DIY Booklets: How to Make Event Programs, Catalogs, & Magazines

From handmade zines to polished product catalogs, folded and bound booklets are a classic way to share information cheaply and beautifully. Whether you’re looking to get creative at home, working at a nonprofit with a tight budget, or operating a full-service print shop, this guide will walk you through how to format, print, assemble, and bind booklets at any level of production.

Curious what you need to get started? Check out our comparison chart below for supplies at each level.

1. Plan & Format Your Booklet for Printing

Before you print or bind anything, you need to make sure your file is set up as a booklet. Proper formatting ensures that your pages appear in the correct order and your final booklet folds and binds cleanly.

Choose the Right Software

• Beginner-friendly options: Microsoft Word, Canva, Google Docs
• Professional layout tools: Adobe InDesign, Affinity Publisher, Marq

If your software has a "booklet" or "facing pages" layout option, use it. These layouts help ensure your spreads appear correctly when printed double-sided and folded.

Layout Best Practices

• Use US Letter size (8.5" x 11") if printing at home—folded down to 5.5" x 8.5"
• Page count must be in multiples of 4 (because each folded sheet creates 4 pages)
  • Plan to add blank pages at the beginning or end if you need help reaching a compatible page count
• Set mirrored margins to leave space for binding at the spine
• Export your final file as a print-ready PDF—ideally in booklet format—to preserve layout and fonts

Sample page layout of booklet formatted sheets

2. Printing Best Practices for Booklets

Booklet printing isn’t just about hitting “print”—proper settings and paper selection can make or break the final product.

How to Print a Booklet

• Enable two-sided printing
• Select “short-edge binding” to keep pages in the correct orientation
• Choose “booklet” print mode when available to automatically arrange pages if you haven’t already

Paper Selection

• Inside pages: 20–28 lb text paper folds easily without bulk
• Covers: Use 80–100 lb cardstock for sturdiness and a premium feel
• For zines: Uncoated or recycled paper adds a handmade vibe

Helpful Tools:

• A bone folder creates a sharp, professional crease
• A paper jogger or manual tapping aligns sheets for binding

3. Binding & Finishing Options by Skill and Production Level

Let’s break down the best equipment and binding processes for different types of users, from solo creators to high-output print teams. Each level comes with unique needs, time constraints, and budget considerations. We will go through each tier and what binding methods offer the best results and return on investment.

DIY/Home Level

For artists, zine-makers, schools, or small events

This tier is all about low-budget, low-volume, hands-on production. If you're folding and stapling booklets by hand—like a comic zine, a school playbill, or a wedding program—you’ll want simple, affordable tools that still deliver a clean, finished look.

Recommended Tools:

• Booklet Stapler – A long throat stapler that makes it easy to center staples in the middle of the page, creating the spine
• Bone Folder – A handheld tool that creases folds cleanly and sharply
• Manual Guillotine Cutter – Helps trim the open edge for an even, professional finish

How-To Create DIY Booklets:

1. Print pages in the correct order using booklet settings
2. Use the booklet stapler to insert 2–3 staples vertically in the middle of the pages of each booklet
3. Fold each set neatly down the middle with a bone folder
4. Trim the open edge with a guillotine cutter for clean edges

Benefits of this Method:

• Very low upfront cost
• Perfect for creatives or one-off event needs
• Great for custom sizes and artistic designs

Mid-Level Production

For churches, schools, small nonprofits, or local businesses

Organizations that produce regular booklets—like weekly church bulletins, educational materials, or event programs—can benefit from a setup that streamlines folding and stapling. While still compact and relatively affordable, adding a booklet-making machine can drastically cut down on manual labor and reduce production time.

