# Brochure design: folds, flow and a consistent look

[Canonical HTML page](https://gradiently.design/guide/brochure-design)

A brochure is read in a particular order, decided by how it folds. Get the fold right and the rest of the design has a structure to hang on: panel sizes, a reading order and a look that holds together.

## The short version

- Brochure design starts with the fold, because the fold decides which panel people see first and in what order they read the rest.
- A trifold brochure on A4 or US Letter has six panels: three on the outside and three on the inside.
- The panel that folds in is usually about 2 to 3 mm narrower than the others so the brochure closes flat.
- Each panel should do one job, such as the promise, the proof, the offer or the contact details.
- A brochure looks consistent when every panel shares one background, one type pairing and one margin.

Good **brochure design** starts with the fold, not the words. The fold decides which panel people see first, which they see when they open it, and which they reach last. Plan that order, give each panel one job, and use one background and one set of type across the whole sheet. Most brochures that feel messy fail on exactly those three points: no reading order, panels crammed with everything, and a different style on each fold.

## Brochure folds and when to use each

The fold is chosen by how much you have to say and how you want it revealed. A trifold is the default for a reason: it fits a lot onto one sheet and slides into a rack or an envelope. But it is not always right.

| Fold | Panels | Best for |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bifold (half fold) | 4 | Menus, event programmes, a simple product story |
| Trifold (letter fold) | 6 | Services, clinics, tours, anything with steps and a price list |
| Z fold | 6 | Timelines and maps that read best laid out flat |
| Gatefold | 6 | A dramatic reveal: two doors open onto a large centre spread |

Four common folds. Ask your printer which they can score and fold before you design, because not every press does all four.

## Trifold brochure size on A4 and US Letter

A trifold is one sheet printed on both sides and folded into thirds. On A4, the flat sheet is 297×210 mm landscape, which is 3508×2480 pixels at 300 dpi. On US Letter it is 11×8.5 inches, or 3300×2550 pixels. The exact figures are in [A4 size in pixels](https://gradiently.design/guide/a4-size-in-pixels) and [Letter size in pixels](https://gradiently.design/guide/letter-size-pixels).

- A4 flat 3508×2480: 3508 × 2480
- Letter flat 3300×2550: 3300 × 2550
- One A4 panel 1169×2480: 1169 × 2480

The flat sheet for an A4 and a Letter trifold, and a single folded A4 panel, all at 300 dpi and to scale.

Three equal panels will not close neatly, because the inner flap has to tuck inside the other two. Make that panel about 2 to 3 mm narrower, roughly 1/16 to 1/8 inch, and widen the other two to match. On A4 that gives panels of about 100, 100 and 97 mm. Your printer's template will have the exact figures, and it is worth asking for before you start.

> **Nothing important on a fold** Keep text and faces at least 5 mm from every fold line as well as from the trim. Folds crack ink slightly and pull the eye, so a headline that crosses one looks broken.

## The reading order of a trifold

This is the part most templates hide. On the outside of the sheet, the right panel is the front cover, the middle panel is the back, and the left panel is the flap people see the moment they open the cover. Inside, all three panels are revealed together. Design in that order and the brochure tells its story the way it is actually handled.

1. **Front cover: the promise** Who it is for and what they get, in a few words. Logo, a headline and the brand's background. Nothing else.
2. **Inside flap: the hook** The first thing seen on opening. A short problem statement, a striking photo or a single question the reader recognises.
3. **Inside spread: the substance** Three panels read left to right: what you do, how it works, why to trust you. Use headings so people can scan.
4. **Back panel: the next step** Address, opening hours, website, a QR code. People look here when they have decided, so make acting easy.

The front cover panel of a trifold brochure for a physiotherapy clinic, a tall narrow design with a short headline

The front panel: one promise, the name, and the background doing the brand work.

An inside panel of the same brochure listing the steps of a first appointment, on the same gradient background

An inside panel with a single job: explaining the first appointment in three steps.

## How to keep a brochure consistent across every panel

A brochure is held in the hand and opened in front of the reader, so any inconsistency is noticed at once. The fix is a small system, decided before you lay out a single panel, and then followed without exceptions.

### Avoid

- A different background colour on every panel
- Three or more typefaces
- Margins that shift from panel to panel
- Body text below 9 point to fit more in
- Stock photos with unrelated colour casts

### Do

- One background family that flows across the spread
- A heading font and a body font, nothing more
- One margin, repeated on every panel
- Fewer words at 9 to 11 point
- Photos tinted or graded towards the brand colours

The background is the strongest tool you have. A colour field or gradient that runs continuously across the inside spread makes three panels read as one designed object, while the folds still give each its own space. [Brand consistency](https://gradiently.design/guide/brand-consistency) covers the wider principle, and [font pairing](https://gradiently.design/guide/font-pairing) helps you choose the two typefaces.

- Harbour navy: #0f2a3d
- Sea blue: #1f6f8b
- Shallow teal: #7fc8c4
- Paper: #f4efe6
- Buoy accent: #e8875a

A brochure palette: a deep ground for the cover, two connected blues for the background, paper for text areas and one warm accent saved for the call to action.

## Printing your brochure

- Add bleed to the flat sheet: 3 mm per side in metric countries, 0.125 inch in the US. [Print bleed](https://gradiently.design/guide/bleed-and-margins) explains why.
- Choose a paper weight that folds cleanly. Ask for scoring on heavy stock, or the fold will crack.
- Check colours on paper. Vivid screen blues and violets print duller, which [RGB vs CMYK](https://gradiently.design/guide/rgb-vs-cmyk) explains.
- Print one copy at home, fold it, and read it in order before sending the file.

In Gradiently, a Mark renders fresh at every size, so the cover panel, the inside spread and any matching social posts all wear the same background without stretching. You can ask the Designer to lay out the panels and write the first draft in your brand kit's voice, then export a print PDF with bleed and crop marks on Pro.

## FAQ

### What size is a trifold brochure?

Usually an A4 sheet (297×210 mm) or a US Letter sheet (11×8.5 inches), printed on both sides and folded into three panels.

### What goes on each panel of a trifold brochure?

The front cover carries the promise, the inside flap hooks the reader, the three inside panels explain the substance and the back panel gives contact details and the next step.

### Why is one panel of a trifold narrower?

The panel that folds inside must be about 2 to 3 mm narrower so the brochure closes flat without buckling.

### What resolution should a brochure be?

300 dpi at the printed size. An A4 trifold sheet is 3508×2480 pixels and a Letter sheet is 3300×2550, plus bleed.

### How many fonts should a brochure use?

Two is plenty: one for headings and one for body text. More than that makes the panels feel unrelated.