Use These Common Printing Terms To Help The Printer Understand Exactly What You Want And Get More Accurate Quotes
Bids and Quote Sheet
Advance Copies: a few copies of the finished print product sent as soon as the project is completed in the bindery.
Extent: a listing of all project components.
Finished Size: the dimensions of the finished piece.
Flat Size: the size of the printed piece prior to folding.
Landscape Format: horizontal (or, album).
Number of Colors: a listing of the number of colors for each project component. Example: “Text pages 4c x 1c” means 4 colors on one side of text sheets and 1 color on the other side.
PP: printed pages (front and back). Example: “32pp text” means 32 printed pages (front and back).
Pages: there are two pages for each sheet of paper. Also called “Leafs”–there are two pages for each leaf.
Portrait Format: upright (or, vertical).
Binding
Back Lining or Backing Paper: an additional back paper or cloth added to the spine to make the binding stronger.
Board Book: often used for children's books. Each cover and page of the book is laminated to a heavy board.
Burst Bind: to bind by forcing glue into notches along the spines of folded signatures. A burst bind is stronger than a perfect bind.
Comb Bind (also called Plastic Bind): bound by inserting a flexible plastic comb through holes punched along the binding edge of the book.
End Sheets: the sheets that attach the text to the hardcover (case) of a book.
Flush Cover: the text pages come to the edge of the cover.
Hardcover (also called Case Bound): this is the term for a hardbound book.
Head and Tail Bands: a cloth band that decorates the head and foot (or tail) of the spine.
Hinged Cover: this is a softbound book that is scored approx. .125” from the spine so that the cover opens without damaging the spine of the book.
Overhang Cover: the cover is slightly larger than the text pages.
Pastebind: the pages are secured with glue along the spine.
Perfect Bind (also called Limp Bind or Drawn-on Cover): hot glue is used to adhere the text pages to a soft cover.
Plus Cover: the cover is printed on a different paper than the text pages.
Round-Back Hardcover: the spine is rounded, as opposed to a square-back cover where the spine is flat.
Quarter Cover: book with the spine covered in one material and the other areas of the cover bound in a different material.
Saddle Stitch: bound by stapling sheets and cover together at the spine.
Self Cover: text and cover are the same paper.
Self Ends: the outer pages of the book's text are bound to the hardbound case, eliminating the need for end sheets.
Side Stitch: to bind by stapling sheets through the front of the printing.
Slip Case: a box, open on one side that is made to hold a book or series of books.
Softbound: this is a term for a perfect-bound book with no stitching.
Stitched and Bound: this is a term for perfect binding with the pages stitched together prior to perfect binding. This is a more secure binding than perfect binding and holds up better for repeated use or for softbound books that need to be forced flat by the reader.
Wire-O Bind: bound by inserting coil wire through holes drilled through the binding edge of the book.
Coatings
Aqueous Coating: water-based coating available in matte or gloss finish. This coating accepts ink jet printing well. A thicker coat than varnish, but not as thick as laminate.
Laminate: plastic coating. Offers the most protection and is available as gloss or matte.
UV Coating: liquid coating cured with UV light. More durable than varnish or aqueous coating. Not as durable as laminate.
Varnish: a light coating that reflects light. Can be gloss or matte.
Paper
Art Paper: coated paper. Can be gloss art or matte art.
GSM (Grams Per Square Meter): this is the term for paper weight used everywhere except North America, where poundage is used.
Offset Paper: alternative term for uncoated paper.
Recycled Paper: new paper made entirely, or in part, from previously
used paper.
Uncoated Paper (sometimes referred to as Wood-Free): no coating on the paper surface.
Vellum Paper: uncoated and rough surface.
Wood-Free (also called Free Sheets): paper made from wood fibers mixed with chemicals and cleaned free of impurities. Resists yellowing with age.
Pre-Press
CYMK: these are the printing inks used in producing full-color printing (Cyan, Yellow, Magenta and Black). This is the file format that colors must be converted to (from RGB) for commercial production of full color.
DPI: dots per inch. Usually 300 or 350 DPI is required for full-color printing.
Proofing and Shipping
Blueline Proofs: proofs showing the positioning of pages, graphics and text in mono color. Not used for proofing of color images.
Digital Proofs: proofs made from a photo mechanical process or a digital printer. Can be very accurate, although not as accurate as press proofs.
Dummies: bound blank paper proof to show the binding, paper quality and thickness.
Press Proofs: proofs made by putting files on a press and printing proofs. The most accurate form of proofing.Shipping
Bill of Lading: legally binding document listing goods shipped by the shipping company, acknowledging the receipt of goods and promising delivery to the person named.
CBM: this is the total size of a shipment in cubic meters.
CIF: stands for “Cost, Insurance and Sea Freight.”
This is pricing based on delivery to the port of import (example: Los Angeles port). This does include international shipping and insurance, but does not include customs or port processing fees or local delivery.
Consignee: the person to whom the merchandise is destined.
DDP: stands for “Delivery Duty Paid.” This pricing is based on delivery to your destination. All costs including local delivery are included.
Ex-Factory: client, or client's agent, who is responsible for picking up the goods at the manufacturer's door.
FOB: stands for “Free on Board.” This is pricing based on delivery to the port of export (example: Hong Kong port). This does not include international shipping, insurance, customs or local delivery.
Ship Weight (sometimes called Gross Weight): this is the total weight of the shipment including all product and pallets.
Shipping Packing List: shows # of copies per carton, size & weight per carton, # of cartons per pallet, and size & weight per pallet.
Lead free, and environmentally sound, Soy based
Inks are used for all of our printing.