Recommended Equipment:

• MBM iBooklet – A compact tabletop booklet maker that folds and staples automatically. Ideal for organizations producing 20–200 booklets at a time.
• Akiles BookletMac – Slightly more robust, with adjustable settings for thicker booklets and higher capacity
• Manual Stack Cutter – Cuts through 10+ booklets at once for consistent edge trimming

How to Create Booklets with a Booklet Maker:

1. Print pages using booklet settings, ensuring pages stay in order
2. Adjust your booklet maker’s settings for your desired size, page count, and staple placement
3. Load stacks into the machine and allow it to automatically fold and staple your booklets
4. Trim open edges with a stack cutter for a squared, professional look

Benefits of Mid-Level Booklet Making:

• Cuts production time significantly vs. manual stapling and folding
• Machines are compact, tabletop-friendly, and easy to train staff or volunteers to use
• A worthwhile investment for any organization making weekly or monthly booklets

High-Level / Professional Production

For print shops, publishers, and commercial teams

When you're producing hundreds—or thousands—of booklets per week, automation and finishing precision become essential. This level is designed for high-volume output, custom sizing, and a polished, professional appearance. Think catalogs, professional magazines, and inexpensive soft-cover books.

Advanced Booklet Binding Equipment:

• Saddle Stitchers – Industrial machines that stitch booklets with wire instead of staples; ideal for custom-size catalogs or high-volume production
• In-line Booklet Binder – Automatically loads and binds booklets en masse and can even deliver bound booklets to a finishing machine
• Book Trimmers – Precision trimming with push-button operation for thick stacks
• Formax Square iT – Adds a square-fold spine for a sleek, perfect-bound look

Workflow Overview:

1. Load collated and printed sheets into an inline or saddle stitcher
2. Machine folds, stitches, and stacks finished booklets
3. Trim edges with a hydraulic cutter
4. (Optional) Run through the Square iT for square spine finishing or other finishing machines.

Why It’s Worth the Investment:

• Eliminates manual labor entirely for high-volume orders
• Produces magazine-quality results with trimmed edges and spine shaping
• Great for short-run publishing, catalogs, and client work

4. FAQ: Booklet Making

How do I print a booklet at home without special software?

You can create a booklet layout using free tools like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or Canva. Set the layout to “booklet” or “brochure,” print double-sided, and select “short-edge binding” for correct orientation.

What’s the best way to bind booklets for churches or schools?

If you're producing weekly bulletins or monthly event programs, a booklet maker like the MBM iBooklet or Akiles BookletMac is a smart investment. These machines automate folding and stapling, saving time and improving consistency. They are perfect for schools, churches, and nonprofits.

What’s the best paper cutter for trimming booklets?

• Home use: Manual guillotine trimmer
• Medium use: Manual stack cutter
• High volume: Electric ream cutter or inline trimmer

Trimming removes “page creep” and gives booklets clean, even edges.

What’s the difference between stapling and stitching?

Stapling uses standard staples, ideal for small runs. Stitchers use wire spools to create more durable stitched spines for high-volume or custom-size projects.

5. Final Tips for a Professional Look

• Always do a test print before committing to a full run
• Match your paper weight to your project’s tone—light for zines, thick for catalogs, and high-end projects (Pay attention to your stapling capacity)
• Use a square-fold spine for booklets over 20 pages to reduce bulk and improve shelf appeal
• Print slightly more than needed to allow for misfeeds or test runs
• Store finished booklets flat to prevent warping

Bonus Comparison Table: What's Right for You?

Production Level	Binding Tool	Trimmer	Best For	Notes
DIY / At Home	Booklet Stapler	Guillotine Cutter	Zines, event programs	Affordable, hands-on
Mid-Level	Semi-Automatic Booklet Maker	Stack Cutter	Churches, schools	Time-saving, compact
Pro	Automatic Booklet Maker + Finisher	Book Trimmer	Catalogs, magazines, comic books	High-end results, fast output

Conclusion

Whether you’re binding five booklets or five hundred, the right tools make all the difference. From folding your first zine to launching a client-ready catalog line, we at MyBinding have what you need to create, print, and finish booklets that look as good as the content they hold.