Tobias Reed Production Knowledge Lead at 4OVER4.COM
Tobias is our voice for cutting, binding and large format, built from the knowledge of our production team, with over 20 years in printing.
Question
What cutting tolerance should I expect for my printed order?
Answer
Printed sheets are stacked and guillotine-cut in batches, so a small amount of shift is normal across a run and no printer can promise identical cuts on every single piece.
- Expect cuts to vary by up to about 1/16 inch across a job.
- Perfectly identical trims on every piece cannot be guaranteed with batch cutting.
- Keep important text and logos away from the trim edge.
- If color needs to line up across sides, build safe margins into your file.
| Guideline | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Cut tolerance | Up to about 1/16 inch |
| Safe margin | Keep text and logos about 1/8 inch from the trim |
| Thin borders | Avoid thin symmetric borders, since any shift shows |
Ready to order?
Get your standard business cards printed at 4OVER4
