# which way does a staple go? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 11, 2003, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-does-a-staple-go/194521 "2003-08-11T23:58:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lestat915](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lestat915](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lestat915)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2003, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-does-a-staple-go/194521/1 "2003-08-11T23:58:42Z")
When typing a paper, or essay do you staple horizontal, vertical, or diagnol, when you staple papers together or does it really matter? ---
**Author:** ![Phage](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a4c791/32.png) [@Phage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phage)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-does-a-staple-go/194521/2 "2003-08-12T00:07:42Z")
I usually staple horizontally because it appeals to my sense of symmetry. Diagonally makes sense if you want to make it slightly easier for someone to fold the pages over, but is usually done because the stapler is lazy. Vertical is just weird, but that is only my opinion (could be useful if stapled and also in a 3-ring binder?). ---
**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:** [August 12, 2003, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-does-a-staple-go/194521/3 "2003-08-12T00:19:42Z")
I usually staple diagonally across (as opposed to diagonally _into_) the top left-hand corner - I do it diagonally so that the pages can be folded over to the side or behind with less risk of the end of the staple pierceing the folded-over sheet. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-does-a-staple-go/194521/4 "2003-08-12T01:40:47Z")
Drive everyone nuts and put the staple in the lower right-hand corner. Heh heh heh… ---
**Author:** ![ErinPuff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@ErinPuff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ErinPuff)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-does-a-staple-go/194521/5 "2003-08-12T01:46:29Z")
I usually do it diagonally, but sometimes horizontally. (…Take _that_out of context… ;)) ---
**Author:** ![Achernar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@Achernar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Achernar)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-does-a-staple-go/194521/6 "2003-08-12T01:53:41Z")
If you want to be practical about it, like I do, then staple it at a 45° angle as near as you can to the corner without risking it ripping through the edges of the paper. This will minimize the stress on the paper when folded over. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-does-a-staple-go/194521/7 "2003-08-12T03:17:44Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by lestat915 \* > \*\*When typing a paper, or essay do you staple horizontal, vertical, or diagnol, when you staple papers together > or does it really matter? \*\* I usually don’t staple until after the paper is typed, or printed. Typing on stapled papers is hard on my laser printer. ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-does-a-staple-go/194521/8 "2003-08-12T05:33:09Z")
I staple mine diagonally, because a friend’s father performed a rip test. He stapled many sets of two pieces of paper, each with a different placement in relation to the paper. It seemed that the diagonal one took the most stress before tearing. This seems more of a IMHO than a GQ. ---
**Author:** ![aeropl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aeropl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aeropl)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-does-a-staple-go/194521/9 "2003-08-12T07:45:31Z")
If the paper is for a class, ask your professor. Some of mine had strict guidelines for paper fastenings. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-does-a-staple-go/194521/10 "2003-08-12T10:59:03Z")
Common sense says diagonally across the corner - that way, as has been said by many in this thread, the pages can easily be turned over because the staple is flat against the natural line of folding. ---
**Author:** ![ghostman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a3d4f5/32.png) [@ghostman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ghostman)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-does-a-staple-go/194521/11 "2003-08-12T14:15:23Z")
I had a physics teacher in high school that told us all that there was an experiment done a while back and it was proven (?) that 45 degrees is the best angle to prevent rips and tears. I have yet to find any proof of this tho. ---
**Author:** ![Steak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Steak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steak)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-does-a-staple-go/194521/12 "2003-08-12T19:18:09Z")
Copier machines that automatically collate and staple documents staple vertically. This could either mean that considerable thought on the part of the copier companies went into this decision and that vertical stapling is the most efficient, or that this is the easiest way for the machines to staple. You decide. I usually staple vertically because it makes the pages easier to turn than a horisontal / diagonal staple, though the pages do tend to tear out very easily. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-does-a-staple-go/194521/13 "2003-08-12T20:16:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Steak \* > Copier machines that automatically collate and staple documents staple vertically. This could either mean that considerable thought on the part of the copier companies went into this decision and that vertical stapling is the most efficient, or that this is the easiest way for the machines to staple. I don’t know about the copiers you use, but all the ones I use staple diagonally. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-does-a-staple-go/194521/14 "2003-08-12T20:33:38Z")
Diagonally, as close the upper-left corner as possible. Makes for easiest page flipping while minimizing the chance of pierce-through. ---
**Author:** ![Mudshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mudshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mudshark)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-does-a-staple-go/194521/15 "2003-08-13T07:17:23Z")
I staple diagonally, so it is easier to fold over. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-does-a-staple-go/194521/16 "2003-08-13T07:27:29Z")
How about in the middle of the top, horizontally? That sounds like it would be as good as anything. ---
**Author:** ![quarrossimo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@quarrossimo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quarrossimo)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-does-a-staple-go/194521/17 "2003-08-13T11:59:44Z")
My ex-boss used to ask me to staple some stuff diagonally, but the other way - the staple would be a line bisecting the right angle of the top left corner. He would ask for this because it would be easier for him to take out pages! Stuff which he wanted to stay together, he wanted stapled diagonally, as near the top left corner as possible, making a little triangle with the edges of the paper. It takes all kinds… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-way-does-a-staple-go/194521/18 "2003-08-13T13:59:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Derleth \* > \*\*How about in the middle of the top, horizontally? That sounds like it would be as good as anything. \*\* The problem with that is the amount of paper you have to fold to get a clean fold; the middle of the top requires that you fold the entire length of the top.