Book Printing Auckland - Softcover & Hardcover Specialists
Professional book printing from 250 copies. Hardcover, softcover, premium finishes. Embossing, foiling, lamination available. Save 30-43%.
Why Choose Mainprint for Book Printing?
Mainprint brings your vision to life with professional book printing services for authors, publishers, businesses, and organisations. Our offshore partnerships deliver 30-43% cost savings while maintaining premium quality that rivals any local printer.
We specialise in both hardcover and softcover book printing with a comprehensive range of finishing options—embossing, foiling, lamination, spot UV—all at minimal additional cost. Most New Zealand printers inflate pricing on premium techniques; we include them as standard.
Whether you're self-publishing your first novel, printing training manuals for your organisation, or producing a limited-edition hardcover series, we provide the quality, service, and pricing you deserve. With 26 years of experience and ISO 9001:2000 certification, every book receives professional attention from file to finished product.
Book Printing Specifications
Book Formats:
- Softcover (perfect bound)
- Hardcover (case bound)
- Wire-o bound
- Saddle stitched (for shorter books)
Standard Sizes:
- A5 (148×210mm) - compact book format
- A4 (210×297mm) - large format books
- B5 (176×250mm) - popular novel size
- Custom sizes available
Paper Stock:
Inner Pages:
- 80gsm offset (lightweight, high page count)
- 100gsm offset (standard book paper)
- 120gsm offset (premium feel)
- 115gsm art paper (image-heavy books)
- 130gsm art paper (coffee table books)
Covers (Softcover):
- 250gsm gloss, silk or matt
- 300gsm for premium feel
- Lamination options available
Covers (Hardcover):
- 150gsm case wrap
- 2mm-3mm greyboard backing
- Dust jacket optional
Binding Options:
**Perfect Bound** - Professional softcover binding with square spine. Ideal for novels, manuals, and general trade books. Pages are glued into the spine creating a durable finish.
Hardcover Case Binding - Premium hardcover with rigid covers and sewn or perfect bound pages. Creates a prestigious, long-lasting book. Optional dust jacket available.
PUR Binding - Extra strength adhesive for thick books or heavy-use manuals. Pages won't fall out even with frequent use.
Sewn Binding** - Traditional bookbinding where signatures are sewn together. The most durable option for premium books and collectors' editions.
Premium Finishes:
- Embossing (raised or recessed text/images)
- Foiling (gold, silver, copper, coloured)
- Lamination (gloss, matt, soft-touch)
- Spot UV (high-gloss highlights)
- Debossing (recessed imprint)
Minimum Quantities:
From 250 books
Standard Turnaround:
12-18 working days for hardcover, 10-15 days for softcover
Book Types We Print
Fiction & Non-Fiction Books
Novels, biographies, memoirs, poetry collections. Professional quality for authors and publishers.
Self-Published Books
First-time authors, limited editions, series. Affordable quantities with premium quality.
Educational Books
Textbooks, workbooks, study guides, course materials. Durable binding for student use.
Business Books
Training manuals, handbooks, corporate histories, employee guides. Professional presentation for organisations.
Coffee Table Books
Photography books, art books, premium editions. High-quality paper and finishing for visual impact.
Children's Books
Picture books, chapter books, educational books. Vibrant colours and durable binding.
Cookbooks
Recipe collections, restaurant cookbooks, culinary guides. Lay-flat binding options available.
Reference Books
Technical manuals, directories, handbooks. Durable binding for frequent use.
Stock Holding for Authors and Publishers
Print your full run for best pricing, then store and distribute as book sales come in:
- Author Stock Holding: We warehouse your book inventory—no storage fees for active titles
- Pick and Pack: Order fulfillment as you make sales
- E-Parcel Delivery: Direct-to-reader or bookstore delivery with tracking
- Multi-Title Management: Store and distribute multiple book titles
- Event Distribution: Send stock to book launches, markets, festivals
- Visibility: Always know your stock levels and transit status
Perfect for self-publishers and small presses who need flexible distribution without warehouse costs.
Premium Finishes at Minimal Cost
Unlike most New Zealand printers, we don't inflate pricing on premium finishes:
Embossing - Add dimension and luxury with raised or recessed text and imagery
Foiling - Gold, silver, copper or coloured foil for elegant highlights
Spot UV - High-gloss coating over specific areas for dramatic contrast
Soft-Touch Lamination - Velvety tactile finish that feels as good as it looks
Most NZ printers charge $500-$1,500+ for these finishes. We include them at minimal additional cost—it's all part of seeing your vision through to the end.
Get Your Free Book Printing Quote
From memoir to manual, we print it all. Quote in 2 hours.
FAQs
250 books for most projects. This minimum allows us to offer the best possible pricing while maintaining our ISO 9001:2000 quality standards. Volume pricing improves significantly at 500, 1,000, and 2,500+ quantities. For self-published authors or small publishers, 250 copies is a manageable quantity that still delivers professional quality and competitive pricing.
Unlike most New Zealand printers who inflate pricing on premium techniques, we charge minimal costs for embossing, foiling, lamination, and spot UV. Most NZ printers add $500-$1,500+ for these finishes—we include them at a fraction of that cost because we believe every author deserves access to professional finishing. Get a quote to see exact pricing. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how affordable gold foiling or embossing can be for your book cover.
Yes, we print ISBN barcodes on the back cover at no extra cost—just provide your ISBN number when requesting your quote. For file format, we need high-resolution PDF files (300 DPI minimum) in CMYK colour mode with 3mm bleeds on all sides. All fonts must be embedded or outlined. Pages must be supplied in the correct order and multiples of 4 for perfect binding. Don't worry if this sounds technical—we'll send you detailed artwork specifications and a pre-flight checklist when you request a quote, and our design team can prepare files correctly if needed.
It depends on your book's purpose and audience. Hardcover creates a premium feel, lasts longer, and is ideal for gifts, collectibles, coffee table books, and library editions. It commands a higher retail price and presents your work as a serious publication. Softcover is more cost-effective, lighter for mailing, and perfect for novels, manuals, workbooks, and general trade books. Many authors start with softcover and produce a hardcover edition later. We'll recommend the best option based on your book's genre, target audience, and budget.
Yes! We can print full colour CMYK throughout your entire book, which is perfect for children's books, coffee table books, photography books, cookbooks, and illustrated non-fiction. You can also mix full colour and black-and-white pages to manage costs—for example, colour photo sections with black-and-white text chapters. Many authors use this approach for memoirs, biographies, or non-fiction books where some chapters benefit from colour imagery while others are primarily text.
For books over 300 pages, we recommend either PUR binding or sewn binding for extra strength and longevity. PUR binding uses a superior adhesive that creates an incredibly strong bind—pages won't fall out even with heavy use, making it perfect for textbooks, manuals, or reference books. Sewn binding is the traditional bookbinding method where signatures are sewn together before being attached to the cover—it's the most durable option and ideal for premium books, collectors' editions, or any book that needs to last for decades. Both options cost slightly more than standard perfect binding but are essential for thick books that need to withstand frequent use.
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Some of OUR WORK
Every project receives the same ISO certified quality and attention to detail. See examples of our catalogue, magazine, book and brochure printing.
