FAQ Archives - Cascade Print Media

Book Binding Options

FAQ, Marketing, Tips and Tricks

Book binding comes in many shapes and forms. Choosing the right kind is usually determined by it’s intended use, page count and desired look. Depending on your needs Cascade offers a variety of choices to help bring your next project together.

Saddle Stitched

The most affordable option, Saddle Stitching, is bound together using industrial staples resulting in an inexpensive yet durable binding solution. An excellent choice for mid-sized books. Cascade can accommodate books ranging from 8 to 80 pages. Books on the smaller side will naturally lie flat. This makes it a great option for books where people need to write information or add notes. It is one of the most commonly used binding methods for booklets in use.

Wire-O Binding

Another sturdy option is Wire-O binding. This involves gathering the pages in order, punching square holes along the spine and then securing them with a loop of metal wire that is closed binding everything together. When bound this way the pages can be opened and will lay flat. They can even be folded fully back around to the rear cover. This works great for higher end notepads, recipe books or notebook style projects.

Perfect Binding

Photo of person reading a book that is perfect bound

Perfect Binding is a method commonly seen in magazines or books. This is where a strong glue is used to hold the gathered pages against the spine of the cover. This is the most expensive of the three options but results in the most professional and high-impact appearance. Usually reserved for a thicker booklet, this style of binding can be unsuitable for thinner, smaller booklets.

Inside Pages

photo of "tunnel" of magazines and papers

Cascade offers a range of internal stock choices that can best suite your needs. Whether you need gloss options to help your color images pop or are after affordable uncoated stock that allows users to write in your products. Cascade Print Media can help guide you through the rabbit hole of choices that best serve your needs and budget.

Check out our other post on binding options – then contact us so we can help you with your next project!

Paper Type Options

FAQ, Marketing, Tips and Tricks

The landscape of printing features a wide variety of paper options, each offering unique features that can cater to the needs of any particular printed piece.

Paper Weight & Thickness

The type of paper used for a print project can be distinguished by a variety of paper weights, which relate directly to the thickness or heaviness of a single sheet of paper. Paper weights span thin sheets that can be used as flyers or letters all the way up to thick paper better suited for more heavy-duty purposes, like cards, posters, or book covers.

In the US, paper weight is often referred to as basis weight, which is measured in pounds and is calculated based on the weight of a ream of 500 sheets of paper in its standard size. This form of measurement may sound impractical for the average person to use, but the best way to think about it is that the higher the paper weight, the heavier the paper. Basic copier paper is typically around 20 lbs., whereas a sturdy poster is printed on paper that is likely to be around 130 lbs. in basis weight.

Cover vs. Book Weight

The printing industry also distinguishes between cover weight paper and book weight paper. Book weight paper is typically relatively thin paper that can be used for a variety of print media, such as books, booklets, catalogs, magazines, and letters. In contrast, cover weight paper, often referred to as cardstock, is typically thick and stiff, and can be used for an assortment of more sturdy print media, such as business cards, menus, postcards, invitations, and posters. Book weight paper typically spans 60 lbs. to 100 lbs. in basis weight whereas the span for cover weight paper is around 80 lbs. to 130 lbs. The pounds of basis weight are symbolized by a # sign.

Paper Finishes

Print media can be coated with a variety of finishes during the papermaking or printing processes. These include the following:

Gloss finish: Shiny and lustrous smooth coated finish. Make your colors and images pop!
Matte finish: Eliminates glare while protecting the print with a dull coating. Often used for jobs with lots of typed copy or fine details.
Silk finish: The perfect middle ground between gloss and matte. Silk can be compared to a luster or semi-gloss finish.
Uncoated paper: More superior than your average copy paper and prints pieces with stunningly sharp images. Great for journals, cards, and coloring books as it is easy to write on.

For more advice about what type of paper options would work best for your next print project, contact us at or give us a call at (253) 472-5500.

Major Mistakes to Avoid when Proofing a Print Project – Part 2

FAQ, Marketing, Print Marketing

Part 2 —–

To make your print project a success, there are several mistakes to avoid during the proofing process. Part 1 of this series featured a couple of key mistakes to consider in proofing. This next part features several more:

Mistake 3: Color Reproduction

Most companies, brands, and organizations feature unique or distinct color schemes that are consistent across many areas of their operation, from packaging, to print materials, to their website and social media. Unfortunately, color is rendered differently across mediums: computer and phone screens render color using RGB, whereas most printers use the CMYK system to print colors onto a specific medium.

To maintain a specific color that all mediums can match to, many companies rely on the Pantone color system. Print companies can thusly rely on a Pantone color chart or book to depict the intended color that their printed version of the color can match.

Another helpful tool to use to ensure successful color reproduction is to rely on physical print samples that were printed in the correct color. At Cascade Print Media, we keep a few sample copies from most projects that we print. This way, we always have a sample of the last print we have done using a specific color scheme and know what the target color is for the next project. Clients can breathe easily knowing their color will maintain consistency across print projects for years to come.

Mistake 4: Low Resolution Artwork

Resolution in artwork refers to the number of tiny bits of color that come together to create an image. With printing, the industry standard method for measuring resolution is by using dpi, which stands for dots per inch. Many images found on a phone, or the web have a resolution of 72 dpi. This causes an issue because when printed, such low-resolution images will appear blurry, fuzzy, or pixelated. To guarantee clear, crisp images in printed materials, a resolution of 300 dpi is required. This setting can be set in most types of design software.

