Emma Davis, 4OVER4 print production voice (illustration)
Emma Davis Print Production Specialist at 4OVER4.COM

Emma is our prepress and print production voice, built from the knowledge of our production team, with over 20 years in printing.

Question

Do booklet covers require extra space for binding?

Answer

Yes, booklet covers and inside pages should be laid out with the binding in mind. Content that sits too close to the spine or the trim edge can be lost, obscured, or hard to read once the booklet is folded and bound.

  • Keep important text, logos, and images away from the spine so nothing disappears into the fold.
  • Hold key content inside the safe area, away from the trim edges, and extend backgrounds to the bleed.
  • For saddle-stitched booklets, allow for creep, where inner pages push out slightly and are trimmed more at the outer edge.
  • Design the cover as a spread when the binding method calls for it, accounting for the spine area.

Use the template for your booklet size and binding method, since it shows the correct margins and safe areas for that setup.

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