Board books hold a special place in the hearts of both parents and young children. There’s just something magical about those chunky, durable pages that can withstand grubby little hands and excited page-turning.
As an author or publisher, you may be considering self-publishing a children’s board book. But before you dive in, it’s important to understand the costs involved with printing. In this complete guide, as a reliable children’s board book printing supplier, I’ll break down everything you need to know about pricing a children’s board book printing project.
Why Choose a Board Book?
Board books are a rite of passage for little readers. The thick cardboard pages are ideal for tiny hands that are still developing fine motor skills. Board books also tend to have simple stories and lots of colorful pictures to capture a young child’s imagination.
As a children’s book author, you want to create something that will spark a lifelong love of reading. And board books are often a child’s first introduction to the wonderful world of books.
Here are some of the key benefits of board books:
- Durable – Board book pages can withstand tearing, chewing, dropping, and everything else curious toddlers will put them through.
- Engaging – The interactive, sensory nature makes board books fun for young kids.
- Educational – Board books expose children to colors, numbers, letters, animals, and more to start building their knowledge base.
- Family Time – Reading board books together creates an invaluable bonding opportunity for children and parents.
With so many advantages, it’s easy to see the appeal of board books. If you think a board book is the right format for your children’s story, let’s take a look at what’s involved in printing one.
Key Specifications for Printing Board Books
As with any book printing project, there are a few key specifications that will determine the cost. These include:
- Book size
- Number of pages
- Print run quantity
- Paper choice
- Color vs black and white printing
- Binding style
- Additional treatments like spot UV
Let’s break these down in more detail:
Book Size
Board books come in several standard sizes:
- 5 x 5 inches
- 6 x 6 inches
- 7 x 7 inches
- 8 x 8 inches
The 6 x 6 inch format is the most popular. But you can customize the dimensions if needed.
In general, bigger board books cost more to print since they require larger sheets of cardstock paper.
Page Count
Board books tend to be short, with around 10-20 pages. Sometimes less if it’s for very young babies.
More pages equals higher printing costs. So be mindful of how long your board book needs to be to tell your story.
Print Runs
A print run is the number of copies produced in one single print batch.
In offset printing, there is a high upfront cost to prepare the printing plates and get the presses started. But once everything is up and running, each additional book costs very little to print.
So the more copies in your print run, the lower the per unit cost will be. A minimum run of about 500-1,000 copies is standard for board book printing.
Paper Choice
Coated cardstock paper between 150-400 gsm is ideal for board books. It’s thick and durable enough for frequent handling.
Using thicker, heavier paper stocks increases the cost somewhat. But for board books, it’s important for durability.
Color vs Black and White
Full color printing is standard for board books these days.
Black and white printing or using a Pantone spot color would save on printing expenses. But full color does tend to help board books appeal to young kids.
Binding
Board books can have a case binding, which means an exterior cover wrapped around the inner pages. But most board books have self covers, where the printed cover cardstock also serves as the first and last page of the book.
Self covers save slightly on production costs. So they are the most budget-friendly option in most cases.
Additional Treatments
As a finishing touch, some board books have spot UV coating applied. This liquid lamination adds a shiny gloss for visual interest, while also providing more protection for the covers.
Foil stamping, embossing, and die cutting the covers into custom shapes are also popular treatments. But they ad extra printing expenses, so only use them if needed.
What Does Board Book Printing Cost?
Now that we understand the key specifications, what does it actually cost to print a board book? Here is a breakdown of average prices:
Self Cover Board Book Pricing
For a standard 6 x 6 inch self cover board book printed in full color with 20 pages on 350 gsm cardstock paper, print pricing breaks down as follows:
- 500 copies – about $2.30 per book
- 1,000 copies – about $1.55 per book
- 2,000 copies – about $1.40 per book
- 5,000+ copies – around $1.00 per book
To help visualize costs, let’s say you print an initial run of 1,000 self cover board books.
- Your printing quote would be about $1,550 ($1.55 x 1,000 books).
Upcharges from these base prices include:
- Extra pages
- Thicker paper stocks
- Special binding options
- Custom treatments like foil or embossing
- Rush turnaround times
So you’ll pay more if your specifications vary from the example above. But this at least gives you an idea of typical base pricing.
Hardcover Board Book Pricing
Hardcover board books printed in full color cost more than self cover:
- 500 copies – around $2.75 per book
- 1,000 copies – about $2.00 per book
- 2,000 copies – approximately $1.80 per copy
- 5,000+ copies – roughly $1.30 per book
TheConstruction charge isn’t much different for a small run, butpaper and printing savings manifest themselves sharply at higher volumes.
Therefore, if you spec a hardcover board book, expect to pay $500-$1,000 more for your initial 500-1,000 copy print run.
Trim Sizes for Board Books
Square formats from 5 x 5 inches up to 8 x 8 inches are standard. But custom dimensions can be accommodated.
Ideally, your board book’s trim size should be appropriate for little hands to easily hold and manage. So consult with your designer if unsure what size to select.
Estimating Print Quantities
An important consideration for any book printing project is figuring out how many copies to print in your initial run. This takes a little sales forecasting and risk assessment.
I generally recommend first time children’s book authors and self-publishers start on the conservative side with an initial run of 500-1,000 copies.
But here are some additional factors to help estimate realistic quantities for your first print run:
Estimate Total Sales Potential
Assess your intended sales channels and distribution opportunities. Will you sell primarily online? In local bookshops or gift stores? Or direct to schools and libraries?
Make educated guesses at the sales potential through each channel. And use that to come up with a total estimate of lifetime sales volume.
💡 Pro Tip: be extremely conservative in your lifetime sales forecasting to minimize the risk of getting stuck with leftover inventory.
Print Extra for Marketing Copies
Don’t forget to add some allocation in your print quantity for marketing copies.
You’ll want to send free copies for book reviews and to giveaway during author events or social media contests.
And allowing book bloggers, bookstagrammers, schools, libraries, and retailers to have a sample copy for consideration is extremely helpful for marketing and expanding distribution reach.
I typically allow for at least 5% over my estimated total direct sales volume to go towards marketing copies. But you could allocate up to 20% or more depending on your promotional plans.
Divide Across Multiple Print Runs
Rather than printing all your forecasted copies in one huge batch, consider splitting quantities across multiple print runs.
For example, you might estimate total lifetime sales of 3,000 copies.
Rather than one run of 3,000 books, you could do:
- Initial run of 1,000 copies
- Reorder 500 more 6 months later
- And another 1,500 books a year after initial printing
This spreads risk over time as you validate actual demand. And it ensures you don’t overprint by thousands of copies right out of the gates before testing sales velocity.
Staggering print runs also allows incorporating any feedback into later editions. Minor adjustments to layout or artwork may improve marketability.
How to Get Your Board Book Printing Quote
Hopefully this overview gives you a realistic perspective on board book printing costs.
Pricing can fluctuate based on exact specifications and quantities. The only way to get an accurate quote tailored to your specific project is to request a formal estimate from printers.
Most will have an easy online quoting form or simple spreadsheet templates to share for you populate with key details.
At a minimum, they will need to know:✅ Trim size✅ Page count✅ Paper choice✅ Binding style ✅ Print run quantity✅ Shipping destination
I recommend getting quotes from 3-4 printers to compare and find the best fit for service, quality, and pricing.
While cost is crucial, having an experienced printer dedicated to making the process smooth and your book perfect should be the top priority.
The world needs more incredible board books! As you explore creating your own, feel free to reach out if any guidance around printing would be helpful.
Now, let’s go make some magical board books for children to enjoy for generations!