Description

Custom digital printed Project Manuals & Specifications are a great way to provide essential details about your construction project. Project manuals can include techinical specifications, bid documents, soils reports, requests for qualifications and more. Our digital printed Specifications can be printed in short runs with a quick turnaround time. Digital printed Project Manuals & Specifications are a high quality product, intended to be used during the full spectrum of a building project, from the bidding process through the many phases of construction to completion.

Our bound specification books are available with seven binding options, Comb Bind, Coil Bind, Velo Bind, Aluminum Screw Post Bind, Acco Bind, Corner Staple or 3-Hole Drill Only for ring binders. For other binding options, please submit a custom estimate request by clicking "Estimates" at the top of the page.

Note: Enter the total print file pages in the Number of Pages in File in the Pricing Calculator. Then enter the Number of Books you want printed.

Recommendations

The most common order options are 8.5" x 11" books printed with multiple pages on 20 lb white bond, plus the cover on 100 lb premium smooth cover stock with black coil binding. Almost always, Specifications are printed in grayscale on both sides of each page (1/1).

Marketing Tips

Project Manuals & Specifications are necessary for bidding construction projects. They're a great way to show contractors the full scope and range of your project.

Consider adding a QR code to your design to link directly to additional online information. This can be a great way to provide more detail than you would want to cram onto your project manual. Since a QR code can link to an online message, you can change the online message without the need to reprint the QR code.

Standard Sizes

Our standard sizes, listed below, are the most popular in the industry:

  • 8.5" x 11"
  • 5.5" x 8.5"

Any Trim Size

You can order custom sizes by using the "Any Trim Size (Edit Below)" option in the pricing calculator. First select the standard size option which is larger in both dimensions (height and width) than your desired custom size. In the "Any Trim Size (Edit Below)" box on the pricing calculator (shown below), type in your desired dimensions. Please remember if you are ordering "Any Trim Size" for catalogs, "Any Trim Size" dimensions are for catalogs after they are folded and finished.

Be mindful of the custom trim when submitting a file to prevent any part of your design from being trimmed away. It's extra important to look at a proof when ordering custom trim.

20 lb White Bond

This stock is a good economical text weight 98 brightness, acid free stock with a caliper of BS 20 = .0041.

This paper works well for project information, program information and general information manuals.

Self Cover means the cover of the book is the same paper as the interior pages.

24 lb Smooth Laser Print Text

This stock is a good economical text weight 98 brightness laser print stock.

This paper works well for product information, program information and general information booklets.

Self Cover means the cover of the Catalog is the same paper as the interior pages.

32 lb Smooth Laser Print Text

This stock is an upgrade to the 24 lb Laser Print stock. It is a heavier text weight smooth 100 brightness laser print stock

This paper works well for event program books and marketing product catalogs.

Self Cover means the cover of the Catalog is the same paper as the interior pages.

20 lb Pastel Bond

This acid Free, SFI Certified pastel bond is made with elemental chlorine free virgin fiber content.

This paper is available in 10 different pastel colors:

Available Colors

  • 20 lb Text Blue Pastel
  • 20 lb Text Green Pastel
  • 20 lb Text Pink Pastel
  • 20 lb Text Canary
  • 20 lb Text Goldenrod
  • 20 lb Text Gray
  • 20 lb Text Ivory
  • 20 lb Text Tan
  • 20 lb Text Salmon
  • 20 lb Text Orchid

Self Cover means the cover of the Catalog is the same paper as the interior pages

24 lb Astrobright Text

Available in 16 brilliant colors ASTROBRIGHTS® Papers offer extremely bright and vibrant colors that embolden any message by delivering excellent print performance at an exceptional value.

This Green Seal Certified paper has a smooth finish and is acid and lignin free with a 30% postconsumer recycled fiber.

