Board Book Printing
Delight young eyes and ears, and inspire young minds with our premium board book printing services for early learners
Board books are bright, tactile, portable, and designed for even the tiniest hands and curious eyes. These baby-sized books open the door to learning, cuddled close in the arms of a parent or caregiver.
At QinPrinting, we believe everyone—including babies, toddlers, and their families—should enjoy access to beautiful, high-quality books. When you print your board books with us, you benefit from over 25 years of industry experience, a dedicated and knowledgeable team, cutting-edge technology, and friendly, reliable customer service.
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QinPrinting Rated Excellent
They produced an excellent product that was printed, shipped and arrived within the expected timescales.
Emails were responded to quickly by Susan.
The whole process was smooth and straightforward.
What a delight!
Whenever I have a creative idea, their team goes above and beyond to help bring it to life. I’ve printed four comic books with them, and each time, they’ve exceeded my expectations. If you’re considering a printer, take a chance on these friendly, reliable folks—they truly value your business. - Chad Townsend, Creator of The Black Phantom.
But working with Nelson was an absolute pleasure. He patiently addressed all my concerns, and my final printed book was just as I would hope it would be.
Binding for Board Books
Board books are a category all their own when it comes to binding—because technically, they’re not bound at all! Instead, we glue the thick “pages” together and then attach a final printed sheet over the front, back, and spine to create the cover. This style is called a self-covered board book.
That said, adding a hardcover is also a popular option for board books. If you’re leaning toward this look, we recommend using 157 gsm art paper wrapped over grey board, assembled using the same method as a regular hardcover book. The hardcover will usually have square corners, but we can round the corners of the interior pages if you prefer. Rounded corners on the cover are also possible, though this option requires hand-finishing and involves extra cost due to the labour involved.
For an extra soft and playful feel, you can add a layer of sponge inside the front and back covers for a “padded” effect. This not only gives the book a thicker, cushier look and feel but also makes it even more appealing to young children.
To keep little readers safe—and to protect the environment—we use only non-toxic, soy-based inks. We also recommend a gloss coating instead of lamination for board books, as lamination film may peel over time and could pose a hazard if ingested.
Common Board Book Sizes
The size of a children’s board book usually depends on the age of the target audience. Booksellers, educators, and librarians often group juvenile readers’ books into several age-based categories. While there’s plenty of flexibility, choosing from proven, standard sizes can simplify production and keep your printing costs down—while ensuring the book is comfortable and engaging for little hands.
Here’s a handy reference chart showing some of the most popular board book sizes:
| Square Sizes | 150 mm × 150 mm | 180 mm × 180 mm | 200 mm × 200 mm | 210 mm × 210 mm |
| Portrait Sizes | 148 mm × 210 mm (A5) | 170 mm × 240 mm | 210 mm × 260 mm | 210 mm × 297 mm (A4) |
| Landscape Sizes | 210 mm × 148 mm (A5 landscape) | 240 mm × 170 mm | 260 mm × 210 mm | 297 mm × 210 mm (A4 landscape) |
Board Book Page Specifications
Board book “pages” are the printed faces of thick cardboard sheets. The total page count depends on the target reader’s age and the thickness of each board.
Typically, board books contain between 8 and 32 pages, which equates to 4 to 16 spreads. A spread refers to two facing pages visible when the book is opened flat.
Board Book Paper Options
We produce board books using either gray or white card stock, featuring rounded edges and lamination for durability. The card stock is covered with printed cover paper showcasing your story’s illustrations and text. Board books typically have a “self-cover” — meaning the outer boards and spine are wrapped and printed directly, forming the front and back of the book without a separate cover added.
Most board books showcase vibrant illustrations, cartoons, or other artwork. To achieve the best print quality, we recommend using C1S paper (coated one side). This paper is coated on one side, providing a bright, smooth surface ideal for full-color printing of your artwork and text, while the uncoated side retains a natural, rougher texture.
Typically, 350 gsm / 16 pt C1S paper is the preferred choice for children’s board books. For more economical options, 250 gsm / 12 pt or 300 gsm / 14 pt C1S paper are also suitable.
There are two main categories of paperboard or card stock for children’s board books:
- Whiteboard: Made from bleached white fibers, whiteboard offers superior quality and visual appeal. Though slightly more expensive than grayboard, it is the preferred choice for most of our clients.
- Grayboard: Similar to whiteboard but composed of untreated compressed cardboard with gray fibers inside, laminated with a white exterior.
Board Book Design and Artwork Tips
Artwork is the heart of any children’s board book. To capture young eyes and imaginations, you’ll want vibrant interiors and a colorful, attention-grabbing cover. Whether you’re creating the artwork yourself or working with a professional artist or graphic designer, it’s essential to prepare your files correctly for printing. This means allowing for bleed zones, safety areas, trim lines, borders, and ensuring proper resolution and color space.
A competent book designer should know these technical details—including how to digitize traditional artwork—and we always manually check your files before printing. However, the responsibility for sending “print ready” files lies with you. Don’t worry though! We’re happy to guide you through the process, explain what’s needed, and coordinate with your designer to ensure a flawless print.
Here are some important tips specific to board books that your designer might not know:
Set your layout to "facing pages" when designing.
Export your print-ready PDFs as "spreads".
