Why is one panel of my folded leaflet narrower?
On a roll fold or gate fold, the panels that tuck inside are made a little narrower than the others, usually by 1 to 3mm. If every panel were the same width, the inner panel would hit the fold and the leaflet would bulge or refuse to close flat.
Which folds need it
| Fold | Panels the same width? |
|---|---|
| Half fold | Yes |
| Z fold | Yes |
| Roll fold (tri-fold) | No: the panel that tucks in is narrower |
| Gate fold | No: the two door panels are each just under half the width of the middle panel |
What this means for your artwork
- Set your guides to the actual panel widths, not three equal thirds.
- Keep text and logos inside each panel’s own safe zone, so nothing runs into a fold.
- Backgrounds can run across folds; that is fine.
The exact panel widths depend on the size and paper, so use the folded leaflet template on the product page. Our artwork check looks at fold positions before anything is printed. If you would rather we arranged your panels for you, that is an artwork fix, agreed with you first: see How much does it cost to have my artwork fixed or set up?