08T21:12:38Z")
I almost feel like Cecil, in a way, cheated in that column (please don’t smite me oh mighty Cecil). He wasn’t folding a piece of regular paper but rather a massive dropcloth. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-paper-in-half-more-than-seven-times/131413/4 "2002-10-08T21:54:55Z")
I get the impression that the thickness does have to do with it, and all Cecil showed was that thinner sheets reach a “folded” limit sooner. I mean, how easily can you fold an 8.5x11 piece of paper versus the same size piece of cardboard? More folds in the paper, I’ll bet. Now try something thinner, for example, a Kimwipe®.They are pretty thin. I can imagine exceeding the paper by at least one fold. I know nothing of physics or materials or anything like that, so I can’t begin to suggest WHY this might be, but just that that’s what I’ve observed… ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-paper-in-half-more-than-seven-times/131413/5 "2002-10-08T22:15:29Z")
Depends on how strong and thin the paper is. Thin paper is usually not all that strong and tear resistant. I have done this experiment with notebook paper and newspaper and both reach a folding limit fairly quickly because of the squaring inherent in the folding process and simply tear if folded one more time - granted I used the help of a vise to make the last fold. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2002, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-paper-in-half-more-than-seven-times/131413/6 "2002-10-08T22:54:20Z")
It’s not possible to truly fold a piece of paper more than once. Actually that’s not true, in fact it isn’t possible to truly fold a piece of paper at all. I probably ought to explain now before the men in white suits arrive; when you attempt to fold two sheets of paper together, the inner one folds\* and the outer one _bends_ around the thickness of the inner, folded sheet. \*It is all a question of degree, however, because the inner fold is only a very tight bend, but this is the nature of the problem; when you get up to the seventh fold, you’re tryng to fold what is effectively 64 sheets of paper together; the outer ones simply won’t fold because of the sheer thickness of paper between them - they just _bend_, the inner ones pucker and pull because the whole thing is constrained at the edges by previous folds. ---
**Author:** ![Tensoc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a183cd/32.png) [@Tensoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tensoc)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-paper-in-half-more-than-seven-times/131413/7 "2002-10-09T00:44:42Z")
A couple notes… Jack, there is no need to be condescending when you respond, the area I am posting from has banned my access to the archives (don’t ask me, I don’t know why), but left me access to the forums, it’s why I posted here first, yeesh. I also agree with some posts, Cecil was using an incredibly thin piece of plastic, note above, I was asking about paper. So far as I recall Jack, and the boy at the grocery store always notes the difference, paper isn’t plastic. Mange, way too in depth, but thanks for the information 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2002, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/folding-paper-in-half-more-than-seven-times/131413/8 "2002-10-09T21:51:37Z")
Last night, I folded a sheet of paper (newsprint), in half 8 times. After the 8th fold, the result was about 1 1/4 by 1 1/2 inches, and about an inch thick. So there ya’ go.