Get the official template from your printer
The fastest and most reliable route to a correct cover is the printer's own generator. It is free, it knows your exact paper stock, and the template it produces carries the fold and safety lines their prepress team checks against. IngramSpark recommends its template for every cover submission and requires one for colour books.
Ingram Weight & Spine Width Calculator
The spine width for your trim size, page count and paper stock. Free with an IngramSpark account, and the number every Ingram template is built from.
Get Spine Width →IngramSpark Cover Template Generator
IngramSpark emails you a template built for your title, trim size and page count, with every bleed, fold and safety line already placed.
Get Official Template →Barnes & Noble Press Cover Template Tool
Inside the B&N Press print project flow. It builds front, back and full cover templates with the spine already measured, for paperback, printed case and dust jacket.
Get B&N Template →Amazon KDP Cover Calculator
Publishing on KDP? Amazon does publish its paper thickness figures, so this calculator computes the spine for you and downloads the template in one step.
Open KDP Calculator →Where the spine width comes from
Spine width is page count multiplied by paper thickness, and the thickness figures live inside Ingram's account tools rather than in public documentation. Ingram's own guide points you to its calculator for the number, and Barnes & Noble Press works the same way. That is where the spine comes from, and it takes about thirty seconds with your trim size and page count.
What happens next is where files usually go wrong, and that is what this page is for. Once you have the spine, the full cover width is arithmetic: trim plus spine plus trim plus the bleed. The numbers that decide whether prepress accepts it are the ones below, taken from each printer's published documentation, so you can check the template line by line and know exactly what you are looking at.
The one number to take from the printer: the spine width. Everything else is below: the bleed, the safe areas, the spine safety and spine text rules, the case laminate wrap, hinge and board dimensions, and the trim sizes and page limits each printer supports.
IngramSpark cover specifications
Every figure below is taken from Ingram's own documentation: the Cover Creation Guide, the File Creation Guide and the trim size matrix published for Lightning Source and IngramSpark. Where Ingram keeps a number inside its account tools, this page says so rather than approximating it.
Perfect bound (paperback)
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Bleed | 0.125 in (3 mm) on all four sides of the cover |
| Full cover width | 0.125 in bleed + back trim width + spine width + front trim width + 0.125 in bleed |
| Full cover height | 0.125 in bleed at the top + trim height + 0.125 in bleed at the bottom |
| Cover margin | 0.25 in (6 mm) recommended from the trim size on all sides. Ingram templates allow text down to 0.125 in (3 mm) inside the trim. |
| Safe area | Keep text, logos and the barcode inside the pink area on the template, which sits 0.125 in (3 mm) inside the trim and spine fold lines. |
| Spine safety | 0.0625 in (2 mm) from each side when the spine is 0.35 in (9 mm) or wider, and 0.03125 in (1 mm) from each side when it is narrower |
| Spine text | Not allowed on perfect bound books with a page count below 48. Leave the spine blank plus an extra 0.0625 in (2 mm) on each side. |
| Page count | Must be divisible by two, calculated on the final interior |
| Colour space and resolution | CMYK, images at 200 ppi or higher, maximum 240% total ink coverage |
The constant part of a paperback cover
Everything except the spine is fixed by the trim size, so the constant part can be written out. Add your spine width from Ingram's calculator to the right column to get the full cover width.
| Trim size | Back + front + 0.25 in bleed | Full cover height |
|---|---|---|
| 5 x 8 in | 10.25 in | 8.25 in |
| 5.5 x 8.5 in | 11.25 in | 8.75 in |
| 6 x 9 in | 12.25 in | 9.25 in |
| 7 x 10 in | 14.25 in | 10.25 in |
| 8.5 x 11 in | 17.25 in | 11.25 in |
| 11 x 8.5 in | 22.25 in | 8.75 in |
A 6 x 9 paperback with a 0.563 in spine therefore measures 12.813 x 9.25 in overall. The spine width is the only number you cannot get here, and it is one click on Ingram's calculator.
