Setting bleed and slug edge by edge in Layout by Zaweba

Bleed is the extra image or colour that runs past the trimmed edge of a page, so that when the printer cuts the sheet there's no thin white line where the trim wandered slightly. Slug is space beyond the bleed for job notes and sign-off details that are trimmed away. Layout by Zaweba lets you set both separately for each edge, which matters more than you might think.

Four edges, set independently

Bleed can be set for top, bottom, inside and outside. They're linked by default, so typing one value sets all four, which is what most jobs want. Unlink them and each edge can have its own amount.

Inside and outside, rather than left and right, follow facing pages. On a right hand page the inside is the left edge; on a left hand page it's the right edge. That way one setting works for the whole document.

Zero bleed is allowed on any edge. That suits jobs where an edge is never trimmed, such as a page that sits against a binding, or a piece where the printer has asked for bleed on some edges only. Being able to set zero cleanly means the PDF matches what the printer expects rather than carrying bleed they'll have to ignore.

Joined inner edges

Joined inner edges never get bleed. Where two pages meet in a spread, at the spine or a fold, there's no trim, so there's nothing for bleed to cover. Layout handles that automatically, so a picture running across the spine stays continuous instead of being doubled up in the middle.

Slug per edge

The slug area can also be set per edge. Many jobs need slug on only one side, often the bottom, for a job name, date, version or notes for the printer. Setting it on that edge alone keeps the rest of the pasteboard clear.

Bleed and slug both show as outlines around the page, so you can see where the bleed stops and the slug begins. The Bleed and Slug screen modes show the page with each area included, which is the quickest way to check what will be in the final file.

Getting bleed right

Ask the printer what they want before you start, and set it in the document from the outset. Changing bleed late means checking every picture and panel that runs off the edge.

Extend backgrounds and pictures right to the bleed outline, not just to the page edge. A frame that stops at the trim defeats the point. Live preflight in Layout by Zaweba flags bleed problems as you work, which catches most of these.

Keep important text and logos well inside the page. Bleed protects against a wandering trim on the outside; it doesn't make text near the edge safe.

Bleed mistakes that cost a reprint

The commonest is setting bleed but not using it, so pictures stop at the trim. The second is forgetting to unlink edges when only some need bleed, so the file carries bleed the job doesn't want. A third is putting slug notes where they creep into the bleed, which can leave them visible on a badly trimmed sheet.

Spend a minute in Bleed mode before export and most of these show up straight away. Getting bleed right is one of the least exciting parts of print design and one of the most important, and Layout by Zaweba gives you precise control over every edge.