Additionally, it is never a good idea to stretch images to fill a space in a design or layout. This is because by stretching an image, you lower its dpi and thus reduce its print quality. However, no issues are caused by making images smaller, as long as the proportion of the image is kept consistent. If there are any concerns with image quality, a full-sized sample can be printed which will accurately depict how an image will look on a printed piece.

Cascade Print Media is committed to delivering print products of the highest quality to all of our clients. Please reach out to learn more about how we can produce and deliver an outstanding project for you today!

Why Choose a Local Print Company vs. an Online Printer

Eco-Friendly, FAQ, Marketing

It is easy to google what you are looking for and to find an online retailer who can accommodate your needs at a low cost and quick turn time, here are a few reasons this might not be your best bet!

Quality & Consistency

Most online print services are offered nationwide, allowing users to place their orders and the company to run hundreds of thousands of business cards, brochures or postcards at the same time. They will most likely only print using CMYK and on a very limited selection of stocks, allowing them to gang these orders together for a longer, more cost-efficient run on their end. They have less setup cost, less in cost in ink, paper and office administration duties like entering orders, speaking to clients and invoicing. Your online order is paid for online and is due at the time of service, and the odds of being able to call and talk to the same person more than once is almost impossible. Due to this high volume of production, there is less quality control, potentially leading to issues with registration, ink consistency, finishing and packaging.

When ordering from a local print company, your order is handled individually, you have better odds of speaking to the same person multiple times throughout your project, having questions answered, concerns are addresses and quality control is more manageable. Using a local print company also opens the possibility of a press check, may allow the option of using PMS inks, more variety in paper selection and better-quality control.

Reorder and Account History

Using a local print company also makes the reorder process easier, your orders are stored under your company’s personal account. This allows us to find previous orders, quote more efficiently and may allow us to bill your account using net terms.

Logistics

Using a local printing company most likely means it is local to your area. This allows you to meet with your sales team if needed, discuss projects, review samples or proofs in person, pick up and drop off if needed and faster delivery of your project.

What Is a Press Check

Direct Mail, Eco-Friendly, FAQ, Marketing, New, Print Marketing, Tips and Tricks

A press check is a service offered by print companies allowing you to come to a review your print project once it is on press. The pressman will get everything setup and print a few sheets for you to review before hitting the go button on the entire project. This step is important for various reasons to ensure your print project comes out exactly how you want it. Below are a few important things to look for during your press check.

1 – Low Resolution Images

Images used for marketing are often pulled from online sources or images taken with a phone, these images can and most likely will print at a low resolution, meaning that once printed on a substrate, they can become pixelated or blurry. The standard print resolution for a print file is 300 dpi, many images online or from your phone can be only half of that or less, making them impossible to print at a larger scale than what shows on your phone or computer screen. When reviewing your project at a press check, this will give you a proper representation of the print quality for those images.

Image of low vs high resolution image. One pixelated, the other more clear

2 – Ink Registration

Most offset printing is done in CMYK, a process of 4 colors printed in layers to create a specific color image or text. If these colors are not in registration, you will be left with a blurry and hard to read piece. It is important to make sure there is perfect registration. Pressman will have a tool called a loop at their press; this tool allows you to magnify the print allowing you to see the registration. If these colors are off the pressman can adjust to get them realigned.

Image of good registration vs bad registration on page

3 – Color consistency

This is the process to which the colors are consistent across the entire sheet. Color management profiles are used to ensure color consistency throughout the printing process. Review your press sheet thoroughly and make sure the entire sheet is equally vibrant without any dull areas. If there are any issues with consistency, your pressman and prepress department can review and adjust the print management system.

Image of Press sheet being checked for consistency and registration

4 – FPO

FPO means FOR POSITION ONLY, when creating your digital print file, you may use an FPO for things such as die lines, foil stamps, scoring, punching or folds. These are important during the prepress process so we know how your art should be laid out to avoid any of the processes listed above from impeding into your final print piece (nothing is worse than trying to read text that is on a fold.) Most of the time these FPO are created in a bright pink, but not always. It is important to make sure your FPO has been removed from the press ready files, so your FPO is not printed in your final piece. FPO should be created as a separate layer in your file so it can be turned off when plates are made for printing.

Image of large sheet showing where cuts and folds will be on finished product

5 – Check Your Mailing Panel

Mailing panels are tricky, USPS has a lot of rules for mailing panels, such as size, position and the ability to inkjet. If your print piece has a coating such as Aqueous, UV, Soft Touch or any other coating, be sure the pressman has created what is called a knockout, this is a process where they keep the coating from being applied in the mailing panel area. If that area is coated, USPS will most likely reject your pieces causing you to reprint.

6 – Pagination

If you are printing a booklet, with multiple pages on a press sheet, it is important to fold that press sheet to make sure your pages line up properly when folded and stitched. The prepress department has programs that will assist with correct pagination, but it’s always at idea to manually check this for accuracy. Also keep an eye out for alignment, making sure your page numbers land in the same place when the sheet is folded on the crop marks, and there is no art in or around the spine. One last thing to look for, make sure the creep has been accounted for. When you have a large book that has multiple sigs, when those sigs are folded and nested together the outer most sigs will need to be adjusted so the art has more room on the spine, or the inner most pages are not pushed out too far that they get cut off when the final trim is made.

6 – Pagination

Example of book pages creeping out of book due to folds

Interested in starting your next project but don’t know where to start? We can help! Get in touch today and we can walk you through the process, step by step.