Printed Notepads: The Ultimate Guide to Notepad Printing

Printed notepads are paper pads pre-designed with company branding, messaging, or practical layouts like lines, grids, or checklists. They are typically bound at the top or side and come in various sizes, paper types, and finishes.

Common Types:

• Business notepads – Branded for everyday use in offices
• Promotional notepads – Ideal for giveaways at events and trade shows
• Educational notepads – Personalised for schools or training programmes
• Retail & gift notepads – Stylish designs for resale or customer gifting

Choosing the right combination of materials and features ensures your notepad is fit for purpose—and brand-friendly. For long-term use, consider formats like wirobound notepads, and for high-volume campaigns, glued notepads offer great value.

Paper Type & Weight

• 80gsm – Standard for note-taking
• 100–120gsm – Offers a premium feel
• Recycled options – Great for eco-conscious brands

Sizes

• A6 – Compact and portable
• A5 – Most popular and versatile
• A4 – Best for forms or educational content
• A3 – Great for sketching or visuals
• DL – Ideal for lists or promotional slips

Binding Options

• Glued (padded) – Tear-off pages
• Spiral/wirobound – More durable
• Stapled – Budget-friendly
• Hardback – Premium, often used for gifting

Covers & Backing

• Covers – Optional; printed card or clear plastic
• Backing – Typically chipboard or greyboard for support

Printing Methods

• Digital printing – Fast, cost-effective for small runs
• Offset printing – Best for bulk orders with colour consistency

Knowing how printed notepads are made helps ensure a smoother project from start to finish.

Step-by-Step Process:

• Submit Print-Ready Artwork – Print Ready PDF format is preferred
• Select Specifications – Paper, size, binding, colour options
• Approve a Proof – Digital or printed sample
• Production Begins – Digital or offset printing
• Finishing – Cutting, gluing, binding
• Delivery – Shipped UK-wide

✅ Pro Tip: Check with your printer about bleed, margin, and resolution requirements to avoid design issues.

Want to dive deeper into the entire process? How Are Printed Notepads Made and Why Are They Still Relevant in 2025?

One of the most important decisions when creating custom notepads is selecting your printing method. The two most common options are digital and offset printing, each offering distinct advantages depending on your goals, volume, and budget.

Digital printing is ideal for short runs, quick turnarounds, and projects that require personalisation or frequent design changes. Offset printing, on the other hand, offers superior colour consistency and is typically more economical for large-scale orders. If you’re running a high-volume campaign or aiming for Pantone colour accuracy, offset may be the better fit.

To make an informed decision that aligns with your branding goals and budget, visit Digital vs. Offset Printing for Notepads: Pros and Cons for a side-by-side comparison and expert recommendations.

If you’ve invested in printed notepads but the final product feels underwhelming—whether in print quality, layout, or general appearance—there are often a few common culprits. From misaligned margins to poor colour contrast and blurry logos, small errors in your design file or production choices can lead to disappointing results.

This guide is especially useful if you’re managing your own artwork or collaborating with a third-party designer. It helps identify areas where things commonly go wrong and offers simple fixes that can dramatically improve print quality and overall presentation.

Explore Why Aren’t My Printed Notepads Turning Out Right? 7 Common Mistakes to ensure your next batch delivers the professional, branded look you’re aiming for.

Notepad covers may seem like a small detail, but they can significantly affect both durability and first impressions. A cover protects the pages, reinforces your branding, and often gives the pad a more polished, premium appearance—ideal for client-facing materials or resale items.

That said, not every notepad requires a cover. In settings like internal team meetings or quick notetaking environments, going coverless may reduce costs without affecting functionality.

If you’re on the fence, Do I Really Need a Cover for My Notepad? Pros and Cons Explained breaks down when it’s worth the investment and when it’s just extra cost.

Mistakes to Avoid:

• Uploading low-resolution artwork (use 300dpi minimum)
• Ignoring bleed and safety margins
• Using hard-to-read fonts or colours
• Overloading the design with text
• Choosing incorrect paper weight for the intended use

✅ Take a look at our printed notepad design tips to stay on track.

Still having trouble? Read We Analyzed 100 Notepad Designs: Here’s What Makes Them Work.

While anecdotes are powerful, data-driven insights offer proof that custom notepads deliver tangible marketing value. From legal firms to charities and retail brands, UK businesses are seeing measurable results from incorporating notepads into their strategies.

Survey: 67% of Small Businesses Use Custom Notepads for Brand Recall breaks down the stats behind why notepads remain a trusted branding tool in 2025. Discover how other companies are using them, and how you can too.

Printed notepads remain a smart, versatile marketing tool—blending form and function. With the right design and printing strategy, they can reinforce your brand, create real value for users, and stand out in both digital and physical environments.

If you’re still planning your design, we recommend reading Custom Printed Notepads: The Ultimate Branding Tool for Small Businesses and How to Design a Notepad That Represents Your Brand.

Have questions? Our team is here to help. Whether you’re ordering your first batch or scaling up for an event, we’ll make sure your notepads leave a lasting impression.