This paper is available in 16 different vibrant Astrobright colors:

Available Colors

  • 24 lb Astrobright Text Solar Yellow
  • 24 lb Astrobright Text Galaxy Gold
  • 24 lb Astrobright Text Lift-Off Lemon
  • 24 lb Astrobright Text Terrestrial Teal
  • 24 lb Astrobright Text Lunar Blue
  • 24 lb Astrobright Text Celestial Blue
  • 24 lb Astrobright Text Terra Green
  • 24 lb Astrobright Text Gamma Green
  • 24 lb Astrobright Text Pulsar Pink
  • 24 lb Astrobright Text Plasma Pink
  • 24 lb Astrobright Text Rocket Red
  • 24 lb Astrobright Text Re-Entry Red
  • 24 lb Astrobright Text Fireball Fushia
  • 24 lb Astrobright Text Orbit Orange
  • 24 lb Astrobright Text Cosmic Orange
  • 24 lb Astrobright Text Planetary Purple

Self Cover means the cover of the Catalog is the same paper as the interior pages

67 lb Vellum Bristol Cover

Give your bound books a high-quality look and feel with this durable cover stock. Vellum Bristol covers are ignin- and acid-free for increased longevity.

Rated 94 for brightness, this 67-pound paper is both sturdy and ideal for brilliantly showcasing color cover prints.

80 lb Matte Cover

This super smooth 80 lb, 100% acid free cover stock with a 100 brightness works well for full color images and illustrations.

This cover stock will will give longer durability for your books.

80 lb Matte Cover means the cover of the Book is the heavier cover stock paper and the interior pages are text weight paper.

100 lb Premium Smooth Cover

Heavier than our 80 lb cover stock, this 100 lb FSC certified stock is the perfect option for our environmentally friendly customers! It is a heavier text weight smooth 100 brightness laser print stock

This 100 brightness cover stock works well for full color images and illustrations.

This cover stock will will give longer durability for your books.

100 lb Gloss Cover

Flexible, yet sturdy and rigid, our 100 lb. Gloss Cover is popular and versatile. Colors will appear rich and vibrant on this paper, the thinnest of our card stocks. It is a heavier text weight smooth 100 brightness laser print stock with a 100# gloss cover stock.

This paper works well for event program books and marketing product catalogs with a heavy cover stock for longer durability.

100 lb Gloss Cover means the cover of the Catalog is the heavier gloss cover stock paper and the interior pages are text weight paper.

14pt Gloss Cover

Glossy, thick card stock that has a high gloss surface for a beautiful shine, great color reproduction, and extra protection from damage.

This cover stock works well for books and catalog covers with a longer durability.

16pt Matte Cover

A customer favorite! Dull (not glossy), with a Matte Finish for a smooth, silky surface. It is a heavier cover weight 100 brightness stock.

This cover stock works well for bound books and catalogs with a heavy cover stock for longer durability.

67 lb Pastel Cover (10 Colors)

This acid Free, SFI Certified pastel cover is made with elemental chlorine free virgin fiber content.

This cover stock is available in 10 different pastel colors:

Available Colors

  • 67 lb Blue Pastel Cover
  • 67 lb Green Pastel Cover
  • 67 lb Pink Pastel Cover
  • 67 lb Canary Pastel Cover
  • 67 lb Goldenrod Pastel Cover
  • 67 lb Gray Pastel Cover
  • 67 lb Ivory Pastel Cover
  • 67 lb Tan Pastel Cover
  • 67 lb Salmon Pastel Cover
  • 67 lb Orchid Pastel Cover

65 lb Astrobright Cover (16 Colors)

Available in 16 brilliant colors ASTROBRIGHTS® Papers offer extremely bright and vibrant colors that embolden any message by delivering excellent print performance at an exceptional value.

This Green Seal Certified cover stock has a smooth finish and is acid and lignin free with a 30% postconsumer recycled fiber.

