Product Specifications - Perfect Bound Booklets
Perfect bound booklets are a great choice for creating professional brochures, magazines, product catalogues, company reports and prospectuses. With a glued spine and a wraparound cover, they offer a premium, paperback-style finish.
Choose from a range of sizes, paper stocks, cover options and finishes to create a booklet that suits your needs.
What is a perfect bound booklet?
Perfect binding is a booklet finishing method where the inner pages are gathered together and glued along the spine using a strong adhesive. A separate cover is then wrapped around the pages, and the remaining three edges are trimmed to create a neat, professional finish.
This is the same style of binding commonly used for paperback books, making it ideal for publications that need a more substantial and premium appearance.
Perfect bound booklets are particularly popular for:
Product catalogues and brochures.
Magazines and newsletters.
Company reports and presentations.
Training manuals and handbooks.
University prospectuses.
Portfolios and lookbooks.
What sizes are available?
We offer a selection of standard sizes to suit different types of publications.
You can also explore custom sizing where available. The sizes and options offered may vary depending on the product selected.
What paper types and weights can I choose?
The paper you choose will affect the appearance, thickness and feel of your booklet.
Silk paper
A smooth, coated finish with a subtle sheen. Silk is a popular all-round choice for brochures, catalogues and magazines.
Available weights include:
115gsm – Lightweight and flexible.
150gsm – A popular choice offering a quality, substantial feel.
170gsm – Thicker and sturdier, with reduced show-through.
Uncoated paper
A natural, uncoated finish with a slightly textured surface. Ideal for booklets that need to be written on, such as workbooks, manuals and training materials.
Available weights include:
90gsm – Lightweight and economical.
120gsm – A slightly thicker option.
170gsm – Stronger and more substantial.
Gloss paper
130gsm – A high-shine finish that helps colours and photographs appear vibrant.
Available stocks may vary depending on the size and specifications selected.
What cover options are available?
You can choose between a self-cover booklet or a separate, thicker cover.
Self-cover
The cover uses the same paper stock as the inside pages. This is a popular, more economical option.
Separate cover
Choose a thicker cover stock to give your booklet additional durability and a more premium feel.
Available cover weights include 250gsm and 350gsm, depending on the selected product.
You can also choose from eligible cover finishes to give your booklet extra protection and enhance its appearance.
What lamination options are available?
Lamination adds a protective coating to your cover and changes its overall appearance.
Depending on your selected cover stock, you may be able to choose:
No lamination: Leaves the cover without an additional protective film.
Matt lamination: A smooth, subtle finish with no shine.
Gloss lamination: A shiny finish that helps colours stand out.
Velvet lamination: A soft-touch finish with a luxurious feel.
Lamination availability depends on the cover stock and product specifications selected.
Can I add foil or spot UV?
Yes! You can enhance eligible covers with additional finishes such as spot UV or metallic foil.
Spot UV: Adds a glossy, raised-looking highlight to selected areas of your design, helping logos, text or other details stand out.
Foil: Adds a metallic finish to selected areas of your cover, available in options such as gold and silver.
These finishes have specific artwork requirements and are only available with eligible cover stocks and lamination combinations. Check the options displayed on the product page before ordering.
How many pages can my perfect bound booklet have?
You can choose your required printed page count using the page selector on the product page.
The available page counts are displayed in even-numbered increments, with options shown from 32pp upwards, depending on the selected product.
What does 'pp' mean?
'pp' stands for printed pages. This includes the four cover pages:
Front cover.
Inside front cover.
Inside back cover.
Back cover.
For example, a 32pp booklet includes 4 cover pages and 28 inside pages.
Remember to include your cover pages when calculating your total page count.
What is the spine of a perfect bound booklet?
The spine is the narrow edge where the pages are glued together and the cover wraps around the booklet.
The width of the spine depends on the number of pages and the paper stock selected. A booklet with more pages or thicker paper will generally require a wider spine.
If you want text, a logo or a design running down the spine, it's important to calculate the correct width before preparing your cover artwork.
How do I calculate my spine width?
You don't need to work out your spine width manually! Our free online spine calculator automatically updates to match your selected booklet specifications.
How to find your spine calculator:
Visit our Perfect Bound Booklets page.
Select your preferred booklet size, paper type, cover stock, printed page count and other specifications.
Once you've selected your specifications, scroll down to the 'Templates' section.
Open the relevant artwork template to find your automatically updated spine calculator and measurements.
Use the displayed measurements to set up your cover artwork correctly.
The calculator automatically adjusts the spine width and cover dimensions based on your selected specifications, helping you create your artwork to the correct size.
Top tip: Always select your final booklet specifications before downloading your template or using the spine measurements. If you change your paper stock, page count or other specifications, check the updated measurements before preparing your artwork.
How should I set up my perfect bound booklet artwork?
Perfect bound booklets require a slightly different artwork setup to stapled or wire-bound booklets because the cover and inside pages are supplied separately.
We recommend downloading the relevant blank templates from the product page to help you prepare your artwork correctly.
Inside pages
Supply your inside pages as individual pages, not double-page spreads.
Arrange your pages in the correct reading order, starting with the first inside page and finishing with the last.
Set your artwork to the finished size of your chosen booklet.
Include 3mm bleed around the outside edges.
Keep important text and images at least 7mm away from the binding edge.
Keep important content at least 3mm away from the other trimmed edges.
Cover artwork
Set up your front cover, spine and back cover together as one continuous spread.
Make sure the spine width matches the result from the spine calculator.
Include 3mm bleed around the outside edges.
Keep important text, logos and images away from the trim and spine areas.
Allow for the inside cover panels where required by your template.
General artwork requirements
For the best print results, we recommend:
Resolution: 300dpi.
Colour mode: CMYK.
File format: PDF.
Fonts: Embedded or outlined.
Bleed: 3mm.
Safety area: 3mm on the outer edges and 7mm on the binding edge.
Please check your selected product's blank template and artwork specifications before uploading.
How do I download a perfect bound booklet template?
You can find free blank artwork templates on the relevant product page.
Visit the perfect bound booklet product page.
Select your required size and specifications.
Scroll down to the 'Templates' section.
Download the relevant blank template.
Use the template guides to position your artwork correctly.
The templates help show the finished size, bleed, trim and safe areas. We recommend using them when setting up both your cover and inside pages.
How do I order perfect bound booklets?
Ordering is straightforward:
Choose your preferred booklet size.
Select your paper stock and weight.
Choose your binding edge and printed page count.
Select your cover stock and any available lamination or embellishments.
Choose your required quantity and turnaround.
Add your product to your basket.
Upload your artwork when prompted.
Review your digital proof carefully and approve it when you're happy to proceed.
Your order will then move into production in line with your selected turnaround.
Can I order different designs in the same quantity?
If you want to print multiple designs, you'll need to add a separate quantity to your basket for each design.
Each design will need its own artwork and proof approval.
How long does delivery take?
Available turnaround options are displayed on the product page when configuring your booklet.
Make sure you check the delivery date shown for your selected specifications before placing your order.
For standard turnaround options, artwork approval and order completion must meet the relevant daily cut-off. Extended delivery areas may require an additional working day.
You can find further information in our Delivery Help Guide.
Need help setting up your artwork?
If you're unsure how to prepare your cover, inside pages or spine, our Live Chat Assistant is the quickest and easiest way to get help.
Have your artwork ready and contact us through Live Chat on our website. Our team can help with artwork queries, uploading files and guiding you through the proofing process.
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