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Painted Edges, Gilding, and Patterned Edge Book Printing

Painted, Gilded, and Patterned Edges Options

Whichever style of edge enhancement you choose, we can offer you a range of options. What you decide to include in your book design will depend on the book's content, binding style, the rest of the artwork or your company branding, and, of course, your budget. So, let's look at what's on offer.

Option 1: Edge painted with custom colours: this is the solid color or gradient color option. We can make custom colours using the CMYK or Pantone systems.

Edge-painted-with-custom-colours

Option 2: Custom edge patterns: these could be abstract, illustrative, or represent your branding, logo, or company name.

Custom-edge-patterns

Option 3: Luxury gilded metallic edges: You'll have seen gilded edging on old bibles and works of poetry and literature. But it needn't be gold. You can choose any color you like from our extensive range.

Luxury-glided-metallic-edges

Unlike most other printing companies that offer these services only for hardcover books, with QinPrinting's state-of-the-art technology and skilled edging experts, you can apply these effects to either hardcover or paperback books as you need. Size is also no object, we'll edge your books beautifully whether they're large or small. We can also change out the edging—say between blue and yellow painted edge versions—in a single run. So, for example, if you were printing 1000 copies of your novel, you could choose to have 500 of them with blue painted edging and 500 with yellow.

If you have a series of books—such as a trilogy, quartet, or quintet, for example—we can spray paint a single image across all the books so that each volume has a section of the image which is completed when they are aligned side by side.

Custom-edge-patterns

Special Edges Artwork Tips

The quality of your artwork reproduction is always important, but especially when you're adding special features like painted, gilded, or patterned edges. With that in mind, here are a few useful tips to help you when you're preparing your files for the printer.

If you choose gilded edges or solid color painted edges, you don't need to prepare the artwork files. Just let us know which CMYK or Pantone colors you'd like and we'll see to the rest.

If you decide to paint the edges with images, illustrations, or a logo, you'll need to account for the “bleed zone” when preparing your layouts. The bleed must be 3 mm (0.125 inches).

So, when calculating your book edges length, you need 0.125 inch bleed + book width + book length + book width + 0.125 inch,  so it will wrap around the entire edge.

The width calculation is 0.125 inch bleed + book thickness + 0.125 inch bleed.

paint the edges

If you choose painted edges for your book, remember that you can't use bled to the edge rich colors on the interior pages. It would interfere with the painted edge results. In other words, edging can only be applied if the pages have a white margin inside.

If you're working with a professional designer to create your files, they should understand what's needed to make everything “print ready”. But if you're working with design software yourself for the first time, these are the vital tips to remember before you submit your files. Still, our team of experts will always manually check all your files before we go to press. If we find any issues, we'll let you know and help you resolve them. We won't print your book or other product until we're sure we'll get a perfect result.

Applications for Painted Edges, Gilded Edges, and Patterned Edges

As we can apply these techniques to either paperback or hardcover bindings, you can use them to excellent effect across a range of genres. These are the most popular book types for which our customers have used special edging effects:

Art Books
Art Books
photography book printing
Photography Books
Comic Book Printing
Comic Books
Coffee Table Book Printing
Coffee Table Books

Other clients have used these techniques on non-book products, too, with superb results. These products include tarot cards, oracle cards, game cards, thank you cards, business cards, postcards, notepads and more.

QinPrinting Rated Excellent for Painted Edge Book Printing

Let's Talk!

If you're keen to elevate your book design by adding one of these special edging effects — and only the finest product and unbeatable customer service will do — we should talk. Get in touch today to chat through your needs or to ask for a no-obligation quote. We can't wait to help you make your next book into a stunning work of art!

Get in touch
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Rigid Box Surface

gold foil stamping effect
1-Color Foil Stamping
1-color fold stamping is gold foil stamping or silver foil stamping. Foil stamping adds a metallic effect to lettering or other design elements.
If you need other color foil stamping, please contact us.
This option is only suitable for gold foil stamping up to a 5.9" x 1.18" area. For larger area, please contact us.
spot uv effect
Spot UV
We apply a clear polymer coat to the specified area — which could be a title, a logo, or an pattern— which really makes it “pop” and catch the eye.
Suitable only for surfaces treated with matte or soft-touch lamination.
This option is only suitable for spot uv up to a 7.87" x 1.96" area. For larger area, please contact us.
deboss effect
Deboss
Like embossing, only the surface is pressed inward to creative a concave impression rather than standing out.
This option is only suitable for deboss up to a 7.87" x 1.96" area. For larger area, please contact us.
emboss effect
Emboss
Embossing is a process by which we raise the surface of an area of the box to make it literally stand out.
This option is only suitable for emboss up to a 7.87" x 1.96" area. For larger area, please contact us.