This stock is available in 16 different vibrant Astrobright colors:

Available Colors

  • 24 lb Astrobright Cover Solar Yellow
  • 24 lb Astrobright Cover Galaxy Gold
  • 24 lb Astrobright Cover Lift-Off Lemon
  • 24 lb Astrobright Cover Terrestrial Teal
  • 24 lb Astrobright Cover Lunar Blue
  • 24 lb Astrobright Cover Celestial Blue
  • 24 lb Astrobright Cover Terra Green
  • 24 lb Astrobright Cover Gamma Green
  • 24 lb Astrobright Cover Pulsar Pink
  • 24 lb Astrobright Cover Plasma Pink
  • 24 lb Astrobright Cover Rocket Red
  • 24 lb Astrobright Cover Re-Entry Red
  • 24 lb Astrobright Cover Fireball Fushia
  • 24 lb Astrobright Cover Orbit Orange
  • 24 lb Astrobright Cover Cosmic Orange
  • 24 lb Astrobright Cover Planetary Purple

1/1 (B&W Both Sides)

B&W both sides of page. A typical example of this is a book printed on both sides of the page.

4/4 (Full Color Both Sides)

Full color on both sides of the page. This option can reproduce the range of colors you see in a typical photograph out of the standard 4 printing colors: cyan, magenta, yellow, and black.

1/0 (B&W Front Side Only)

B&W front side only. A typical example of this is a book printed on the front and no printing on the back. A typical example of this is a book printed on the front sides of the pages only with no back side printing.

4/0 (Full Color Front Side Only)

Full color (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black as above) on the front and no printing on the back. A typical example of this is a book printed on the front sides of the pages only with no back side printing.

No Coating

This product prints uncoated in a professional, finished quality.

Full Bleed Printing

Optional Full Bleed printing is printing to the edge of the paper. Full Bleed printing is not available on all stocks. Below is a list of available Full Bleed stocks:

Text Stocks Available For Full Bleed

  • 24 lb Smooth Laser Print Text
  • 32 lb Smooth Laser Print Text
  • 70 lb Opaque Offset Text
  • 80 lb Coated Gloss Text
  • 100 lb Coated Gloss Text

Cover Stocks Available For Full Bleed

  • 80 lb Matte Cover
  • 100 lb Premium Smooth Cover
  • 100 lb Gloss Cover
  • 14 pt Gloss Cover
  • 16 pt Matte Cover

Binding Options

Our Digital Books come with 7 binding options:

Comb Binding is a semi-permanent form of binding that is good when you are assembling a book that may have pages that change frequently. Comb binding involves plastic spines with rings that overlap to form a bound book. Comb Binding can accommodate up to 425 sheets per book.

Coil Bound also referred to as spiral binding is one of our most popular products, The sheets are punched and a spiral, or coil, is inserted through the holes to create a bound book. Coil Binding can accommodate upto 160 sheets per book.

Velo Binding involves punching several small holes along the edge of an unbound book. A strip of plastic with rigid tines is inserted into the holes from the top of the book, and a strip with corresponding holes is placed on the back with the tines protruding through. The book is then placed in a machine that holds the book tightly while the excess length of the tines is cut and the tips melted to seal the bind. Velo Binding can accommodate upto 450 sheets per book.

Aluminum Screw Post Binding is a semi-permanent form of binding that is good when you are assembling a book that may have pages that change or needed added pages. Aluminum Screw Post Binding consist of three screw post inserted into three drilled holes in book and tightened. These screw post can be removed if the pages are later to go into a ring binder. Screw Post Binding can accommodate upto 1,000 sheets per book.

Acco Bind is a eaisly removable binding that is good when you are assembling a book that may have pages that change or needed added pages. Acco Binding consist of two prongs inserted into three drilled holes in book and folded over. The Acco Binding can easily be removed if the pages are later to go into a ring binder. Acco Binding includes 3-Hole drilling, and can accommodate up to 350 sheets.

