PRINTING

"It's Print Time!"

After tedious edits, layout, and cover design decisions have been formatted to a printer's standards, it's time to go to press.

Quantity vs Type

By now, you will know of paper preference, books size, and binding... but the quantity will usually dictate whether digital Print on Demand (POD) or Offset Printing makes the most economical sense. We'll help you make those decisions as well.

For a generalized reference, let's first review the more common parameters.

Interior pages are printed in black, usually on 60# acid-free white or cream paper. Heavier weight, high-gloss or matte paper may be used for full color printing.
Soft cover covers are printed in full color using 80# cover stock which can also be laminated to achieve a more glossy, durable finish.
Unless otherwise required, Book sizes are often to 5.5 x 8.5 or 6 x 9.

Type of Bindings

PERFECT BOUND

Considerably cheaper to produce than hardcover copies, it’s typically used to describe a paperback. A soft-bound method uses a flexible hot glue to bind interior text pages to a full-color cover which is scored and wrapped around the compressed text-block before its three sides are trimmed to size.

CASE BOUND

The most common type of rigid, hard covered book. Interior pages are printed in “signature" groups, each group glued or smythe-sewn into a text-block which is attached to a spine and hard-cover assembly normally made of paper, cloth, vinyl, or leatherette-covered cardboard material. Full-color dust jackets may also be printed as an added protective feature.