How to Prepare Your Files for Printing
To ensure a print result that’s true to your project, your files need to follow a few essential technical rules. Here are the key points to check before sending us your file.
Format and Basic Settings
- File format: PDF, ideally compliant with the PDF/X-4:2010 standard.
- Color space: CMYK (not RGB, which produces unpredictable colors when printed).
- Resolution: 300 DPI minimum for all images.
- Fonts: embedded in the file, or converted to outlines/paths.
Bleed and Margins
- Bleed: 3 mm on each side for any element touching the edge of the page (cover as well as interior).
- Safety margins: keep your text and important elements far enough from the edge to avoid them being cut off during trimming.
Bindings and Specific Elements
Layout requirements vary depending on the binding type (perfect binding, Wire-O spiral, all-board…) and additional elements (dust jacket, endpapers, ribbon bookmark). Depending on your setup, the cover and interior may need different templates — feel free to ask us for the template that matches your project.
Special Finishes
For finishes such as spot UV varnish, foil stamping, or cover die-cutting, a separate mask file is required: it must be 100% black (K), perfectly aligned with your design, at the exact areas where the finish should be applied.
Most Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Missing or insufficient bleed
- File in RGB instead of CMYK
- Insufficient image resolution (pixelation when printed)
- File dimensions not matching the ordered final format
Not sure how to prepare your files yourself?
No problem: contact us directly at cmartin@bookprintbroker.com, or send us your current files (even incomplete) along with your quote or technical specs via our graphic design service request form. We’ll provide a quote to prepare your file for you.