In order for multi-panel, folding pieces to lay flat after folding, it is necessary to adjust the size of certain individual panels, depending upon the final type of fold used. In documents that have 2 or more panels, the front and back panels will have the same finished size, and all other panels will be adjusted smaller by the same measurement. We usually recommend using 1/16” (.0625 in, or 1.58 mm)for text weight paper, and 1/8” (.125 in, or 3.18 mm) for cover weight paper.
However, this method of panel adjustment can change the final page size of your layout, and these suggested amounts of adjustment can fluctuate. Make sure that you adjust the correct panels because each fold-type design has a different panel order, see the examples below. Of course, as with other adjustments to accommodate printing or folding issues, you may opt for the commercial offset printer to make the necessary adjustment; however, this choice may result in unacceptable alterations to the basic design of the project. It is usually preferable for the designer to make the necessary adjustments so that the artwork maintains it’s original integrity. That being said, it becomes apparent that the designer needs to be familiar with the necessary adjustments that need to be made to a project that has folding panels.
Since there are only 2 panels on each side, simply divide the final page width in half. The example above has an unfolded, flat-size width of 11”, made up of two 5-½” (5.5 in) panels.
In this 11” wide example the right and middle panels become the cover and back cover, respectively. The left panel will fold inside, and is 1/16” (.0625 in) smaller.
No adjustments are necessary with an accordion-fold design. Each panel is the same size. This 16” wide example has equal 4” panels that will fold up like the bellows of an accordion, the first panel will fold and the second panel will fold in the opposite direction, etc. You can also have more then 4 panels, check with your printer to see how many consecutive folds they can make.
The double parallel design folds in half and then in half again. The front and back panels (right two) are both 4” wide, and the two inside folding panels will both be 1/16” (.0625 in) smaller. The finished page width would be 15-7/8” (15.875 in).
This type of fold has the middle two 4” panels as the front and back, with the outside panels folding in. Therefore, the outside panels need to each be 1/16” (.0625 in) smaller than 4”. The finished page size in this example would be 15-7/8” (15.875 in).
The roll fold has one panel folding inside the other. In this example there are only 4 panels, but there can be more. The front and back panel will both be 4” widths and each adjacent panel will need to be 1/16” (.125 in) smaller than the one before it so that each panel after the front and back will be progressively smaller. The finished page width for this example would be 15-13/16” (15.8125 in).
Return to the Page Setup menu for more page setup consideration topics.
