Saddle-stitched Booklets
Q. How to create a booklet?
A: Always remember there are 4 pages to sheet, 2 on the front and 2 on the back.
If you are submitting single page PDFs, the total number PDF pages should be divisible by 4.
16, 20, 24, 28 and 32 page booklets are the most common while 80 pages will be the exception.
The next step to creating a booklet is folding in half and stapling.
Booklet stapling is referred to as saddle-stitch stapling.
Q: What are the paper types used for booklets?
A: Here are the typical glossy paper and card stock choices.
70lb, 80lb or 100lb glossy text weight (paper)
70lb, 80lb or 100lb glossy cover weight (card stock)
We also carry uncoated paper and card stock (no gloss or coating).
70lb smooth text weight (paper)
80 or 100lb smooth cover weight (card stock)
For booklets, 80lb text and 80lb cover are recommended to save money and time; or for some projects with more than 16 sheets – 70lb for both cover sheet and inside sheets.
Thinner or lighter weight paper & card stock are advised when folding multiple sheets of paper together and stapling – 100lb is not recommended unless it is a booklet with 8 sheets (32 single page pdfs) or less.
Uncoated is not the best choice when you have full coverage color.
Unfortunately, the colors will not print as deep and rich as glossy.
.ORGs are changing over to an uncoated paper so their reports and publications don’t have such a magazine feel.
If your publication has a full-coverage color cover front & back, we suggest using a CS1 card stock. This CS1 has glossy finish only on the outside of the front & back covers for the full-coverage color covers. The inside of the covers will be an uncoated finish to match the inside sheets. Try your best to always keep a white background.
Q: What is the cheapest booklet to print?
The cheapest booklet has a self-cover (no card stock), white borders on all sides of every page (no bleeds) and printed on standard size sheet.
Booklet printing is a very cost-effective (cheap) alternative to print and bind your presentation.
It is always beneficial to print short runs (low quantity) as needed.
There is no labor cost for punching paper and inserting the punched paper into the binding. There is also no supply cost of spines, clear covers and vinyl backs.
Q: What is a standard size sheet?
A standard size sheet is 8.5×11 (letter size) or 11×17 (ledger size), but will be formatting and printing as landscape orientation.
Q: What is Full Bleed?
A: Full-bleed is the term used by graphic designers and printers when the colors of your image extend beyond the edges of the final trim size.
A bleed is usually one eighth (.125) to one quarter (.25) of an inch past the trim (cut / crop) marks on all sides.
When designing your project, it is very important to keep all wording (text), logos, page numbers… 3/8ths of an inch or more inside / away from your trim marks.
If your text, logos, page numbers… are too close to the trim marks & there are no bleeds provided; your project will be more difficult to print & trim.
Q: What are the most difficult booklets to print & trim?
A: Booklets with thin colored borders on any edge of any pages are difficult to digitally print & trim.
Try to avoid creating thin colored borders along the face of a booklet because of the paper creep factor; these are the most difficult to digitally print and trim.
Q: What is the creep factor?
When folding sheets of paper, the inside sheets are forced to move outward; therefore moving the content on each inside page about .003 of inch farther to the right side. This creep will also create the right side paper edges to be uneven; requiring a face trim.
Q: What is the face side of a booklet?
A: This is the side of the booklet utilized by your right thumb to flip the pages. The face is the right hand side of the booklet.
Q: Why is it always beneficial to print low quantities as needed?
A: Short run quantities has its benefits:
Low cost for the initial run.
Can always make more edits without reprinting hundreds of booklets.
Usual turnaround time is same day or 24 hours depending when we receive the final print version of the artwork.
Q: Can you print & trim to full-bleed even though I may not provide the required bleeds?
A: Absolutely.
Magic happens here at our print shop.
Q: Can you print booklets the same day / rush?
A: Absolutely.
Q: What types of litigation do you process?
A: There are 5 standard types of litigation normally referred to in legal industry. Autofeed, Light, Medium or Heavy Litigation, and Glass Work. Please refer to our litigation guide to find out the specifics of each type. Our company has extensive experience with each type of document processing involved in litigation.