Rigid Box

For custom logo box, it doesn’t have offset printing on the box. It can be colored paper with foil stamping, spot UV or deboss etc.

Tuck End Box Finishes

If you need any specific box surface, for example foil stamping, spot UV, emboss etc, please contact us.

Gloss lamination Tuck End Box effect
Gloss Lamination
Gloss lamination adds a shiny, smooth look that elevates the vibrancy and color of your book's printed surface.
Note: Spot UV is not available with this option.
Matte lamination Tuck End Box effect
Matte lamination
A smooth, non-glossy finish that gives a sophisticated, soft appearance while reducing glare.
Varnish Tuck End Box
Varnish
A light protective coating that adds subtle sheen and protection. Note: Spot UV is not available with this option.
Note: Spot UV is not available with this option.

Card Surface Finishes

We offer a comprehensive selection of special surface finishes which we can apply to most cards.

spot uv effect
Spot UV
We apply a clear polymer coat to the specified area — which could be a title, a logo, or an image — which really makes it “pop” and catch the eye.
Suitable only for surfaces treated with matte lamination.
gold foil stamping effect
Gold Foil stamping
Foil stamping adds a metallic effect to lettering or other design elements.
Gold is the most popular choices, but we can use pigments to create a foil stamp in almost any color you'd like.
Silver foil stamping effect
Silver Foil stamping
Foil stamping adds a metallic effect to lettering or other design elements.
Silver is the most popular choices, but we can use pigments to create a foil stamp in almost any color you'd like.
emboss effect
Emboss
Embossing is a process by which we raise the surface of an area of the box to make it literally stand out.

Hardcover Board Book Bnding

This binding method adds a hardcover to a standard board book for extra durability and a premium feel. Like traditional board books, the pages are glued together rather than bound, with a printed sheet wrapped over the first and last boards and across the spine. The difference is that a hardcover is then applied, enhancing protection and making it a popular choice for high-quality board books.

The interior pages will have rounded outer corners. The corners of the cover are not normally rounded. If you need round corners for your cover, please contact us.

Inner Lamination

We laminate all the interior pages.

hardcover board book with gloss lamination inner effect
Gloss Lamination
Gloss lamination adds a shiny, smooth look that elevates the vibrancy and color of your book's printed surface.
hardcover board book with matte lamination inner effect
Matte lamination
A smooth, non-glossy finish that gives a sophisticated, soft appearance while reducing glare.

Hardcover Board Book Page Count

The page count does not include the covers.

One sheet of paper is equal to two pages.

page-sheet
page-sheet

Book Cover Paper

As standard, we wrap the grayboard casing in 157 gsm / 58 lb cover paper. If you need a special paper or a solid color paper for the cover, please contact us first to discuss your options.

Cover Lamination

We laminate only the outside of the hardcover board book cover.

hardcover board book with gloss lamination cover effect
Gloss Lamination
Gloss lamination adds a shiny, smooth look that elevates the vibrancy and color of your book's printed surface.
Note: Spot UV is not available with this option.
hardcover board book with matte lamination cover effect
Matte lamination
A smooth, non-glossy finish that gives a sophisticated, soft appearance while reducing glare.

Hardcover Board Book Cover

A hardcover book’s cover is printed on one side only; the outer-facing side. 

hardcover cover

Lamination

We laminate all the pages. If you’d like different laminates for the interior and the cover, please get in touch.

SSelf-Cover Board Book with gloss lamination effect
Gloss Lamination
Gloss lamination adds a shiny, smooth look that elevates the vibrancy and color of your book's printed surface.
Self-Cover Board Book with matte lamination effect
Matte lamination
A smooth, non-glossy finish that gives a sophisticated, soft appearance while reducing glare.

Self-Cover Board Book Page Count

The covers are included in the page count.

One sheet of paper is equal to two pages.

page-sheet
page-sheet

Paper

Board books are made of the same paper throughout, so there’s no difference between the cover and the interior pages.

Most board books feature colorful illustrations, cartoons, or other artwork. So, we recommend printing on C1S paper to get the best results.

coated one side (C1S) paper

C1S paper—also called “coated one side” paper—is paper that has been treated with a special coating on only one side, while the other side is left uncoated. The coated side has a brighter, smoother surface, making it ideal for vibrant, full-color printing of the artwork and text of your story. The uncoated side has a more natural, rougher texture, but in board book printing, this rough side is not visible because two sheets are glued together, with the uncoated sides facing inward. This way, only the smooth, coated sides are exposed, ensuring a high-quality finish for your book’s pages.

