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Book Edge Printing

We're so excited to announce our new book edge printing service! This is an exclusive service not offered by most printing companies, and is something many authors have been DIY-ing. Now, you can stay on trend but save time—our specialty!—and let 48 Hour Books handle the work.

Check out this gorgeous special edition book by 48 Hour Books author Lucas Stoffel

Edge Printing is available for hardcover books, and we will begin beta testing for paperback books soon. Keep an eye on our social media (@48HrBooks) for updates!

Printed Book Edges will give you an Edge on the Competition!

With our full-color book edge printing (similar to fore-edge printing, sprayed edges, and edge painting), your book will grab the attention of readers and book lovers everywhere. Your books will truly stand out at a bookstore! Edge printing gives your book the look of custom sprayed edges without having to do it yourself. You can create a fully custom design that is printed directly on your book’s cut edges and let your readers be wowed by a stunning, limited-edition book.

BOOK

Binding: This service is currently available for hardcover (case bound) books.

BOOK

Page Count: Edge printing is for books from 200-1000 pages, depending on paper type.

BOOK

Size: Each edge should be between 4.5 inches and 12 inches to include printing.

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Premium Service
Premium Service

Perfect for Special Editions

Edge printing is the perfect way to commemorate your first edition, books in a series, or limited edition books. Edge Printing signals craftsmanship and attention to detail and elevates perception of the overall quality of your book. Add some flair to your special editions and make them stand out from the rest. Edge printing can make your book a collectible. Overall, it's a stunning look that can easily pay for itself.

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Design on Cut Edges
Design on Cut Edges

Increased Value

Books with edge printing are trending on social media for their distinctive aesthetic appeal. Edge printing enhances your book's value while boosting sales. It establishes perceived value, which justifies a higher price point for your books. It increases the chances of prominent bookstore display, and improves social media visibility as readers are more likely to photograph and share books with such a striking visual element.

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Full-color CMYK Printing
Full-color CMYK Printing

Added Aesthetics

Custom designs, such as your logo or specialized artwork, can be added to printed edges for a unique look that is distinctive to your book. Printed edges make your book as beautiful on the outside as the content on the inside. Books with printed edges beg to be displayed when not being read, which increases attention to your work.

Timing for Book Edge Printing

Base production time +5 business days*

  • When combined with a Diamond 3D option, edge printing will only add 4 days to your total production time.
  • Edge printing is only available at our Twinsburg, Ohio location.

Find out exactly how much time it will take 48 Hour Books to produce your order:

How Fast?
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25% Off Sale Valid through May 31, 2025

Pricing for Book Edge Printing

Pricing for edge printing is dependent on the size and quantity of books printed and begins at just $1.50 per book (plus setup fee). See below for details.

Book Size (inches)
Investment
(@ 25% off)
Small books (5.5 x 8.5 & 6 x 9) $180 setup + $2/book $135 setup + $1.50/book
Medium books (8.5 x 11, 8.5 x 5.5, and 9 x 6) $180 setup + $2.67/book $135 setup + $2.00/book
Large books (11 x 8.5 and larger) $180 setup + $3.33/book $135 setup + $2.50/book
Small books (5.5 x 8.5 & 6 x 9)
$180 setup + $2.00/book
@ 25% off: $135 setup + $1.50/book
Medium books (8.5 x 11, 8.5 x 5.5, and 9 x 6)
$180 setup + $2.67/book
@ 25% off: $135 setup + $2.00/book
Large books (11 x 8.5 and larger)
$180 setup + $3.33/book
@ 25% off: $135 setup + $2.50/book

See How Book Edges Are Printed:

Icon Design

Edge Design

There are several different ways to create the designed edges of your book.

1

Provide Your Own

No additional charge

Send us your own print-ready, fully custom, CMYK design. Upload a 3-page PDF or 3 individual PDF, JPG, TIFF, or PNG files. Please do not include crop marks or bleed.

Height: length of each side +0.08 inches

Width: (# of pages / 440) +0.08 inches

2

Choose a Solid Color

No additional charge

Let us know in the comments section of your order what color you'd like (provide a CMYK color value or let us know where we can grab the color from your cover artwork).

Exact color matching the edge printing to the cover may not be possible.

3

Let Us Help

$0-$75/hour

Our prepress design team can grab an existing pattern or image from your cover or from an inside page of your book.

If you'd like us to create a custom design or if sampling your existing artwork is more complex, we'll give you a quote for the work before proceeding ($75/hour).

  • Edge printing designs may have slight variation or warping due to texture/moisture content of paper and due to the nature of a flexible, cut edge. We'll work to minimize this as much as possible.
  • Pages inside the book that bleed off the edge can show through the printed edge, depending on the designs.
  • Other limitations are at the discretion of our prepress team.

When ordering edge printing, you agree that you understand these limitations and requirements. 48 Hour Books always strives to provide exceptional quality in every aspect!

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I'm Ready to Print My Books

To place an order, click the button below. We'll walk you through every option, and after your order is placed, you'll be able to upload your files directly to us.

Start Printing