Corner Staple is a low cost form of binding that is good when you just need multiple sets bound quickly. Corner Staple can accommodate up to 100 sheets.

No Binding - 3-Hole Drill Only is ideal for books that will be going into binders. These book sets will be shrink wrapped for easy handling.

For binding options not listed above, please submit a custom estimate request by clicking "Estimates" at the top of the page.

Explanation of Turnaround Time

See a quick chart showing turnaround times

Turnaround times begin when the proof is approved. Turnaround time starts next day for proofs approved after 9:00 a.m. (PST). All times are based on standard business days Monday through Friday excluding federal holidays. Please note that turnaround time does not include shipping or mailing time. You may select from available production turnaround times and your preferred shipping time as you place your order. Order cutoff time is 8:30 a.m. (PST).

Our products are the same great quality for every turnaround time we offer.

Note: Although we make every possible effort to turn jobs around in the estimated times offered, your job may require more time due to unforeseeable or uncontrollable circumstances or finishing services added onto the job. We will not credit customers or give discounts if a job runs past the estimated turnaround time. Turnaround times are an estimate, not a guarantee!

2-3 Day Turnaround

If you order a proof (Online PDF or Hard Copy Proof), your turnaround time begins as soon as you approve your proof in our system. Turnarount time starts next day for proofs approved after 9:00 a.m. (PST). If you order "No Proof, Run As Is" (only recommended if you are certain you want us to print what you sent as is), your turnaround time begins as soon as your order begins the imposition process. Once your order is in imposition, you should receive an email with your estimated order completion date (does not include shipping or mailing).

Guidelines

Files must be uploaded before the cut off time of 8:30 a.m. (PST). If you request a proof, you must approve your proof by 9:00 a.m. (PST) for turnaround time to begin.

2-3 Day Shipped Orders
Orders will ship between 2 business days after 4:00 p.m. and 4 business days if you follow the guidelines.

Files uploaded after the cut off time will be processed the following business day.

Next Day Turnaround

If you order a proof (Online PDF or Hard Copy Proof), your turnaround time begins as soon as you approve your proof in our system. Turnaround time starts next day for proofs approved after 9:00 a.m. (PST). If you order "No Proof, Run As Is" (only recommended if you are certain you want us to print what you sent as is), your turnaround time begins as soon as your order begins the imposition process. Once your order is in imposition, you should receive an email with your estimated order completion date (does not include shipping or mailing).

Guidelines

Files must be uploaded before the cut off time of 8:30 a.m. (PST). If you request a proof, you must approve your proof by 9:00 a.m. (PST) for turnaround time to begin.

Next Day Shipped Orders
Orders will ship between 1 business day after 4:00 p.m. if you follow the guidelines.

Note: Next Day Turnaround cannot be guaranteed for quantities of more than 50 Books.

Files uploaded after the cut off time will be processed the following business day.

Same Day Turnaround

If you order a proof (Online PDF or Hard Copy Proof), your turnaround time begins as soon as you approve your proof in our system. Turnaround time starts next day for proofs approved after 9:00 a.m. (PST). If you order "No Proof, Run As Is" (only recommended if you are certain you want us to print what you sent as is), your turnaround time begins as soon as your order begins the imposition process. Once your order is in imposition, you should receive an email with your estimated order completion date (does not include shipping or mailing).

Guidelines

Files must be uploaded before the cut off time of 8:30 a.m. (PST). If you request a proof, you must approve your proof by 9:00 a.m. (PST) for turnaround time to begin.

Same Day Shipped Orders
Orders will ship same business day after 4:00 p.m. if you follow the guidelines.

Note: Same Day Turnaround cannot be guaranteed for quantities of more than 25 Books.

Files uploaded after the cut off time will be processed the following business day.

Quantity

The quantity available is dependent on the order specifications you choose. To see available quantities, complete all order specifications in the pricing calculator and click on the "Quantity" dropdown menu.

