Sprayed Edges
Artful Edge Design
Maybe it’s a special edition, a first printing that will become a collector’s item, or you want to highlight what’s inside…sprayed edges will enhance the overall aesthetic appeal and uniqueness of your book, making it a true standout piece on any shelf.
How Is It Applied?
Sprayed edges are an enhancement where the outer edges of the book are sprayed with ink to create a visually striking effect. It’s starts when the book is trimmed to the final size. Using our specialized Digi B Edge Printing Machine from Durrer, the ink is sprayed to the exposed edges of the book. This can be done in solid colours, gradients, or even a custom design.
A softcover book will be sprayed after the book binding is complete. Hardcover perfect-bound books will be sprayed after the book blocks are completed on the perfect binder. Hardcover sewn books will be taken off the encaser after the 3-knife trimmer, sprayed, and then put back on the encaser.
Why Add Sprayed Edges?
Sprayed edges are a striking design feature that add color, personality, and polish to a book’s profile. They’re often used to complement cover artwork, reinforce branding, or create a bold visual statement, making them ideal for special editions, gift books, or titles that aim to stand out on shelves. Whether applied in a solid color, gradient, or custom pattern, sprayed edges enhance the book’s aesthetic while also helping to conceal wear and handling over time.
Helpful Hints
- Sprayed edges must be in CMYK colour mode; PMS is not an option.
- For softcover books with flaps, the flap must have as little overhang as possible to ensure the correct registration.
- Rounded corners can cause issues, so the design must carefully reflect the rounded corner. Files with rounded corners should be reviewed by the Project Specialist/Production prior to proofing.
- Sprayed edges can be applied to a ragged foredge, but it should be sent to the Project Specialist for review prior to proofing. Testing is needed before committing to the design.
- The color of sprayed edges will be muted compared to printing on coated paper. Printing on the edge of paper is more similar to printing process ink on uncoated papers.
- It is not possible to match the colours of sprayed edges to contract proofs or cover colours due to the nature of printing on the edge of the stock.
- The colours need to be set in the file that is sent to the machine and cannot be easily altered.
- The finished book size can vary due to paper caliper variation and trimming. Detail cannot be printed close to the edges of the print. If the customer wants something to bleed off the edge, the image needs to start at least .125” away from any edge of the print.
- There will be color variation on the sprayed edge due to the colour bleeding over the edge of the sheet, especially with tab jobs.
- The length of time it adds to the production of the book depends on the load and size of the book.
- Sprayed edges can be applied to a book with bleeds, however the ink from the bleeds can affect the sprayed edges, leading to a less uniform appearance.
- The final design is to be submitted as a PDF. You will need one PDF for each edge that will be printed…for example, for a book that will have the top, bottom, and foredge printed, you will need to supply three separate PDFs.
- We can stain the edges of a book with a solid colour, however, some colours like black may appear washed out after the first application. To achieve a dark, rich colour, a second pass may be necessary.
- The cost is mainly influenced by three factors: the thickness of the book, the type of binding, and the amount of ink used. The price for a softcover book and a hardcover book with the same size thickness is the same cost. However, the type of binding can affect the final cost.
- The minimum size that can be produced is 78mm x 78mm (3-1/16″ x 3-1/16″) and the maximum size is 360mm x 360mm (14-1/8″ x 14-1/8″).