Need Catalogue Printing in London? Your Essential Checklist

Why Your Catalogue Printing Project Might Be Doomed Before It Starts

Here’s the thing: you’ve got a major client meeting tomorrow, and your catalogues are still just files on your laptop. Sound familiar?

Most London business owners have been there. You need catalogues printed fast, but you’re terrified of ending up with smudged colours, wonky alignment, or worse—boxes arriving three days after your deadline. The panic is real.

But here’s what matters: catalogue printing doesn’t have to be a nightmare when you know exactly what to check before hitting “order.” This guide walks you through everything you need to verify, question, and confirm before your catalogues go to print. You’ll discover how to avoid costly mistakes, choose the right specifications, and actually get your materials delivered when you need them—not when some algorithm says they’ll arrive.

What Makes Catalogue Printing Different from Other Print Jobs?

Look, catalogues aren’t just fancy leaflets stapled together.

They’re your silent sales team. Every page needs to showcase your products or services with crystal clarity. The paper stock must feel substantial enough to convey quality. The binding has to survive being thumbed through dozens of times. And the colours? They need to match your brand precisely, not some washed-out approximation.

The challenge gets trickier when you’re working against the clock. Many London businesses discover too late that their chosen printer can’t deliver quality and speed simultaneously. That’s where First Colour stands apart—they’ve built their entire reputation on delivering top-quality print faster than anybody else in the West End, operating since 1995.

Your Pre-Printing Checklist: Seven Critical Questions

Have You Confirmed Your Page Count and Dimensions?

This sounds obvious until you realise your “24-page catalogue” actually needs to be 28 pages because of how binding works.

Catalogues must have page counts divisible by four. That’s just how the printing process works. If you’ve designed 26 pages, you’ll need to either cut content or add two more pages. Your printer won’t always catch this for you, so verify before sending files.

Standard catalogue sizes in the UK include A4 (210mm x 297mm), A5 (148mm x 210mm), and square formats like 210mm x 210mm. But here’s a secret: slightly unusual sizes can make your catalogue stand out on a crowded desk, as long as they’re still practical.

Is Your Artwork Actually Print-Ready?

“Print-ready” means different things to different printers, which causes endless frustration.

At minimum, your files need to be high-resolution PDFs (300 DPI minimum) with a 3mm bleed on all sides. Bleed is that extra border that gets trimmed off—without it, you’ll get white edges if the cutting isn’t perfectly aligned. You might feel overwhelmed by technical requirements, but reputable London printers like First Colour thoroughly check artwork before printing, catching issues that could ruin your final product.

Check that all fonts are embedded or converted to outlines. Verify that images are CMYK, not RGB. RGB looks gorgeous on screens but prints disappointingly dull. The exception is if you’re specifically using Pantone spot colours for brand matching—then you’ll need to discuss this with your printer upfront.

What Paper Stock Actually Suits Your Needs?

Here’s where emotions meet practicality.

Thicker isn’t always better, despite what your instincts tell you. A 170gsm silk finish often works beautifully for inside pages—substantial enough to prevent show-through, light enough to keep the catalogue manageable. For covers, 300gsm with a matt laminate conveys premium quality whilst protecting against scuffs.

The finish matters enormously. Gloss makes colours pop but shows fingerprints. Matt feels sophisticated and writes-on easily. Silk sits somewhere between. Want to know the secret? Request physical samples before committing. Touch them. Write on them. See how they feel in your hands.

Paper Type	Best For	Typical Weight	Finish Options
Cover Stock	Front/back covers	250-400gsm	Gloss, matt, soft-touch laminate
Text Stock	Inner pages	130-200gsm	Silk, gloss, uncoated
Premium Stock	Luxury catalogues	200-300gsm throughout	Matt laminate, spot UV
Budget Stock	High-volume distribution	115-150gsm	Uncoated, silk

Have You Chosen the Right Binding Method?

Binding holds everything together—literally and metaphorically.

Saddle-stitching (staples through the spine) works perfectly for catalogues up to about 60 pages. It’s cost-effective and lays reasonably flat. Beyond that page count, you’ll need perfect binding (the glued spine you see on paperback books). Perfect binding looks professional and handles higher page counts, but it doesn’t open completely flat.

The exception is wire binding or spiral binding, which allows catalogues to lay absolutely flat. It’s brilliant for instructional catalogues or anything that needs to stay open hands-free. However, it looks less polished than perfect binding.

For urgent projects, saddle-stitching typically offers the fastest turnaround. If you’re using same-day services, confirm binding options beforehand—not all binding methods suit emergency timelines.

What’s Your Realistic Timeline?

This doesn’t work if you expect miracles without planning.

Standard catalogue printing in London typically takes 5-7 working days from artwork approval. Rush jobs might squeeze into 2-3 days. But genuine same-day printing? That requires specialist services with the infrastructure to handle urgent demands without compromising quality.

Central London’s same-day print experts understand that your deadline is their deadline. Services like same day flyer printing demonstrate what’s possible when a printer builds their entire operation around speed. However, same-day only works when you’ve got everything else on this checklist sorted before you walk through their door.

Build in buffer time for artwork revisions. You’ll almost certainly need to adjust something after seeing the proof.

Are You Getting a Physical Proof?

Here’s the thing that separates disasters from triumphs: seeing before printing.

Digital proofs show layout and design, but they can’t reveal how colours actually print or how paper feels. A physical proof—even of just a few pages—lets you catch colour mismatches, paper unsuitably, or binding issues before you’ve committed to 500 copies.

