How Will My Sprayed Edges Look?

Sprayed edges can be a striking addition to your book, but the final appearance can depend on the paper stock you choose and the makeup of the design. Here's what you need to know to get the best result.

Best Paper Options for Sprayed Edges

• Uncoated papers like Bond (white) and Cream give the most consistent and vibrant results for sprayed edges, even for more solid background designs.

• If you're using cream paper, please account for a slight colour shift due to the paper tone. This may affect how your edge colour appears in print.

Limitations to Be Aware Of

Coated Paper Considerations

• Coated papers like 100gsm or 150gsm can be more challenging for sprayed edges, especially with dark or solid colours.

• The coating can sometimes cause less even coverage or result in colour inconsistency.

Tips for Black Sprayed Edges

For the best possible outcome with black sprayed edges, we recommend:

• Supplying your artwork in greyscale or using CMYK values of
  C: 0, M: 0, Y: 0, K: 100 (Registration Black)

• This can improve coverage and depth, especially on uncoated stocks.

Due to the nature of print-on-demand production, there are some inherent limitations:

• Occasionally, a small amount of ink from the sprayed edge process may pull onto the first or last few pages of the book.

• While we take steps to minimise this, it is not always possible to eliminate completely, due to how the book is clamped during spraying.

Example images;
Black sprayed edges Uncoated Stock
Black sprayed edges Coated Stock (CMYK Black)
Black sprayed edges Coated Stock (Registration Black)
Sprayed edge overspray