It is best to contact us before you start to prepare your work for binding but we have prepared some basic guidelines for margins etc. which we think you might find of help.

Layout instructions for Bookbinding

It is important that all text for binding must have their margins set to allow an extra allowance on the inside margin.

Suggested margins

A4 size books Top 2.5cm
Bottom 3cm
Outside margin 2.5cm
Inside margin 3.5cm

A5 size books Top 2cm
Bottom 2.5cm
Outside margin 2cm
Inside margin 3cm

For those who are not sure how to set mirrored margins (alternate pages set differently) we give below instructions for Word.

File
Page set up
(This will display a page to allow you to set margins)
The section entitled Multiple pages has a drop down menu. Click this and select “Mirrored Margins”.
(This gives you boxes for your margins)
Enter the four margin sizes (given above) into the relevant boxes and click OK. (Do not enter a figure in the box marked “gutter”)

This will set your page margins to give you a wide margin on the left hand side of odd numbered pages and right on even numbered pages.

Margins can be changed at any time, even if the whole work has been typed but it is important to check each page to ensure that changing the margins has not affected the layout of your book.

The final cost of your book will depend on a number of factors and we cannot guarantee a firm price until we see what work is involved but again we have prepared some guidelines to give you a rough idea of price.

Bookbinding and Printing Guide to Price

Bookbinding

To bind a printed book using 2cm cover boards covered with your choice of coloured bookbinding material, title in gold on the front cover.

A5 size £20 per copy.
A4 size £25 per copy.

Please note that copy supplied for binding, either printed by you or us, must comply with the margins stated in our information sheet to allow the extra inner margins needed for binding.

Printing

We are not printers but offer a printing service to our binding customers allowing their computer produced text to be printed by us.

Text to be supplied as a file output by Microsoft Word. If another program has been used please ask first if we can handle this.

Printing is done on either 80gms white paper for non-illustrated pages or 100gms colour laser paper for books with illustrations. Printing is done by either laser or ink-jet depending on the work.

We charge the following for this service

A4 books Flat charge to include 100 pages (sides)) £7
Each page (side) additional to this £0.07p

A5 books Flat charge to include 100 pages (sides) £5
Each page (side) additional to this £0.05p

In addition to this we reserve the right to charge extra for layout work to your text file requested by you. We will always contact you with a price if this should be necessary.

We do not proof read your files and no responsibility can be taken for spelling mistakes or layout errors on your file. We will however do our best to report to you any glaring error we may see during the course of the printing.

If you require any further assistance before you start on your book, or would like to discuss your requirements please contact us and we will be pleased to give any help we can. All our contact details are to be found by clicking the “Contact” link.