It’s frustrating when timelines are tight, but skipping proofs is how businesses end up with expensive mistakes. Award-winning printers understand this balance—First Colour won Best Business Awards in the ‘Customer Focus’ category specifically because they maintain thorough proofing procedures even whilst delivering at lightning speed.

For truly urgent jobs where physical proofing isn’t possible, request a press check. You’ll visit the printer and approve the first copy off the press before they run the full quantity.

What About Delivery and Distribution?

Your catalogues sitting in a warehouse don’t help anybody.

Confirm delivery timing explicitly. “Next day” might mean different things—is that next working day, or literally tomorrow including weekends? For Central London businesses, same-day delivery solves this entirely, but you’ll need to order early in the day.

Consider delivery location carefully. Office reception? Building site? Event venue? Some locations complicate delivery, adding unexpected delays. If you’re distributing catalogues to multiple locations, discuss this upfront—some printers offer split deliveries.

The Hidden Costs Nobody Mentions Until It’s Too Late

Look, everyone focuses on the per-unit printing cost.

But delivery charges, rush fees, and correction charges add up shockingly fast. A “cheap” quote that requires three days of back-and-forth artwork corrections often costs more in total than a premium service with expert artwork checking included.

Reprinting costs devastate budgets. One misunderstood specification, one overlooked error, and you’re paying for the entire run twice. This is precisely why choosing experienced London printers matters—they’ve seen every possible mistake and catch them before they become expensive disasters.

Special Considerations for Different Industries

Legal firms need catalogues that convey authority and precision. Uncoated stocks with traditional typography work beautifully, whilst rushed jobs need providers who understand that “court-ready documents” means zero tolerance for errors.

Property agencies require catalogues where photography shines. Gloss or silk finishes make property images pop, whilst heavyweight stocks suggest the premium nature of listings. Many estate agents also need rapid turnaround for new listings—having connections with decal printing London specialists who understand urgent property marketing helps immensely.

Creative agencies present a unique challenge: they notice every detail because design is their business. They need printers who match their quality standards whilst respecting brutal deadlines when client approvals run late.

When Same-Day Printing Makes Sense (And When It Doesn’t)

Same-day catalogue printing isn’t about poor planning—it’s about responding to reality.

Clients change their minds. Products get updated. Opportunities appear with impossible timelines. The question isn’t whether you’ll eventually need urgent printing, but whether your printer can deliver when that moment arrives.

However, same-day only works for certain specifications. Complex finishing, unusual sizes, or very high quantities might not suit emergency timelines. Having an honest conversation with your printer about what’s genuinely achievable saves disappointment.

The best approach? Build relationships before emergencies strike. Know which London printer can save you when everything goes sideways.

Frequently Asked Questions

How quickly can I realistically get catalogues printed in London?

Standard turnaround runs 5-7 working days, but specialist London printers offer same-day services for urgent needs. Same-day printing requires print-ready artwork submitted early in the day, straightforward specifications, and realistic quantity expectations. Services operating since 1995 like First Colour have built infrastructure specifically for rapid turnarounds without quality compromise. For absolute emergencies, phone rather than email—you’ll get immediate answers about feasibility.

What’s the minimum quantity for catalogue printing?

Most commercial printers set minimums around 25-50 copies for saddle-stitched catalogues. Digital printing has lowered minimum quantities considerably compared to traditional offset printing. However, per-unit costs decrease significantly with larger quantities. If you only need 10 copies, you might pay nearly as much as ordering 50. Discuss your actual needs honestly—experienced printers often suggest quantity sweet spots that balance cost against waste.

Can I print catalogues with different page counts in the same run?

This gets complicated quickly. You can’t mix different page counts within a single binding run—each catalogue must have identical specifications. The exception is if you’re printing entirely separate products. Some businesses create modular catalogues with removable sections, but this requires careful planning and usually costs more than standard binding. If you need variation, discuss whether separate shorter catalogues might serve better than one variable product.

How do I ensure colours match my brand precisely?

Request Pantone matching for critical brand colours rather than relying on CMYK approximations. Provide physical samples of your brand colours—packaging, previous print materials, or Pantone swatches. Understand that colours appear differently on coated versus uncoated stocks, so specify which you’re using. Always request a physical proof before full production. Monitor calibrated screens can guide design, but they don’t perfectly predict final printed colours. Building relationships with printers who understand your brand reduces colour matching headaches over time.

Your Catalogue Printing Project Starts Here

Here’s what matters most: catalogue printing in London doesn’t have to feel like gambling with your budget and reputation.

Work through this checklist before approaching any printer. Verify your page count divisibility. Confirm your artwork meets technical specifications. Choose paper stocks that match your message. Select appropriate binding for your page count. Build realistic timelines that include proofing. And crucially, partner with London printing specialists who’ve proven they can deliver quality at speed.

The businesses that consistently get outstanding catalogue results aren’t lucky—they’re prepared. They ask the right questions upfront, they verify specifications carefully, and they work with printers who’ve demonstrated expertise through decades of West End printing excellence.

Your next catalogue project deserves better than crossed fingers and hoped-for results. Use this checklist, choose your printing partner wisely, and you’ll hold finished catalogues that actually achieve what you need them to accomplish.

Ready to move forward? Start with your specifications checklist, then have a conversation with a printer who understands that your deadline truly is their deadline.