Dust Jacket

The so-called “dust jacket” is the most common and practical way of covering a hardcover book. Used alone or combined with image-wrapping, it finishes your book with a professional touch while adding five printable surfaces—front, back, spine, and two inside flaps. We can print it in full colour, gloss coat it, matte coat it; emboss, deboss, laminate, and foil stamp it, too, for added effects.

Hardcover Book Dust Jacket

End Sheet Paper

  • If your book size is 8.5″ x 11″ or less with an interior page count of fewer than 320 pages, then a good option for the end sheets is 140 gsm / 95 lb offset paper.
  • If your book size is larger than 8.5″ x 11″, then 180 gsm / 122 lb offset paper would be better.
  • If your end sheets will be printed and your book’s interior uses gloss or matte art paper—say, for an art book or coffee table book—to make sure the colors match well, use 157gsm / 58 lb gloss or matte art paper for your end sheets.
gloss art paper effect
Gloss Art Paper
A shiny, reflective surface that makes colors vibrant and images pop, perfect for illustrations, cartoons, and photographs. It delivers high-quality color reproduction, ideal for interior pages with rich visuals.
matte art paper effect
Matte Art Paper
Provides a smooth, non-glossy finish that reduces glare and makes text easier to read. It offers excellent image reproduction while preserving a professional, subdued look for both graphics and text.
Offset Paper effect
Offset Paper
A natural, uncoated paper that provides a smooth, absorbent surface, making it ideal for writing. It offers excellent opacity and brightness, ensuring text is crisp and clear. This paper is commonly used for books that emphasize readability and is often chosen for trade paperback novels, coloring books, etc.

End Sheet

The end sheets connect the hardcover casing and the interior pages when binding the book. So, there are two end sheets, one at the front and one at the back and both glued to the grayboard cover.

Cover Surface

We offer a comprehensive selection of special surface finishes that we can apply to most covers.

spot uv effect
Spot UV
We apply a clear polymer coat to the specified area — which could be a title, a logo, or an image — which really makes it “pop” and catch the eye.
Suitable only for surfaces treated with matte or soft-touch lamination.
This option is only suitable for spot uv up to a 7.87" x 1.96" area. For larger area, please contact us.
gold foil stamping effect
Gold Foil stamping
Foil stamping adds a metallic effect to lettering or other design elements.
Gold is the most popular choices, but we can use pigments to create a foil stamp in almost any color you'd like.
This option is only suitable for gold foil stamping up to a 5.9" x 1.18" area. For larger area, please contact us.
Silver foil stamping effect
Silver Foil stamping
Foil stamping adds a metallic effect to lettering or other design elements.
Silver is the most popular choices, but we can use pigments to create a foil stamp in almost any color you'd like.
This option is only suitable for silver foil stamping up to a 5.9" x 1.18" area. For larger area, please contact us.
deboss effect
Deboss
Like embossing, only the surface is pressed inward to creative a concave impression rather than standing out.
This option is only suitable for deboss up to a 7.87" x 1.96" area. For larger area, please contact us.
emboss effect
Emboss
Embossing is a process by which we raise the surface of an area of the cover to make it literally stand out.
This option is only suitable for emboss up to a 7.87" x 1.96" area. For larger area, please contact us.

Cover Lamination

We laminate only the outside of the hardcover cover.

hardcover book with gloss lamination cover effect
Gloss Lamination
Gloss lamination adds a shiny, smooth look that elevates the vibrancy and color of your book's printed surface.
Note: Spot UV is not available with this option.
hardcover book with matte lamination cover effect
Matte lamination
A smooth, non-glossy finish that gives a sophisticated, soft appearance while reducing glare.
hardcover book with Soft touch lamination cover effect
Soft touch lamination
Soft touch lamination is a relatively new technique. The result is similar to matte lamination, but the surface has a delightful, almost velvet feel which speaks of quality and luxury.

Hardcover Cover

A hardcover book’s cover is printed on one side only; the outer-facing side. The inside front cover and inside back cover are glued to the end sheets.

hardcover cover

Holes Drilled

If you need holes drilled on the binding side of your book, please select this option.