Due to our printing process, we print in specific quantity increments. If you would like an amount not listed in the pricing calculator, you have two options.

  1. Request a custom estimate for the specific quantity you need
  2. Order a larger quantity and ask us to ship only what you need

Ordering one of our specified quantities is generally more affordable than a custom estimate. Let us know how many units you would like shipped and we will recycle the excess for you. Simply choose the amount of items you would like recycled under the "shipping" section after placing your order.

For example, if you would like 700 units, you can order 1000 units and let us know you only want 700 shipped. We will responsibly dispose of the extras.

We typically print more than the quantity ordered. Because printing is a manufacturing process, the total finished quantity may vary. We usually ship a few more than you order, but sometimes quantities can vary +/- 5%. Standard industry procedure is to consider this range shipment in full.

When to choose Offset

4-Color Offset printing is ideal for lower prices on large quantity orders or any time you would like coating on your products.

Almost always, people choose this option when ordering large quantities.

When to choose Digital

4-Color Digital printing is ideal for lower quantity orders and additional paper options, and usually has even faster turnaround times. Digital products cannot be coated.

Custom Orders

If you would like to order product options not available in the pricing calculator, simply request a custom estimate. To request a custom estimate, go to Request a Quote at the top of the page.

In many cases, it is more affordable to order one of our specified quantities than to place a custom order. Custom orders are most commonly placed for order specifications that are not listed in the calculator.

If all your order specifications are available in the Pricing Calculator but you would like a quantity not listed in the dropdown menu, choose the next-highest quantity. Simply choose "recycle overages" in the shipping method section and we will responsibly recycle the extras.
Orders will ship between 5 business days after 4:00 p.m. and 7 business days if you follow the guidelines.

For example, if you would like 700 units, you can order 1000 units and let us know you only want 700 shipped. We will responsibly dispose of the extras.

PDF stands for Portable Document Format. This template can be imported into: InDesign, Quark Express, Illustrator, Corel Draw, and many other content creation programs.

JPEG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group and is a basic raster file format. This template is recommended for Photoshop.

EPS stands for Encapsulated PostScript. This template is recommended for advanced Illustrator users only.

Please Click Here for our product layout templates.

File Preparation

In order to ensure your files are print-ready, we recommend that you upload them in PDF format. When you generate a print-ready PDF, your computer will use the settings in Adobe Acrobat Distiller or any other PDF generating programs you may use. Please make sure that these are set properly before generating your PDF file.

We also accept .JPG (JPEG), .EPS and .TIF (TIFF) file types, however PDF is the preferred format.

Check your file to make sure it meets our file creation guidelines. This will help speed up the production of your project and give your printed piece the best results.

  1. Use the CMYK colorspace (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, blacK). These are industry standard printing colors. CMYK colors are different than RGB (Red, Green, Blue), which are used to display colors on your screen.
  2. Use a minimum resolution of 300 dpi for image files.
  3. All fonts need to be outlined or embedded.
  4. Specify trim area with crop marks. (Don't place crop marks inside the work area.)
  5. Artwork should have 1/8" (0.125") bleed extending past the trim line. This is to prevent minor cutting variations from leaving unintended results at the trim edge.
  6. Safe Area is the 1/8" (0.125") area inside the trim line. Do not put critical information or images within the Safe Area. This is to prevent minor cutting variations from leaving unintended results at the trim edge.
  7. If you want printed borders, they must be placed a minimum of 1/8" (0.125") inside the trim line and include bleed. This is to prevent minor cutting variations from leaving unintended results at the trim edge.

For a checklist on file setup, please Click Here.

File Orientation

Please click the link below for an explanation of file orientation.

Bleed and Safe Area

We require that you extend any images that run up to the trim line a minimum of 1/8" (0.125") past the trim line to create "bleed". Depending on what program you use to create your file, this may or may not change the total image area of your file. Programs like Photoshop that do not allow the creation of "bleed" or the addition of crop marks will require an image area that is 1/4" (0.25") larger than your desired final overall image area in both dimensions.