Export images as vectors or ensure bitmaps have a resolution of at least 300 dpi.
Use an 8 mm trim line for board books.
Prepare separate designs for each pop-up element.
Remember the cover sheet's front, back, and spine are a continuous piece and should not be separated in design.
Need Help Preparing Your Files? We Offer a Free File Checking Service
Can’t find what you want? Contact us!
Custom Board Book Printing Costs
At QinPrinting, we help independent authors, nonprofits, and others print children’s board books of unrivalled quality every day. But we also understand how important it is to stay within budget. That’s why we continually refine our processes to ensure we deliver exceptional quality books at some of the most competitive prices you’ll find anywhere in the world. And that’s a promise.
But don’t just take our word for it — see for yourself! You can get an instant estimate of how much it will cost to print your children’s board book using our at-a-glance pricing charts. Unlike many children’s book printing services — which require a minimum offset print order of 500 or even 1,000 books — we offer a minimum print run of just 100 units, still at a competitive price. And as you’ll notice, the more copies you order in a single run, the lower the price per copy.
How much does it cost to print a self-cover board book?
Self-cover Board Book Printing Price Chart (150mm x 150mm)
| Quantity | 100 copies | 500 copies | 1,000 copies | 2,000 copies | 5,000 copies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20pp | Unit: A$12.06 Total: A$1,206 |
Unit: A$2.91 Total: A$1,456 |
Unit: A$2.21 Total: A$2,206 |
Unit: A$1.88 Total: A$3,761 |
Unit: A$1.51 Total: A$7,538 |
| 24pp | Unit: A$12.34 Total: A$1,234 |
Unit: A$3.02 Total: A$1,508 |
Unit: A$2.34 Total: A$2,338 |
Unit: A$2.02 Total: A$4,041 |
Unit: A$1.60 Total: A$8,016 |
| 26pp | Unit: A$14.77 Total: A$1,477 |
Unit: A$3.69 Total: A$1,846 |
Unit: A$2.78 Total: A$2,783 |
Unit: A$2.35 Total: A$4,697 |
Unit: A$1.84 Total: A$9,189 |
| 30pp | Unit: A$15.57 Total: A$1,557 |
Unit: A$4.10 Total: A$2,051 |
Unit: A$3.13 Total: A$3,133 |
Unit: A$2.67 Total: A$5,334 |
Unit: A$2.13 Total: A$10,625 |
- Please note that all prices are EXW our facility and do not include shipping costs.
- Cover and inner pages: printed full color on 350 gsm / 16 pt C1S stock with your choice of gloss or matte lamination on all pages.
How much does it cost to print a hardcover board book?
Hardcover Board Book Printing Price Chart (150mm x 150mm)
| Quantity | 100 copies | 500 copies | 1,000 copies | 2,000 copies | 5,000 copies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16pp | Unit: A$16.22 Total: A$1,622 |
Unit: A$4.22 Total: A$2,110 |
Unit: A$3.21 Total: A$3,209 |
Unit: A$2.82 Total: A$5,633 |
Unit: A$2.36 Total: A$11,784 |
| 24pp | Unit: A$17.26 Total: A$1,726 |
Unit: A$4.61 Total: A$2,307 |
Unit: A$3.69 Total: A$3,690 |
Unit: A$3.26 Total: A$6,513 |
Unit: A$2.74 Total: A$13,698 |
| 28pp | Unit: A$19.70 Total: A$1,970 |
Unit: A$5.28 Total: A$2,640 |
Unit: A$4.14 Total: A$4,135 |
Unit: A$3.58 Total: A$7,169 |
Unit: A$2.97 Total: A$14,872 |
| 32pp | Unit: A$20.50 Total: A$2,050 |
Unit: A$5.69 Total: A$2,846 |
Unit: A$4.49 Total: A$4,485 |
Unit: A$3.90 Total: A$7,806 |
Unit: A$3.26 Total: A$16,306 |
- Please note that all prices are EXW our facility and do not include shipping costs.
- Cover: 3 mm thick gray board; wrapped with 157 gsm coated cover sheet with gloss lamination
- Inner: 350 gsm / 16 pt C1S stock with gloss or matte lamination on all interior pages
- Cover and inner: full-colour printing
For a more detailed estimate, try our simple and convenient online Printing Cost Calculator. Just follow the link, enter your details, and get an instant quote! If you have any questions, please get in touch — one of our friendly, knowledgeable in-house experts will be happy to assist.
The QinPrinting Eco-Friendly Promise
At QinPrinting, we take our responsibility seriously to develop our industry sustainably, respecting both the planet and future generations. That’s why we use paper stock sourced from FSC-certified sustainable forestry whenever possible. We can also provide recycled paper materials upon request.
Additionally, we use environmentally friendly soy-based inks made from harmless, biodegradable vegetable products instead of toxic resins and solvents. Printing your books in batches with offset printing — rather than individually via print-on-demand — is significantly more energy-efficient, conserving both water and electricity.
When you order from us, we can include the FSC-certified logo and an environmental guarantee from the soy ink manufacturer.
Let's Talk!
If you’re an indie author or small press wanting to print a board book — and only the finest product, unmatched customer service, and unbeatable prices will do — we should talk. Get in touch today to discuss your needs or request a no-obligation quote. We can’t wait to help you make your next board book the best!
