Printing: sizes, bleed and paper
For a print file to go through without queries, it needs the right size with 3 mm bleed, images at about 300 dpi at final size, CMYK colours with the right profile and embedded fonts. This page leads to every printing topic on the site.
Contents of this page
What every printer needs from you
- Trim size
- The size after cutting, for example A5 at 148 × 210 mm.
- Document size
- Trim size plus bleed, so 154 × 216 mm for A5 with 3 mm. More on bleed
- Resolution
- Images at 300 dpi at the size they will print. For posters, 150 dpi is often enough. Print resolution explained
- Colour
- CMYK with the profile your printer specifies, often PSO Coated v3 in Europe or GRACoL in North America. Setting up print-ready files
- File format
- PDF/X-4 or PDF/X-1a with embedded fonts.
- Paper
- Weight and type, for example 170 g/m² matt coated for flyers. Paper weight, paper types
- Finishing
- Fold, binding, coating. Fold types with measurements
All printing topics
- BleedWhat bleed is, why most printers ask for 3 mm, the document size for A4, A5 and DL with bleed, and the mistakes that cause white edges.
- Resolution and dpiHow many pixels an image needs for A4, A3 or a poster. dpi and ppi explained plainly, with a table for every A size from 72 to 300 dpi.
- Print-ready filesHow to export a print-ready PDF: size, bleed, colour space, profiles such as PSO Coated v3, fonts and a checklist before you upload.
- Fold typesThe common folds with diagrams and panel widths: half fold, roll fold, Z fold, gate fold, double gate fold and cross fold.
- Paper weightWhat 80 gsm means, how much an A4 sheet weighs, which weight suits letters, flyers and business cards, and how gsm compares to US lb.
- Paper typesUncoated, gloss and matt coated, natural, recycled paper and board compared, plus grain direction and why it matters for folding.
- Digital and offset printingWhen digital printing makes sense and when offset gets cheaper, which sheet sizes the presses take and what that means for your files.
- Business cardsEuropean 85 × 55 mm, credit card 85.6 × 54 mm, US 3.5 × 2 inches and other business card sizes, with bleed, paper weight and layout tips.
- PostcardsThe standard postcard is A6 at 105 × 148 mm. Postal size limits in Germany, the UK and the US, card weight, print files with bleed and layout tips.
- FlyersFlyer sizes A6, A5, A4, DL and square with trim size, document size and pixels. Plus folded leaflets, paper weights and US flyer sizes.
- Poster sizesPoster sizes from A3 to A0, US poster sizes, UK billboards from 4-sheet to 96-sheet and the German formats up to 18/1, each with print resolution.
- RA and SRA sizesRA0 to RA4 and SRA0 to SRA4 under ISO 217 in mm and inches. Why printers run SRA3 and how many A4 pages fit on one sheet.
From press sheet to finished size
Hardly anything is printed at its finished size. Digital presses usually work with SRA3 sheets (320 × 450 mm), offset presses with sheets from 50 × 70 cm to 72 × 102 cm and larger. Several copies are laid out on one sheet, printed, then cut or folded.
For you as a customer, that means the design has to extend past the edge (bleed), and important content needs some distance from the cut line. The imposition calculator shows how many copies fit on a sheet.
Common print products and their sizes
| Product | Trim size | Document size with 3 mm | Usual paper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business card | 85 × 55 mm | 91 × 61 mm | 300 to 400 g/m² |
| Postcard | A6, 105 × 148 mm | 111 × 154 mm | 300 to 350 g/m² |
| Small flyer | A6 or DL | 111 × 154 / 105 × 216 mm | 135 to 170 g/m² |
| Flyer | A5, 148 × 210 mm | 154 × 216 mm | 135 to 170 g/m² |
| Six-page leaflet | A4 open, folded to DL | 303 × 216 mm (landscape) | 135 to 170 g/m² |
| Letterhead | A4, 210 × 297 mm | 216 × 303 mm | 90 to 100 g/m² |
| Poster | A2 to A0 | 3 to 5 mm, depending on the printer | 135 to 200 g/m² |
Frequently asked questions
How much bleed does a print job need?
Most printers ask for 3 mm on every side. Large formats can need 5 to 10 mm.
What resolution do I need for print?
For images, 300 dpi at final size. For posters viewed from a distance, 150 dpi is enough.
Which PDF format do printers accept?
PDF/X-4 and PDF/X-1a are the usual ones. The printer’s spec sheet says which.