What is full bleed printing

What is full-bleed printing, we hear this question associated with our postcard printing often.

The best way to describe print bleed is that the color bleeds off the edges of your postcard or self-mailer creative by .125"

How this bleed benefits your print is best explained by understanding that your mail pieces are typically printed on 40" press sheets and then cut down to their actual size. An acceptable trim size variation for your mail pieces + - 1/16". If your creative file didn't have bleeds and they were to error trimming your mail piece on the larger size your finished cards would have a thin white piece running along the edge where the color should be. If your postcard is a 6" x 9" with full bleed, your creative is 6.125" x9.125" Now if the printer errors on the trim size no one will notice as the color still bleeds to the edge. Below are the different mail pieces sizes with the full bleed added.  

Print Size Chart 

POST CARDS / OVER SIZED POST CARDS

4” x 6” w/ bleed                4.125” x 6.125”

4” x 9” w/ bleed                4.125” x 9.125”

5” x 7” w/ bleed                5.125” x 7.125”

5.5” x 8.5” w/ bleed        5.625” x 8.625”

6” x 9” w/ bleed                6.125” x 9.125”

6.5” x 9” w/ bleed            6.61” x 9.125” (EDDM)

6” x 11” w/ bleed             6.125” x 11.125” 

ENVELOPES One or Two Color - No Bleeds

#9 Reg.or Window           3.875” x 8.875”

#10 Reg. or Window        4.125” x 9.5”

6x9 Booklet or OE            6” x 9”

9x12 Booklet or OE          9” x 12”

10x13 Booklet or OE        10” x 13” 

FLYERS/ SELFMAILERS

8.5” x 11” w/ bleed          8.625” x 11.125”

11” x 8.5” w/ bleed          11.125” x 8.625”

11” x 17” w/ bleed           11.125” x 17.125”

18” x 24” w/ bleed           18.125” x 24.12

BUSINESS CARDS

2” x 3.5” w/ bleed            2.125” x 3.625”

4” x 3.5” w/ bleed            4.125” x 3.625”

DOOR HANGERS

4.25” x 11” w/ bleed       4.375” x 11.125”

BOOKMARKS

1.5” x 6” w/ bleed            1.625” x 6.125”

2” x 6” w/ bleed                2.125” x 6.125”

 

 

Give us a call with any questions (800) 995-0570