You can choose one hole drilled, two holes drilled, three holes drilled, or five holes drilled.

hole-drilled catalog

Binding

  • If your book has 48 pages or fewer, we recommend saddle stitch.
  • For books with more pages and thinner paper, perfect binding is ideal.
  • If your book has heavier paper or more than 200 pages, sewn perfect binding is the best choice.
  • Wire-o and spiral binding are also available, and both allow the book to lay flat.
sewn and perfect binding effect
Sewing and Perfect Binding
A premium variation of perfect binding that includes sewn pages for enhanced durability and the ability to lay flat without breaking the spine. Recommended for books with heavier interior paper or more than 200 pages.
Perfect Binding effect
Perfect Binding
A widely used binding method for softcover books, where pages are glued to a heavier cover. Ideal for books with more than 48 pages and fairly thin paper (80 gsm / 54 lb or 105 gsm / 71 lb text paper). It offers a sleek, professional look and is an economical choice for various genres.
Wire-O Binding effect
Wire-O Binding
A strong, double-loop wire binding that allows pages to lie flat and turn easily. Ideal for textbooks, instructional guides, and manuals that require frequent handling. Available in various coil colors to match your design.
Saddle Stitch effect
Saddle Stitch
A cost-effective binding method using staples or thread along the spine, suitable for booklets, magazines, and workbooks with 48 pages or fewer.
Spiral Binding effect
Spiral Binding
Uses a plastic or metal coil to bind pages, allowing them to rotate 360 degrees. A durable and flexible choice for cookbooks, workbooks, and reference materials. Available in multiple coil colors for a customized look.

Paper

Please select your paper choice for your book. If you have a special request not listed here, get in touch. We’ll do everything possible to satisfy your needs.

gloss art paper effect
Gloss Art Paper
A shiny, reflective surface that makes colors vibrant and images pop, perfect for illustrations, cartoons, and photographs. It delivers high-quality color reproduction, ideal for interior pages with rich visuals.
matte art paper effect
Matte Art Paper
Provides a smooth, non-glossy finish that reduces glare and makes text easier to read. It offers excellent image reproduction while preserving a professional, subdued look for both graphics and text.
Offset Paper effect
Offset Paper
A natural, uncoated paper that provides a smooth, absorbent surface, making it ideal for writing. It offers excellent opacity and brightness, ensuring text is crisp and clear. This paper is commonly used for books that emphasize readability and is often chosen for trade paperback novels, coloring books, etc.

Page Count

One sheet of paper is equal to two pages.

The total page count is a multiple of 4. When printing and binding your book, we fold sheets into “signatures”.

The maximum page count here is 800 pages. If you need more pages, please contact us.

page-sheet
page-sheet

If your book is larger, say, 8.5″ x 11″ or A4 size, one signature will have 16 pages. So, the inner page amount should be divisible by 16. Making your page counts match signatures is the most economical solution.

Cover Surface

We offer a comprehensive selection of special surface finishes that we can apply to most covers.

spot uv effect
Spot UV
We apply a clear polymer coat to the specified area — which could be a title, a logo, or an image — which really makes it “pop” and catch the eye.
Suitable only for surfaces treated with matte or soft-touch lamination.
This option is only suitable for spot uv up to a 7.87" x 1.96" area. For larger area, please contact us.
gold foil stamping effect
Gold Foil stamping
Foil stamping adds a metallic effect to lettering or other design elements.
Gold is the most popular choices, but we can use pigments to create a foil stamp in almost any color you'd like.
This option is only suitable for gold foil stamping up to a 5.9" x 1.18" area. For larger area, please contact us.
Silver foil stamping effect
Silver Foil stamping
Foil stamping adds a metallic effect to lettering or other design elements.
Silver is the most popular choices, but we can use pigments to create a foil stamp in almost any color you'd like.
This option is only suitable for silver foil stamping up to a 5.9" x 1.18" area. For larger area, please contact us.
emboss effect
Emboss
Embossing is a process by which we raise the surface of an area of the box to make it literally stand out.
This option is only suitable for emboss up to a 7.87" x 1.96" area. For larger area, please contact us.

Cover Printing

The cover is composed of four pages. They are the front cover, the inside front cover, the inside back cover, and the back cover.
softcover book cover

Cover Lamination / Varnish

We laminate or varnish only the outside of the cover.

Softcover book with gloss lamination cover effect
Gloss Lamination
Gloss lamination adds a shiny, smooth look that elevates the vibrancy and color of your book's printed surface.
Note: Spot UV is not available with this option.
Softcover book with matte lamination cover effect
Matte lamination
A smooth, non-glossy finish that gives a sophisticated, soft appearance while reducing glare.
Softcover book with Soft touch lamination cover effect
Soft touch lamination
Soft touch lamination is a relatively new technique. The result is similar to matte lamination, but the surface has a delightful, almost velvet feel which speaks of quality and luxury.
Softcover book with varnish cover effect
Varnish
A light protective coating that adds subtle sheen and protection. Note: Spot UV is not available with this option.
Note: Spot UV is not available with this option.