Creep: The middle pages of a folded signature extending slightly beyond the outside pages, often corrected by trimming or adjustment during stripping.

Finished size: The size of a printed piece after all trimming and folding is complete.

Finishing: General term for trimming, folding, binding, and generally post press operations.

Flat size: The size of a printed piece after printing and trimming but before folding. See finished size.

Fold marks: Marks that appear outside the trim area of a press sheet used to indicate the locations of required folds.

Fold out: A sheet bound into a publication, typically gate-folded, that is used to add an extended page that folds out beyond the standard layout of the publication pages.

Form: Each side of a signature.

Grain: Predominant direction of paper fiber alignment occurring as a result of manufacturing.

Leaf: One sheet of paper in a magazine or book; each side being one page.

Panel: One side of one section of a finished brochure; for example, a sheet of 8.5 x 11 inch paper folded for a No. 10 envelope has six panels, not three.

Score: A crease applied to paper along the line of a fold prior to folding so that the folded edge will be hard and clean, avoiding the potential for the paper to crack.

Signature: A single printed sheet folded once or multiple times, to become part of a book, magazine or other type of print publication.

SPECIFIC FOLDS

To view details about a specific fold, click on your link of choice.

Basic Fold

Roll Fold

Accordion Fold

Gate Fold

French Fold

Short Fold