Case laminate (hardcover)
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Wrap and bleed | 0.625 in (16 mm) wrap and bleed on each side of the cover |
| Gutter and hinge | 0.5 in (13 mm) on each side of the spine |
| Full cover width | 0.625 in + board width + 0.5 in + spine width + 0.5 in + board width + 0.625 in |
| Full cover height | 0.625 in + board height + 0.625 in |
| Dust jacket | 0.125 in (3 mm) bleed with a 0.25 in (6 mm) fold on each flap |
Case laminate board dimensions by trim size
Ingram publishes the board dimensions for the trim sizes that support case laminate binding. Boards run 0.185 in narrower than the trim width and 0.25 in taller than the trim height, so the height of a case bound cover is the trim height plus 1.25 in once the wrap is added.
| Trim size | Board width | Board height | Full cover height (with wrap) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 x 8 in | 4.815 in | 8.25 in | 9.5 in |
| 5.5 x 8.5 in | 5.315 in | 8.75 in | 10 in |
| 5.83 x 8.27 in | 5.645 in | 8.52 in | 9.77 in |
| 6 x 9 in | 5.815 in | 9.25 in | 10.5 in |
| 6.14 x 9.21 in | 5.955 in | 9.46 in | 10.71 in |
| 6.69 x 9.61 in | 6.505 in | 9.86 in | 11.11 in |
| 7 x 10 in | 6.815 in | 10.25 in | 11.5 in |
| 7.5 x 9.25 in | 7.315 in | 9.5 in | 10.75 in |
| 8 x 8 in | 7.815 in | 8.25 in | 9.5 in |
| 8 x 10 in | 7.815 in | 10.25 in | 11.5 in |
| 8 x 10.88 in | 7.815 in | 11.13 in | 12.38 in |
| 8.25 x 10.75 in | 8.065 in | 11 in | 12.25 in |
| 8.5 x 8.5 in | 8.315 in | 8.75 in | 10 in |
| 8.5 x 11 in | 8.315 in | 11.25 in | 12.5 in |
| 11 x 8.5 in | 10.815 in | 8.75 in | 10 in |
A 6 x 9 case laminate cover with a 0.563 in spine is therefore 14.443 in wide and 10.5 in tall. The width still needs the spine, the height never does.
Interior files
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Bleed | 0.125 in (3 mm) on the three trim edges only, never on the bind edge |
| Text margins | 0.5 in (13 mm) minimum recommended on all sides |
| Paper stocks | 50# natural shade opaque or 50# white for the interior, with 38 lb groundwood and 70 lb white options depending on the trim size |
| Cover stock | Bright white 80# cover stock |
| Crop marks | Do not include crop, printer or registration marks in the file |
Ingram's own words, worth repeating: their cover template generator is recommended for every cover submission and is required for colour books. The specifications above explain what the template is telling you; the template itself carries the official fold and safety lines.
Barnes & Noble Press specifications
Barnes & Noble Press publishes its trim sizes, paper stocks and page limits, but keeps the spine calculation inside its own cover template tool. The numbers below are what B&N states in its help centre and templates.
Trim sizes
4 x 6, 4.25 x 7, 4.37 x 7, 5 x 8, 5.06 x 7.81, 5.25 x 8, 5.5 x 8.25, 5.5 x 8.5, 5.83 x 8.27, 6 x 9, 6.14 x 9.21, 7 x 10, 7.5 x 9.25, 8 x 8, 8 x 10, 8.25 x 11, 8.268 x 11.693, 8.5 x 8.5, 8.5 x 11, 11 x 8.5. B&N Press does not customise trim sizes outside this list.
Page count
Minimum 18 pages and maximum 800 pages across the trim sizes, with the 11 x 8.5 trim size capped at 400 pages.
Paper stocks
Cream 50 lb for black and white interiors, white 50 lb for black and white and standard colour, white 70 lb for standard and premium colour, and groundwood 38 lb for black and white only.
Cover files
Matte or glossy finish. Their front cover template for a 6 x 9 book measures 6.125 x 9.25 in, which is the trim size plus 0.125 in of bleed on each side. Submit the full cover only, with no white trim or dead space, embed every font, and use images at 300 DPI.
