Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about book printing, design, paper, pricing, and how we work.
At Custom Book Studio. We’re a Toronto book printing and design studio at 51 Galaxy Boulevard, near the airport in Etobicoke, open by appointment Monday to Friday. We print hardcover (smythe-sewn, lay-flat), softcover, saddle-stitched, and plastic coil books — with graphic design and typesetting included in every project. Call (416) 414-3216 or send our contact form to start.
Yes. If you’re writing in Word, Google Docs, or another word processor, send it to us and we’ll work with it. We can even format the document to the final book’s size and bindery format and send it back for final text placement. When it’s ready, our designers and typesetters rebuild it in industry-standard software like InDesign or Illustrator.
Yes — design is the starting point for every project. After you send our contact form, our project managers reach out with questions and options. Design choices depend on the bindery format; our designers review your text and images, recommend a style for your approval, and usually lock the interior before moving to the cover.
No. We don’t use preset templates. Each project is custom designed after a consultation. We present a couple of options, lock in a preferred theme, then complete the interior. Covers are always custom designed with the author’s input before approval to print.
Yes — our new AI book designer lets you create a book online. It helps you write, illustrate, and lay out every page from a simple idea, and you approve each one before we print and ship the finished, bound book. Prefer a fully bespoke project? Our team still designs every page by hand and sends a PDF proof for your approval before anything prints. Start online at create.custombookstudio.com, or get in touch for custom work.
Many. If you have a specific brand or stock in mind, we can usually source it. We’ve also curated a small group of papers that work well across most projects. Our favourites are uncoated, vellum-textured papers (like an eggshell paint finish) — they feel wonderful and our presses are tuned to print on them beautifully.
It varies. Usually printing costs less than design, and sometimes it’s bundled in. A single sample book runs roughly CA$800 to CA$2,500 depending on special effects — plain books are at the lower end; custom foil, embossing/debossing, spot UV, and tactile finishes push toward the top.
Our hardcovers do, because they’re smythe sewn — printed in 8-page signatures and sewn together, with no image loss across the spine. Softcover (perfect bound) books do not lay flat, so our designers avoid crossover images; when a crossover is necessary we warn you about the visible loss before production.
Not exactly — we’re not a quick-printer. If you need fast turnaround on print-ready files, we’re not the right fit, and we’re happy to refer you to peers who offer POD.
Yes. Distribution is priced separately from design and printing. After we print your batch we can ship to your readers, family, or friends anywhere. Cost depends entirely on destination — no flat rates. We use discount carriers like Chit Chats, Stallion Express, and Canada Post, always with tracking and insurance.
Yes — a call is the best way to discuss a project. We’re real people, not bots. Start by filling out our contact form so we have your details, then we’ll call you.
Yes, by appointment. We host clients at our Toronto office and production facility near the airport, where we can walk you through our equipment and show physical samples.
Yes. You’re welcome to visit our Toronto studio by appointment to see equipment and hold samples, and you can pick up finished books in person or have them shipped worldwide with tracking and insurance.
Yes. Authors often supply original photos, letters, or clippings for us to scan and include — or you can supply digital scans yourself.