Safe Area is the 1/8" (0.125") area inside the trim line. Do not put critical information or images within the Safe Area. This is to prevent minor cutting variations from leaving unintended results at the trim edge. If you choose to make less than this minimum clearance, we will NOT be responsible for items that are cut off in this area.

For assistance in file setup, please Click Here for our product layout templates.

Proofs and File Check

  1. Online PDF Proof: You will be sent a link to view your proof via email. Please keep in mind that this is only a proof for content and positioning; the color on your screen may vary from the color of your final product, depending on your monitor and viewing conditions.
  2. Hard Copy Proof: The Hard Copy Proof can either be picked up on-site or shipped to you. Please keep in mind that this is a proof for content and positioning and is not printed on your actual job stock. Color may vary slightly when printed on the stock you ordered. When ordering a Hard Copy Proof, you will receive a complimentary Online PDF Proof, as well.
  3. No Proof, Run As-Is: This option is for the industry professional who is certain their project is ready to hit the press and does not require the additional security of a proof.

File Check:

If our prepress department sees anything questionable with your file, we will contact you via email with our concerns. Should prepress email you, please note that your job is not considered fully submitted until you respond to this email. This should be factored into your turnaround time.

Please Note: The charge for our technical team to review your file when first submitted is included in the price of your order. If they note technical concerns with your file, they may email you with their concerns so you can upload a corrected file. If subsequent uploads still contain errors, you may be charged an additional prepress fee to review your file again.

Design Online

You can create a personalized design in just a few minutes. Once you click the "Start Your Design" button, you're taken to a huge library of design templates. You can search by specific category or select "generic" for personal use. Making changes to the text, font size and uploading a picture or logo on your chosen template is as easy as using a basic computer program. After you're done making changes, you are able to instantly view an online proof and order it for print.

There are professional design templates for almost any personal and business need.

Start Your Design

Assisted Design

If you like one of the Design Online templates but would prefer not to handle the designing yourself, this option is ideal. Simply let us know which template you like and supply the information you would like to appear on your design. We will handle the rest!

Keep in mind that the images on the template will remain the same. Only text can be edited and basic logos added.

There are professional design templates for almost any personal and business need.

Check out all your Design Online template options.

Click Here

Custom Design

We create fully custom designs that help represent your company, brand or product in a professional way. Custom Design includes consulting to come up with a concept and design revisions, so you're truly part of the process. You can also add either a basic or corporate custom designed logo to your design.

There are 3 design packages to meet your needs:

1. Full Custom Design:

With this option you get complete, professional custom design for the product of your choosing. This includes consulting to discuss the concept, images, text, and revisions.

2. Full Custom Design plus a Basic Logo

With this option you get the complete design just like Custom Design Option 1 plus a basic logo. Basic logo design consists of a single font with a simple icon. See the examples under the "Logo Samples" tab.

3. Full Custom Design plus a Corporate Logo

With this option you get the complete design just like Custom Design Option 1 plus a corporate logo. Your corporate logo design has no limit to font styles so long as they are in our library. You also get a fully designed graphic to accompany your text. See the examples under the "Logo Samples" tab.

To see Custom Design pricing, number of images and revisions for this product, select "Custom Design" on the dropdown menu in the calculator and click the link underneath the menu.

Keep in mind that this price is estimated and includes limits on the amount of images and revisions that can be made before incurring additional charges. We will notify you prior to performing any services that cost more money.

Basic Logo Samples

Corporate Logo Samples

Note: Please list the correct number of pages in the print file including cover, and number of books required. Orders with incorrect quantities or sizes will delay production.

Price Calculator

(Min: 1, Max: 2500)
(Min: 1, Max: 2500)
Total : $ 3.03
Please enter zipcode
Estimated Total : $ 3.03
Get Started