How the three printers compare
The paperback bleed is the same 0.125 in at all three printers, which is why so many designers get the front of the file right and the spine and hinge wrong. The differences below are the ones that reject a file.
| Specification | Amazon KDP | IngramSpark | Barnes & Noble Press |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paperback bleed | 0.125 in on all four sides | 0.125 in on all four sides | 0.125 in on all four sides |
| Hardcover geometry | Case laminate with a 15 mm wrap and 10 mm hinge | 0.625 in wrap and 0.5 in gutter and hinge, boards from Ingram's table | Use B&N's own hardcover and dust jacket checklists |
| Minimum page count | 24 pages | Varies by trim size, from 18 pages | 18 pages |
| Where the spine comes from | Calculated from Amazon's published paper thickness | Ingram's own calculator or template | B&N's cover template tool |
| Spine text rule | Spine text needs enough width to print legibly | No spine text below 48 pages, safety 0.0625 in or 0.03125 in per side by spine width | Set the spine colour and text inside the template tool |
| Page count | Divisible by two | Divisible by two | Minimum 18, maximum 800, with 400 on the 11 x 8.5 trim |
Publishing on KDP? The KDP cover calculator computes the spine for you, because Amazon publishes its paper thickness figures.
Why correct cover dimensions matter
An IngramSpark cover that is a fraction of an inch off is rejected at upload, and the most common cause is the spine. Its width comes from the interior page count and Ingram's own paper stock, so it changes every time the manuscript changes. Bleed adds a safety margin around every edge so nothing important is trimmed away, and on a case laminate hardcover the wrap and hinge decide how far the board sits from the spine. Those are the numbers that fail a file, and they are the numbers this page lists.
What this guide covers
Everything IngramSpark and Barnes & Noble Press publish about cover files: the bleed each printer requires, the safe areas and margins, the spine safety and spine text rules, the case laminate wrap, hinge and board dimensions, the trim sizes and page limits, and the interior file requirements. Each figure carries its source, and where a number lives only inside a printer's account tool, this page sends you to that tool instead of guessing.
How to build an IngramSpark cover
- Open Ingram's Spine Width Calculator with your trim size, page count and paper stock, and note the spine width.
- Run the Cover Template Generator for the same book and check the spine on the template matches. If anything changed in the interior, start again from step one.
- Build the design inside the template, keeping text and logos inside the pink safe area and filling the bleed area with background artwork.
- Export a CMYK PDF with fonts embedded, no crop marks, and upload it.
Pro tips
- Never carry a KDP spine width to another printer. The paper stocks differ, so the same book has a different spine at IngramSpark and at Barnes & Noble Press.
- Keep the page count even. IngramSpark requires a final page count divisible by two, and the cover follows the interior.
- Check the spine text rule before designing it. Under 48 pages there is no spine text at all, and the safety margin depends on how wide the spine turned out.
- If the math is not your thing, let a professional handle formatting so the file passes review the first time.
Need the manuscript formatted?
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Frequently asked questions
Where do I get my IngramSpark spine width?
From Ingram's own Weight and Spine Width Calculator, or from the cover template their generator emails you. Both are free with an IngramSpark account, and they are the only authoritative source for that number, because the paper thickness figures are not published outside Ingram's account tools. Everything else on this page comes from the printers' public documentation.
What bleed does IngramSpark require on a paperback cover?
IngramSpark asks for 0.125 inches (3 mm) of bleed on all four sides of a perfect bound cover. The full cover width is bleed plus back trim width plus spine plus front trim width plus bleed, and the full height is bleed plus trim height plus bleed.
Can I put text on the spine of an IngramSpark paperback?
Only when the book is at least 48 pages. IngramSpark does not allow spine text on perfect bound books with a page count below 48. Keep text inside the spine safety area, which is 0.0625 inches (2 mm) from each side when the spine is 0.35 inches or wider, and 0.03125 inches (1 mm) when it is narrower.
What are the wrap and hinge for an IngramSpark case laminate hardcover?
IngramSpark uses a 0.625 inch (16 mm) wrap and bleed on each side and a 0.5 inch (13 mm) gutter and hinge on each side of the spine. The cover width is wrap plus board width plus hinge plus spine plus hinge plus board width plus wrap, and the height is wrap plus board height plus wrap. Board width is the trim width minus 0.185 inches and board height is the trim height plus 0.25 inches, which follows Ingram's published case bound table.
