To prepare a Vellum print PDF, confirm the receiving printer’s page and bleed requirements, set the print edition’s trim size and margins in Print Settings, review chapter starts and page numbering, then generate and inspect the actual PDF in Proof mode and as page spreads. Vellum can insert intentional blank pages to make a chapter begin on the right; do not delete one until you have checked the book’s spread layout.
1. Get the print specifications before changing the layout
Write down the exact interior page size, whether the printer wants single pages or spreads, whether bleed is required, and how images and color should be handled. If the cover is supplied separately, keep it separate. Print services may use different trim sizes and bleed rules, so a Vellum preset is a starting point, not proof that every service will accept the PDF.
Save a copy or version of the Vellum project before changing the print design. Give the exported file a clear name, such as Title-print-interior-review-01.pdf, so it cannot be confused with an ebook file or an earlier print edition.
2. Choose the trim size and recheck the margins
Open File > Print Settings and choose the finished trim size that matches the printer’s specification. Vellum automatically updates margins and font size when the trim size changes. If you need another option, review the US/UK and International sizes in More Options; the size display can switch between inches and millimeters.
After selecting the size, check the inside margin—the space nearest the binding—and the outside margin. The inside margin must leave text visible near the spine, and a long book can need more room than a short one. Do not copy a margin number from a different platform without checking the requirements for this print job. Changing trim size can reset margin and text-adjustment values, so confirm them again after every size change.
3. Review chapter starts, page numbers, images, and bleed
Use Print Settings to decide whether the first chapter or every chapter begins on a right-hand page. Vellum may add a blank page before a chapter to achieve that placement. Check page-numbering behavior too: front matter and the first chapter may follow different numbering conventions, so confirm the result matches your intended book structure.
Choose black-and-white or color images according to the planned book. Then review the bleed setting. Vellum can include bleed only when needed for full-bleed content, or you can change that setting if the printer specifically requires bleed on every page. Match the bleed amount and edges to the print provider’s specification; do not assume a value required by one platform applies everywhere.
When page settings change, Vellum recalculates the page count. Recheck that the contents, notes, and page references still match the finished layout. The final page count can also affect cover planning, so do not send an old cover file after revising the interior.
4. Use Proof mode and inspect the book as spreads
Vellum’s Preview has Draft and Proof modes. Draft mode responds quickly to editing; Proof mode applies the print-layout features more closely to the final PDF and can be slower. Switch to Proof mode for the final review after the text and print settings are stable.
Review the book in both single-page and two-page spread views. Check each chapter opening, the transition into front and back matter, and any page with a full-page image. Look for unexpected blank pages, text too close to the spine, orphaned headings, image cropping, and page numbers that start or restart incorrectly. A blank page may be correct if it moves the next section to a right-hand page.
5. Generate and check the exact PDF you will submit
Generate the Print edition and save its PDF separately from the ebook formats. Open the exported file outside Vellum and check it against your specification sheet:
- Confirm the page size and total page count.
- Compare the first and last page of each chapter with the project preview.
- Check deliberate blank pages in spread view before keeping or removing anything.
- Inspect text near the binding, page numbers, images, captions, and any full-bleed artwork.
- Confirm the PDF contains interior pages only if the cover is a separate file.
- Reopen the final saved version after any change; do not upload an older export.
If the printer reports a problem, change the source project or the specified export setting, create a new version, and repeat the check. A Vellum preview or a successful export cannot override the receiving printer’s file requirements.
Vellum’s official help covers Print Settings, automatic print layout and Proof mode, and why blank pages appear in a generated PDF. YourBookBound accepts completed files for a free human file check; review the file guide and current $99 service terms before submitting.