From the course: Print Production: Folding

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Flat size vs. finished size

Flat size vs. finished size

From the course: Print Production: Folding

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Flat size vs. finished size

- Here's some more folding terminology for you. Let's take a look at the difference between the flat size and finished size of a folded piece. We'll start with the easiest one. Finished size, also commonly called folded size, is the exact dimension of a printed piece when folded down to its intended size and shape. This tri-fold has a finished size of four-inches by seven-inches. For those of you who use the metric system, the conversion is in the lower left. The flat size is the exact dimension of the piece when laid out flat. This measurement should never include bleed allowances because bleed is pulled past the edge of the page in the digital document. Digital document page dimensions and flat size should always be the same measurement. The exception to this rule would be for a uniquely shaped specialty fold that has a placed dieline in the document. For those, your page size would be a bit larger than the outline of the dieline. But back to our tri-fold here. You'll notice that…

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