Printing 101: The No-Nonsense Guide

Most people assume commercial printing is expensive because they are comparing it to the wrong thing. If your reference point is the copy shop down the street charging 50 cents per color page, then yes — 1,000 flyers sounds pricey. But commercial printing does not work like a copy shop.

Commercial printing uses offset presses that run thousands of impressions per hour. The cost is front-loaded: setting up plates, calibrating ink, and getting the press running costs the same whether you print 500 copies or 5,000. After setup, each additional copy costs almost nothing. That is why the per-unit price drops dramatically as your quantity increases.

At our prices, 1,000 full-color business cards can cost less than a fast food meal. Five thousand postcards often cost less than what most businesses spend on a single day of online ads. When you compare price per impression — the cost of getting your brand in front of one person — commercial printing is one of the cheapest marketing channels that exists.

The catch is minimum quantities. Most commercial print runs start at 250 or 500 pieces. If you only need 25 copies, digital printing at a local shop is your best bet. If you need 250 or more, you are in our territory — and nobody beats our prices.

Paper stock is where most first-time buyers get confused. There are numbers, weights, and finishes — and they all affect how your printed piece looks and feels. Here is the cheat sheet.

Paper thickness is measured in points (pt) for card stock. A 14pt card is the standard for business cards and postcards. It is sturdy enough to feel solid and survive being carried around. 16pt is thicker and heavier — a noticeable step up that signals quality. Both are popular. 14pt is our best value.

Paper finish describes the surface texture. Gloss is shiny and reflective — colors pop, images look sharp. Matte is flat and smooth — gives a modern, understated look. Uncoated feels like writing paper — great for pieces that need to be written on (like RSVP cards or appointment reminders).

Paper weight matters for flyers and brochures. 100lb gloss text is standard for flyers — it feels heavier than copy paper and takes ink beautifully. 80lb gloss text is thinner and lighter, which reduces shipping costs on large orders. For most promotional flyers, 100lb is the sweet spot.

Our recommendation for first-time buyers: start with 14pt gloss cover for cards and postcards, 100lb gloss text for flyers. These are our highest-volume stocks, which means they run on press most frequently and qualify for the deepest discounts.

The printing industry uses terms that can sound like a foreign language. Here are the ones that actually matter for placing your order.

Bleed: The area of your design that extends 0.125 inches past the cut line. Required on every job to prevent white edges.

Trim: The final size of your printed piece after cutting. This is the size you order — 3.5 by 2 inches for a business card, 4 by 6 inches for a postcard, 8.5 by 11 inches for a flyer.

Safe area: The zone 0.125 inches inside the trim line where all important text and logos should stay. Anything outside the safe area risks being cut off.

Proof: A digital preview of your printed piece that you approve before production begins. Always review your proof carefully — once you approve it, the press runs as shown.

Gang run: Multiple customer orders printed on the same press sheet. This is how we keep costs down. Your job shares the sheet with others, everyone gets their order, nobody overpays.

Turnaround: The production time from proof approval to shipment. Does not include shipping transit time. A 5-day turnaround means your order ships 5 business days after you approve the proof.

Coating: A protective finish applied after printing. Gloss UV, matte UV, and spot UV are the most common options. Coating protects against fingerprints, scratches, and fading.