Skip to main content

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs

Below you'll find a compilation of answers to questions we commonly hear from customers. If you cannot find what you're looking for, please don't hesitate to contact us. We want you to have the information you need to get the final result you want.

  1. What kind of work does our store do?

    Copy Services - Our high-speed duplicators can produce copies efficiently and economically whether you provide hard copy or bring in digital files on disk. Our state of the art production duplicating equipment allow us to deliver work quickly and efficiently.

    Printing Services - From one-color to full-color printing, our store has the capability to meet your needs. From short run to long run, we can offer a solution that will be just right for you.

    Finishing Services - We can cut, perforate, score, number, fold, collate, saddle stitch, bind, and just about any other bindery process you could ever need.

    Design Services - We utilize the latest design technology available in order to offer a full range of design services. If you need a brochure produced, we can work from your camera ready copy, use the files you provide on disk, or design your brochure from scratch.

  2. What if I need business forms, big color prints, or labels?

    From custom No-Carbon Required (NCR) business forms which gather and share the right data, through wide format color or black on white, to specialty lables and envelops we have the equipment to print the products you need to run and grow your business.

  3. How long will it take for you to complete my order?

    Every job is different. Some jobs can be produced in minutes while some may take several days to complete. Let us know when you need your job completed and we'll let you know if it can be done. We go to great lengths to meet even your most demanding timelines.

  4. What is the best file format for submitting a document for printing?

    The Portable Document Format (PDF) is generally the preferred file format for submitting a document for printing as it works with virtually all professional printing and digital output devices. By design, a PDF file incorporates the information needed to maintain document consistency from system to system. Most other file formats such as Adobe InDesign, Illustrator and Microsoft Word are easily converted to PDF format.

  5. What are the different grades of paper and their respective basis weight?

    The basis weight of a given grade of paper is defined as the weight (in pounds) of 500 standard-sized sheets of that paper. With that in mind, here are different examples of paper grades and their respective basis weights:

    Bond: Most commonly used for letterhead, business forms and copying. Typical basis weights are16# for forms, 20# for copying and 24# for stationery.

    Text: A high-quality grade paper with a lot of surface texture. Basis weights range from 60# to 100# with the most common being 70# or 80#.

    Uncoated Book: The most common grade for offset printing. Typically 50# to 70#.

    Coated Book: Has a glossy finish that yields vivid colors and overall excellent reproduction. Basis weights range from 30# to 70# for web press, and 60# to 110# for sheet press.

    Cover: Used in creating business cards, postcards and book covers. Can be either coated or uncoated. Basis weights for this grade are 60#, 65#, 80# or 100#.

  6. What does "camera ready" mean?

    In the digital age of printing, it means that an image file submitted for printing is ready to be transferred to the printing plates without any alterations.

  7. What is color separation?

    Color separation is the process of separating a colored graphic or photograph into its primary color components in preparation for printed reproduction. For example, to print a full color photo with an offset printing press, we would create four separate printing plates each accounting for one of the four basic printing inks (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) needed to reproduce the image.

    As the paper is fed through the press, each single-color plate puts onto the paper the exact amount of ink needed at exactly the right spot. As the different colored wet inks are applied, they blend together to create the rich and infinite pallet of complex colors needed to reproduce the original image.

  8. What is halftone printing?

    Halftone printing converts a continuous tone (solid areas of black or color) photograph or image into a pattern of different size dots that simulate continuous tone. When examining the page closely, you will see a series of dots spaced slightly apart. At a normal viewing distance, however, the spacing between dots becomes essentially invisible to the eye and what you see is a continuous tone.

  9. What are Pantone colors?

    Pantone colors refer to the Pantone Matching System (PMS), a color matching system used by the printing industry whereby printing colors are identified by a unique name or number (as opposed to just a visual reference). This helps make sure that colors turn out the same from system to system, and print run to print run.

  10. Is white considered a printing color?

    No. White is not generally considered a printing color as typically the paper itself will be white. If a colored paper (something other than white) is chosen, then white becomes a printing color if any text or graphics require it.

  11. What are the most common sizes for catalogs and booklets?

    Standard sizes for catalogs and booklets are 5 1/2" x 8 1/2", 8 1/2" x 11", 8 1/2" x 11 and 11" x 17".

  12. What are the most common sizes for brochures?

    Common brochure sizes are 8 1/2" x 11", 8 1/2" x14" and 11" x17".

  13. What are the most common business envelope sizes?

    Business envelope sizes are referenced by a number such as #9 or #10. The chart below indicates the most common sizes in use today:

    SizeWidth x Length
    #6 1/43 1/2" x 6"
    #6 3/43 5/8" x 6 1/2"
    #73 3/4" x 6 3/4"
    #7 3/43 7/8" x 7 1/2"
    #8 5/83 5/8" x 8 5/8"
    #93 7/8" x 8 7/8"
    #104 1/8" x 9 1/2"
    #114 1/2" x 10 3/8"
    #124 3/4" x 11"
    #145" x 11 1/2"
  14. What are the most common card stocks used for postcards?

    The most common card stocks used for postcards are:

    100# stock coated on both sides: The most popular postcard stock.

    100# stock coated on one side: Well suited to mailing.

    12 pt stock coated on both sides: a premium paper with a high luster finish.

  15. What are the most popular sizes for sticky notepads?

    There are four popular sizes for sticky notes: 3" x 3", 3" x 4", 3" x 5" and 4" x 6".

  16. What are the types of bindings I can use for multi-page projects?

    Some of the common methods of binding books and other multi-page documents include:

    Perfect binding: Gluing the outside edges of the pages together to create a flat edge.

    Saddle-stitch binding: Using staples along the folds of the pages to bind them together.

    Spiral binding: Wires in a spiral form threaded through punched holes along the binding edge of the papers. Allows the document to lay open flatly.

    Plastic comb binding: Similar to spiral binding but using a tubular plastic piece with teeth that fit through rectangular holes punched into the binding edge.

    Three-ring binding: Holes are punched into the pages and fitted into a binder.

    Case binding: Sewing the pages together and then attaching them to a hard cover.