Printing Services: Design Tips for Folded Brochures 

December 02, 2025

A folded brochure offers depth and dimension, making your design more engaging. Ball State University Printing Services is ready to help with your project.

Critical Design Steps

  1. Choose the right fold.
  2. Plan Ahead: Always create a paper dummy (a folded mock-up) before finalizing your design to avoid tight margins near folds and cuts.
  3. Understand Terms: A panel is the area from the page edge to a fold or between two folds.

Key Panel Allowances for Folds

To ensure a clean fold, many layouts require specific panel allowances:

No Allowance Needed for:

    • Single Fold
    • Accordion or Z Fold
    • Right Angle or French Fold
    • Short Fold
    • Gate Fold
    • Trifold/Letter Fold: The inside panel should be 1/16" shorter than the front and back panels.
    • Double Parallel Fold: Both inside panels should be 1/16" shorter than the front and back panels.
    • Barrel or Roll Fold: Each successive panel should be 1/16" shorter than the previous one.
    • Double Gate Fold: Inside panels should be 1/16" shorter than the outside back panels.
       

Questions before setting up your next project? Contact Printing Services...we're happy to help!

Phone: 765-285-8420 
Email: ps@bsu.edu

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