Folded flyers & brochures

Step by step

1. Choose the fold first

   The fold decides the panel sizes, so pick it before you start designing. Concertina (Z) folds have equal panels; roll and gate folds don’t. The fold guide in our online store shows how each one opens.

2. Set up the flat sheet

   Make the document the full open size — an A4 that folds to DL is a 297 × 210mm flat sheet — with 2mm bleed all round. Supply two pages: the outside first, then the inside.

3. Size the panels

   On a roll fold, the panel that folds in should be about 2mm narrower than the others so it tucks in without buckling. On a gate fold, the two flaps that close over the middle are each slightly less than half its width. Concertina panels stay equal. Unsure? Send it and we’ll check the panels before printing.

4. Mark the folds outside the trim

   Show each fold with a short mark in the margin outside the trim — never a line running across the artwork. Keep text and logos clear of the folds, and give a little extra room on panels that tuck inside.

5. Fold a test print

   Print it at home, trim it and fold it. Check the cover, the back and the first panel revealed land where you expect — it’s the most common mistake on folded work.

If the job is being creased on our Future Cutter, put the crease lines on the finishing page instead — see the Future Cutter guide.