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Booklets and brochures all require a little bit of planning. What you want to communicate, will it have different sections, how many products are on a page, but one thing people often forget to consider, and then later come to have to make amends, is how many pages does the booklet need.
So this guide is here to talk you through the absolute basics of how many pages you need for a saddle-stitched booklet. It sounds simple, but there are a few important rules to understand before sending your design to print.
What Is a Stapled Book?
Let’s start right at the beginning. A stapled or saddle‑stitched booklet is made by folding sheets of paper in half and securing them with staples along the fold (the spine).
Common examples include brochures, event programmes, manuals, and small magazines, but because of how these booklets are constructed, the number of pages isn’t entirely flexible.
The Most Important Rule: Pages Must Be in Multiples of 4
Every sheet of paper creates four pages when folded.
This means your booklet must always have a page count divisible by 4.
What if your design doesn’t fit?
If your content comes to, say, 10 pages, you’ll need to either increase it to 12 pages or reduce it to 8 pages.
Printers cannot produce a 10‑page saddle‑stitched booklet without adding blank pages. This is where people who come to us with artwork already done can sometimes have to go back to their designers to amend the artwork and therefore delay production.
Tips for Planning Your Booklet
Here are some practical tips to help you get it right:
Plan Your Content First
Outline your sections and estimate how many pages each will take. Then round up to the nearest multiple of 4.
Use Blank Pages Creatively So They Don’t Feel Blank
If you need to pad your page count:
- Add notes pages
- Include extra imagery
- Make a product a spotlight and give it more space
- Create a strong closing page
- Ideal page count for your chosen paper
- Cost-effective options
- Whether your booklet is better suited to another binding style
Speak to Your Printer Early
The biggest piece of advice we can give is to get your printing partner involved early. A Print Management partner can advise:
Final Thoughts
When it comes to stapled booklets, the key takeaway is simple: always work in multiples of 4 pages.
From there, your ideal page count depends on your content, paper choice, and how you want the finished booklet to feel in the reader’s hands.
If you plan carefully from the start, your project will not only print correctly but also look and feel more professional.
We’re always happy to help you. Speak to us today to start planning your brochure.
