An apparatus was constructed to study the factors influencing measurement of paper friction. The apparatus consists of a sled that slides on a horizontal table. Studies of paper friction using this apparatus revealed that : the paper surfaces must not be touched by hand or otherwise contaminated ; the hardness of the backing must be specified ; the sled must be lowered into position without any movement on the table surface ; a guidance system is required to keep the orientation of the sled parallel to the table ; applied force must be built up slowly until the sled begins to slide, the sled should then slide at a constant speed without wobbling ; measurement of kinetic friction requires a rigid apparatus to avoid the stick-slip phenomenon. Application : a preliminary study to identify test conditions for a future ISO standard method for measuring paper friction.