How to get a document printed properly

By Studio Ropewalk · Published September 3, 2026

Most printing problems are communication problems. The file was fine, and the shop made a reasonable assumption that was not what you wanted.

Here is what to specify and what to check.

Send a PDF, and send it flattened

Every print shop accepts PDF, and PDF is the only format that will look the same on their screen as on yours. Sending a Word file invites their software to re-render it with different fonts and different page breaks, which is the failure PDF was invented to prevent.

Before sending:

• Embed the fonts. Any modern export does this by default, but confirm if the document uses anything unusual.
• Check the page size matches what you are asking for. A Letter-sized PDF printed on A4 gets scaled, and everything on the page moves.
• Check the margins. Content within a quarter inch of the edge will be clipped by most equipment unless you have specifically ordered bleed.
• Open the final PDF and look at it. The version you send is what gets printed, and it may differ from the version you meant to send.

The vocabulary

Knowing five terms makes the conversation much shorter.

Simplex and duplex mean one-sided and two-sided. Duplex halves your paper and is usually cheaper. For a bound document, duplex is standard.

Collated, for multiple copies of a multi-page document, means each copy comes out as a complete set in order. Uncollated means all the page ones, then all the page twos. Almost always ask for collated, because sorting 50 copies of a 20-page document by hand takes an afternoon.

Long-edge and short-edge binding describe how the back of a duplex page is oriented. Long-edge is normal for portrait documents (it flips like a book) and short-edge for landscape (it flips like a calendar). Getting this wrong prints every second page upside down.

Bleed applies when colour or an image must run right to the edge of the finished sheet. The design must extend past the trim line, usually by an eighth of an inch, and be trimmed down. You cannot print edge-to-edge without bleed, and you cannot add bleed after the fact if the design does not have it. It is the single most common cause of a reprint.

Trim size is the finished dimensions after cutting, as opposed to the sheet it was printed on.

Paper

Weight is the main variable, and the units differ confusingly by category.

The bond and cover scales are not comparable, which is why gsm is the useful number. It is grams per square metre and it means the same thing everywhere.

Finish changes both look and function:

• Uncoated is matte, absorbs ink and is easy to write on. It is right for anything someone will fill in or sign.
• Gloss is reflective and makes photographs and colour look far better. It is hard to write on and shows fingerprints.
• Satin or silk sits between the two. It gives good colour without glare and is still reasonably writable, which often makes it the best default for a brochure.

Brightness (a 0-100 scale) affects how white the paper looks. 92+ is bright white, and lower is warmer and softer, which some documents suit better.

Colour

Black and white is dramatically cheaper, often a tenth the price per page. If a document has one colour logo and is otherwise text, consider whether it needs colour at all.

Colour matching is where expectations get set wrong. Screens emit light in RGB, and printers lay down ink in CMYK. The gamuts do not fully overlap, so some colours, particularly vivid blues, bright oranges and saturated greens, cannot be reproduced exactly and print noticeably duller than they look on screen.

If exact colour matters, ask for a proof before the full run, and look at it under the light where the piece will actually be used.

Binding

• Staple or saddle stitch is cheapest and good to about 60 pages. Pages must be a multiple of four for saddle stitch.
• Spiral or coil lies completely flat and is durable, which suits manuals and workbooks.
• Comb is cheap, and pages can be added or removed later, but it does not lie as flat.
• Perfect binding is a glued square spine, like a paperback. It looks professional and needs a reasonable page count to work.
• Three-hole punch is worth asking for if the document is going in a binder. It costs almost nothing and saves you doing it.

Ordering: what to say

A complete brief avoids nearly every problem:

“25 copies, double-sided, long-edge binding, collated, on 28 lb white uncoated, black and white, three-hole punched. US Letter. Attached PDF.”

Then ask three questions:

1. When can I have it? Same-day is often possible for simple jobs, and usually not for anything bound or specially finished.
2. Can I see a single proof first? For anything over about 20 copies, or any colour job, this is worth the small delay.
3. What happens if it is wrong? A good shop reprints its own errors free. Knowing the policy in advance is easier than negotiating afterwards.

Where to go

Office chains offer same-day service and self-service, and suit straightforward copying and simple binding. They are the most convenient option and rarely the cheapest at volume.

Independent local shops are usually better on price, quality and advice for anything non-trivial, and far more likely to catch a problem in your file before printing it. They are worth building a relationship with if you print regularly.

Online printers are cheapest for large runs of a standard product (business cards, flyers, booklets), with the trade-off of shipping time and no chance to look at a proof in person.

Library or campus printing is often the cheapest option for small, straightforward jobs, and frequently overlooked.

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The checklist

1. Send a PDF with fonts embedded.
2. Check the page size matches what you asked for.
3. Keep content clear of the edges unless you have set up bleed.
4. Specify sides, binding edge, collation, paper weight, finish and colour.
5. Ask for a proof on anything over 20 copies or any colour job.
6. Open the final PDF one last time before sending it.

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