Bleed Builder

What it does

• Bleed is the part of the artwork the guillotine is allowed to cut.
• Three millimetres is common, but the stock and the finish decide the real number.
• Safety margin protects text from a trim that lands slightly inside the line.

How to use it

1. Bleed applies to every edge that can be trimmed, including the spine side of a cover.
2. A white border is a design decision and must be inside the safety margin.
3. Export the PDF with marks and bleed, then verify the page size matches the trim.
4. Heavy ink coverage at the edge needs a larger bleed because the stock moves more.

Safety notes

• Never scale a PDF to add bleed; rebuild the page box at the correct size.
• If the trim tolerance is not stated by the bindery, assume plus or minus 2 mm.