As discussed in Six Factors that Affect Print Cost, the size of your finished piece can impact your overall cost and you can save money by designing the piece to fit on 8.5″ x 11″ or 11″ x 17″ sheets. 8.5″ x 11″ or 11″ x 17″ are the most common paper sizes available. Therefore if your piece, flat or folded, fits on one of those two sizes you avoid charges for trimming.
Note: an 8.5″ x 11” sheet can be folded into a 5.5” x 8.5” book, booklet, brochure or cut into two 5.5” x 8.5” cards or pads, etc. An 11” x 17” sheet can be folded into 8.5″ x 11” book, booklet,, form, brochure, etc.
If your design require bleeds you can reduce their finished size (your printer can tell you by how much) so they can still be printed single or multi-up on 8.5″ x 11″ or 11″ x 17″ sheets and then trimmed to finish. You will have trim charges but will benefit from the most affordable sheet sizes with minimal waste.
Paper mills offer paper in 8.5″ x 11″ or 11″ x 17″ reams; in print-sheets ranging in size from 12” x 18” to 28” x 40”, and in rolls for web offset presses. Print sheets are used for higher-quantity and non-standard sized projects while web offset printers and paper rolls are used by commercial printers on very high quantity projects like popular magazines, newspapers, etc.
Standard Sheets fit into Standard Envelopes!
If your pieces are meant to be mailed, standard sizing enables them to fit into standard-sized envelopes which is another cost-saver.
The classic #10 envelope is perfect for an 8.5″ x 11” item folded into thirds. A 6” x 9” catalog envelope holds a 5.5” x 8.5” piece and a 9” x 12” envelope holds an 8.5” x 11” piece.
Call us 330-597-8560 and we will help you get the most out of your printing project.
