Get your files press-ready.
Follow these specs and your job goes straight to press. Not sure? Send the file anyway and we'll check it for free.
The checklist.
| Spec | What we need |
|---|---|
| Format | PDF preferred. We also accept DOCX, JPEG, PNG and Excel. |
| Colour | CMYK for full colour. Name any Pantone (PMS) inks you need. |
| Resolution | 300 dpi at final size for photos and images. |
| Bleed | 0.125″ (3 mm) on every side where colour reaches the edge. |
| Safe zone | Keep text 0.125″ inside the trim line. |
| Fonts | Embed fonts or convert them to outlines. |
| File size | Up to 8 MB through the quote form. Larger files: contact us for a transfer link. |
Terms you'll see on your quote.
- Bleed
- Extra image past the trim edge so colour runs cleanly to the edge after cutting.
- CMYK / 4-colour process
- Cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks combined to make full colour.
- PMS / Pantone
- A pre-mixed spot ink for an exact brand colour.
- 4/4, 4/0, 1/0
- Ink colours per side. 4/4 is full colour both sides; 4/0 is full colour one side.
- Flat vs. finished size
- Flat is the sheet size before folding; finished is the size after.
- NCR
- Carbonless paper that makes copies of handwriting on the sheets below.
- Saddle stitch
- Booklets bound with staples through the fold.
- Text vs. cover stock
- Text is thinner paper for pages; cover is heavier card for covers and cards.
Before you order.
How long will my order take?
It depends on the product, quantity and finishing. We confirm a ready date with your quote, and rush jobs are often possible. Tell us your deadline.
Will I see a proof before printing?
Yes. We send a proof for every job and only print once you approve it.
I don't have a design. Can you help?
Yes. Choose "I need design" in the quote form and our graphic designers will create it.
Can I pick up my order?
Yes, at 1804 Boul. le Corbusier in Laval, Monday to Saturday, 9:00 am to 6:30 pm. Delivery is also available.
Do you match Pantone colours?
Yes. Offset printing uses real Pantone inks for an exact match. Digital printing gets as close as possible in CMYK.
RGB, CMYK and Pantone.
RGB (red, green, blue) is designed specifically for screens.
CMYK four-colour printing (cyan, magenta, yellow and black) is the basic mode for digital and inkjet colour printing.
Pantone® PMS colours are pigment colours obtained by mixing ink before printing. Unlike four-colour (CMYK), Pantone® PMS colours are printed one by one, giving exactly the desired colour.
Know your image types.
DPI means “dots per inch” and PPI means “pixels per inch.” They describe raster images like photos. If these images are enlarged too much, they break up into visible pixels.
Vector images describe simple geometric shapes (arcs, ellipses, straight lines, Bézier curves) that the software stores as mathematical formulas. Because each shape is calculated rather than stored pixel by pixel, you can rotate, stretch, enlarge or reduce drawings and text at will, without any loss of quality.
Safe areas inside, bleed outside.
Margins are inside the sheet. They act as safe areas when printing, so keep important text and images within them.
Bleed is outside the sheet. It's printed area that gets trimmed off during finishing, a safety zone because digital presses can't register at a perfect 100%.
For best results, create and send your files in PDF format.