Cover Board Calculator
Board dimensions from book block size and turn-in.
Inputs
Results
Board height (mm)
216
Board width (mm)
151
Board height (inches)8.5
Board width (inches)5.94
Total boards to cut2
Total board area (cm²)652
Recommended thickness (mm)2
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter the text block height and width in millimeters after trimming or folding.
- Set the overhang (squares) in mm — the amount the board extends past the block; 3 mm (1/8 in) is standard.
- Enter the number of books to calculate total boards for a production run.
- Read the board height and width in mm and inches — these are the cut dimensions for each cover board.
- Use the recommended board thickness output to select the right weight of davey board for your book size.
- Divide the total board area in cm² by the board sheet size to plan how many sheets to purchase.
How the result changes with Book block height (mm)
| Book block height (mm) | Board height (mm) | Board width (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| 105 | 111 | 151 |
| 243 | 249 | 151 |
| 408 | 414 | 151 |
| 545 | 551 | 151 |
What each input means
- Book block height (mm)
- Height of the sewn or glued text block in mm (e.g., 210 for A5).
- Book block width (mm)
- Width of the text block in mm (e.g., 148 for A5).
- Overhang / squares (mm)
- How far the board extends past the text block edges. Standard is 3 mm (1/8 in).
- Number of books
- Number of books to cut boards for.
What each result means
- Board height (mm)
- Height of each cover board including top and bottom overhang.
- Board width (mm)
- Width of each cover board including fore-edge overhang.
- Board height (inches)
- Board height in inches.
- Board width (inches)
- Board width in inches.
- Total boards to cut
- 2 boards per book (front and back cover).
- Total board area (cm²)
- Total area of all boards for material purchasing.
- Recommended thickness (mm)
- Suggested davey board thickness based on book size.
How this is calculated
Worked example, using the default values
- Identify Input Parameters4 parametersBook block height (mm) = 210, Book block width (mm) = 148, Overhang / squares (mm) = 3, Number of books = 1 = 4 input(s) provided
- Calculate Board heightBoard height = blockHeightMm + 2 * overhangMm216 = 216
- Calculate Board widthBoard width = blockWidthMm + overhangMm151 = 151
- Calculate Board heightBoard height = boardHeight / 25.48.5 = 8.5
- Calculate Board widthBoard width = boardWidth / 25.45.94 = 5.94
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