• Job Description: What type of printing item you need to quote for or you want to be printed ? For Example: Book Printing, Magazine Printing, Brochure Printing, Catalogue Printing etc. Quantity: How many of your printed item do you need ?

  • Number of Pages: How many pages does your book, magazine or brochure have? This is different from how many leaves. One leave consist of two pages.
  • Trim Size Folded: The size of your final printed piece once folder. For example, one 4 page brochure in spread size of 17″ x 11″ once folder, “trim size folded” will be 8 1/2 x 11″.
  • Flat/Spread Size: This is the flat and trimmed size of your printed piece before folding. For Example, a 4 pages brochure of 8 1/2 x 11″ in trim size folded, when spread out as a 2 page “Spread Size” will be 17″ X 11″ (Note: In printing the width is always the first dimension given).
  • Text Stock: The paper you require for the inside of your book or magazine etc. If there is no separate cover, then the text stock for the entire piece will be the same. (i.e. a “self cover” ).
  • Cover Stock: This is the paper you require for the outside 4 pages of your book or magazine. It is different from the text paper in thickness. If it is not, then your piece is containing a “self cover”.
  • Text Ink: The ink you require for the inside pages of your piece.
  • Bleeds: A bleed occurs when your design allows the ink to print to the every edge of paper. If your bleed on one side goes completely across the side from top to bottom, that would be 3 bleeds and not 1. To accommodate the bleed, the printer must make the bleed area larger than the final trim size. The page is then trimmed right through the bleed area. Thus bleed requires more paper and printers charge extra for the extra paper required.
  • Fold Type: The type of fold you require to finish your piece. A letter fold is a paper in thirds with each end folding towards the center.A “Z” fold differs in that one third of the sheet folds to the front and the other to the rear and so on. Accordian Fold: Two or more parallel folds that open like an accordian. Accordian fold is used for brochures and maps.
  • Fold Marks: Making at the top edge of a page showing where the folds should be.
  • Die score or cut: To die score a piece it is necessary to make a “steel rule” die, which is composed of thin pieces of steel that will be used to stamp a line or rule where your piece needs to fold. This action compresses the paper and allows for ease of folding and prevents cracking. Die cut is to create a steel rule die and to cut like a cookie your piece. For example, presentation folder with pocket. The glue flap that is used on the pocket, as well as the pocket and the slit cut to hold a business card are examples of die cutting.
  • Foil: To foil stamp a stamping tool is created, known as a die and for stamping a material onto the paper. The material usually is seen as metallic gold or silver.
  • Embossing: Raised Letters or design on paper or other materials. The effect is produced by uninked dies or blocks. Form: The assembly of pages on a printed sheet. When folded the form is called a signature.
  • Saddle Stitch: Two staples added to the center of the piece on the fold line, with the head of the staple on the outside of the folded piece. Perfect Bind: A squared off edge, with scored hinges for ease of opening and glued in pages define this type of bindery. For Example, “Soft Cover Book” and opposed to a “case bind” which is hard cover binding.
  • Case Bind: With Case Bind or Case In, books are typically hard bound books. The book covers, called “cases”, consist of rigid or flexible boards that are covered on the outside and on the edges with cloth or other material.
  • Blind Folio: Page Nos. are not printed on the page. Card Stock: Card Stock is also known as cover stock. A stiff paper used for postcards, catalog covers and other items that require rigidity. Coated Paper: Paper coated with clay, white pigments, and a blinder.
  • Uncoated Paper: Paper without coating, applied for smoothness. Uncoated paper is absorbent and soft in appearance. Gloss: A shiny coating on paper. Gloss coating allows very little ink absorption and provides excellent colour definition u0026amp; contrast.
  • Matte: A coated paper finish and not shiny like a gloss, but provides excellent bright image.
  • Grain: In paper making, the direction in which most wood pulp fibers lie within the sheet due to the direction of flow as the paper is made. Folding paper against the grain break more wood pulp fibers than folding with grain resulting in an uneven less precise fold.
  • Gutter: The inside space between pages. To be specific, the inside margin towards the back or binding edge.
  • Imposition: Arrangement of pages on press sheet, so that pages are in proper order when the sheet is folded.
  • Inserts: Extra printed pages inserted into printed pieces. Interleaves: Extra blank pages inserted loosely into printed pieces.