Bulk Quantity • Custom Finish
Special Printing • Custom Coating
The half-fold brochure - also called a bi-fold brochure - is created by folding a single sheet of paper once down the center. This gives you 4 generous, equally sized panels that open like a small booklet, with one panel serving as the cover. The larger panel size compared to tri-fold makes half-folds the preferred choice when bold visuals, large imagery, or detailed text need space to breathe.
When folded from an 8.5" x 11" sheet, each panel measures 5.5" x 8.5" - spacious and easy to read. Half-folds are widely used for menus, event programs, corporate presentations, product overviews, real estate materials, and any project where a clean, booklet-style layout creates the right impression.
| Flat Size | 8.5" x 11" |
| Folded Size | 5.5" x 8.5" |
| Fold Style | Half-Fold (Bi-Fold) - 4 equal panels |
| Paper Stock | 100lb Gloss Text, 100lb Matte Text, or 100lb Cover |
| Printing | Full Color Both Sides (4/4) |
| Coating | Gloss AQ or Matte (optional UV upgrade) |
| Mailing | Fits standard A2 or 6" x 9" envelope |
| Turnaround | 3-5 Business Days - Rush available |
| Shipping | Nationwide - all 50 states |
| Flat File Size | 8.5" x 11" (with bleed: 8.75" x 11.25") |
| Panel Size | 5.5" x 8.5" each (2 panels front, 2 panels back) |
| Bleed | 0.125" on all outer edges of the flat sheet |
| Safe Zone | Keep text 0.125" from all trim and fold lines |
| Resolution | 300 DPI minimum |
| Color Mode | CMYK (not RGB) |
| Format | Print-ready PDF preferred |
| Crossovers | Avoid placing critical content directly on the center fold |
Spacious panels display food photography and menu items beautifully
Conferences, weddings, and performances benefit from the clean booklet-style layout
Large panels give products room to breathe with full photography and descriptions
Company profiles, capability statements, and investor materials
Bright, coated surface for rich color reproduction and sharp image detail. The default choice for marketing brochures, menus, and materials where visual impact matters most.
Smooth, non-reflective finish with a sophisticated feel. Preferred for law firms, financial advisors, healthcare, and upscale presentations.
Thicker and more rigid for a premium, substantial feel. Ideal for real estate, hospitality, and luxury brands where quality must be immediately apparent.
Choose your paper stock, coating, and quantity. Add one or multiple products to your cart and select from multiple shipping options.
Submit a print-ready PDF at 300 DPI in CMYK. Flat file: 8.5" x 11" plus 0.125" bleed. Keep text 0.125" from the center fold line.
If you need one, we can email you a PDF proof for your review, verifying panel layout, fold alignment, and color before going to press.
Printed, folded, and shipped to your door in 3-5 business days. Rush production available.
A half-fold brochure is created by folding a single sheet of paper in half down the center, producing a four-panel piece with a front cover, two inside panels, and a back cover. It is the simplest and most classic brochure format and one of the most widely used in business communications. Compared to a tri-fold brochure - which divides a sheet into three panels - the half-fold gives each panel significantly more space, making it better suited to layouts that require large images, longer text blocks, or a more open, editorial feel. Compared to a z-fold or gate-fold, the half-fold is the most straightforward to design, produce, and mail. It is the format of choice for corporate capability statements, service overviews, event programs, real estate one-sheets, and professional introductions.
The most common finished size for a half-fold brochure is 5.5" x 8.5" - produced by folding an 8.5" x 11" flat sheet in half. This is the standard size used for most business, nonprofit, and event brochures. Larger sizes such as 8.5" x 11" finished (from an 11" x 17" flat sheet) are also available for presentations, annual reports, and materials requiring more content space. Custom sizes are available on request. When setting up your design file, always work at the flat (unfolded) sheet size and mark the fold line at the center. Include 0.125" bleed on all outer edges and keep content away from the fold line to avoid text or images being obscured by the crease.
Half-fold brochures are available on a range of paper stocks to suit different applications and budgets. Standard options include 80lb Gloss Text for a bright, coated finish with excellent color reproduction, 100lb Gloss Text for a heavier premium coated feel, 80lb Matte Text for a smooth non-glare finish preferred by professional services and corporate communications, and 60lb Uncoated for a natural feel suited to environmental organizations and publications that prioritize a softer aesthetic. Cover-weight stocks including 80lb and 100lb Gloss or Matte Cover are available for single-sheet brochures that require a more substantial, card-like hand feel. Coating options include AQ Gloss, Matte, and UV Spot Coat for premium finishing. Contact our team to discuss which paper and finish combination is right for your specific project.
Design your half-fold brochure as a flat, single-page spread at the unfolded sheet size. For a standard 5.5" x 8.5" finished brochure, your flat file should be 11" x 8.5" with 0.125" bleed on all four outer edges. The fold runs vertically down the center of the flat sheet at the 5.5" mark. Panel layout from left to right on the flat sheet is: back cover (left), front cover (right) on one side; inside left panel, inside right panel on the reverse. Use CMYK color mode and export at 300 DPI minimum resolution. Avoid placing important text or design elements within 0.25" of the fold line, as slight variation in folding can cause content to be partially hidden in the crease.
Half-fold brochures are one of the most versatile print formats available. Corporate companies use them as capability statements, service overviews, and leave-behind sales materials. Real estate agencies use them as property one-sheets and community guides. Healthcare providers use them for patient education, appointment reminders, and service descriptions. Nonprofit organizations use them for donor outreach and program descriptions. Schools and universities use them for admissions, event invitations, and parent communications. Event organizers use them as programs for concerts, ceremonies, and graduations. Churches and religious organizations use them for service bulletins and outreach materials. Their four-panel layout strikes the ideal balance between providing enough information to be useful and remaining concise enough to be read in full.
Standard production time for half-fold brochures is 3 to 5 business days from file approval, not including shipping transit time. Rush production is available on request - contact our team before placing your order if you have a firm deadline to confirm availability. Providing a complete, print-ready PDF on your first submission with correct bleed, CMYK color mode, flat layout at the correct document size, and 300 DPI resolution is the most effective way to ensure your brochures are produced and shipped on schedule.
Yes. Copies America ships finished half-fold brochures to any address in the contiguous United States from our Plainview, New York production facility. Standard and expedited shipping options are available. For large quantity orders or projects with tight delivery requirements, contact our team before ordering to discuss shipping logistics and estimated transit times.
Our team can help with design, file setup, paper selection, and turnaround options.
Contact Us 1-800-423-2679Get insider tips about printing, design, marketing and more on your favorite social network.
Enter your registered email address to reset your password. An email will be sent to your registered email address with a password reset link
If you don’t remember your email address please give us a call during normal business hours 9:00 am – 7:00 pm EST at 1-800-423-2679 or leave a voice mail and we will return your call next business day.
Don’t have an account?
Create a new account
