Throw Outs

Every so often, a client asks for a job to include what is known as “throw outs”. These are pages that fold out away from the foredge of a publication to create a spread that is wider than the rest of the job, and may themselves fold again to form multiple leaves. These can be very useful in highlighting a particular image, such as a map, or a wide format picture that cannot easily be accommodated in the format of the rest of the job, for example, but they do require a bit of thought at the planning stage.

A printed “throw out” might highlight a map or wide-format picture that doesn’t easily fit within the main brochure

Whether a job is saddle stitched or perfect bound, it will usually go through a three-knife trimmer after the staples or glue are applied. This cuts the job flush at both head, foot and foredge. When a throw out is included it is usually necessary to ensure that the folded edge falls short of the intended trim for the rest of the job, or there would be a risk of cutting through the fold, leaving a loose sheet of paper.

Similarly, it is also necessary to ensure that the edge of the page that folds back towards the spine also falls short of the spine edge (particularly with perfect bound jobs), or there is a risk that it could be stapled or glued into the spine, leaving the spread completely inaccessible. On perfect bound jobs we would recommend that the edge of this page is planned to fall about 10mm from the spine, since even if the page edge stops short of the spine, it can risk being difficult to recognise as a separate page if it is too close, causing the reader to turn over the folded leaf as if it is a regular page.

As above, the page (or pages) that fold back towards the spine need to be smaller than the rest of the job, but in order to avoid the three knife trim, the page which abuts the fold-out page also needs to be smaller (page b in the diagram). And what applies to one side of the piece of paper naturally also applies to the other, so the pages that make up the back of the spread need to be sized to run from smallest to largest, left to right.

This also means that when creating the artwork for a spread containing a throw out, the regular sized page on the other side of the spine – page (a) – needs to be included.

These considerations mean a bit of careful calculation is needed on the part of the designer or planner of the job.

But when all these factors are properly taken into account, it is possible to create stunning effects with the use of well planned throw out sections.

Designing a throw out into your printed material

A successfully created throw out requires a bit of advance planning because it disrupts the usual reprographics phase of all the pages – sometimes with the exception of the cover – being the same.

This isn’t a problem for us at PrintHouse. As the examples above show, we are experienced in creating throw out print designs that will help bring your brochure, catalogue or book to life.

The best advice is to design your throughout into the initial print specification. Give our team at PrintHouse a call and we’ll be able to advise on how to best achieve your fold out objective. Our number is: 020 8963 0123 or go ahead and use the contact form below. We’ll get right back to you.