Printing Planet UK
University printing is a niche we take seriously. Our Putney shop sits within reach of Roehampton, Richmond, and Kingston, and we see a steady stream of students each term. Here is the practical guide to what students need, and how to do it affordably.
Dissertation and thesis printing
Universities have specific binding requirements for dissertations. Always check your department’s guidelines first, but common requirements include:
- Pages: printed double-sided or single-sided (department preference)
- Paper: 80gsm minimum, 100gsm recommended for theses
- Spine and cover: university may specify colour (often black or navy)
- Text on spine: title, name, year (sometimes degree)
- Binding: hard cover, perfect bind, or thermal bind depending on department
Most UK universities accept thermal binding for undergraduate and master’s theses, and require hardback binding for PhD.
Binding options we offer
Thermal binding (glued spine)
- Clean, book-like finish
- Opens flat
- 2 to 300+ pages
- Standard for master’s dissertations
- Priced by page count
Wire or spiral binding
- Opens fully flat
- Cheap and quick
- Common for reports, coursework, handouts
- Priced by page count
Hardback (case binding)
- Premium, archival quality
- Required for PhD theses at most universities
- Foil or gold text on cover and spine
- 5 to 7 working days
- Quoted per copy
Perfect binding
- Similar to a paperback book
- Good for longer documents (100+ pages)
- Quoted on request
Getting a thesis quote
Every thesis is different, so we quote each one. To get an exact price, email [email protected] with:
- Your PDF and the total page count
- How many copies you need
- Which binding for each copy (for example 2 hardback and 2 thermal)
- Whether you need colour pages
- Your hand-in date
You can reduce cost by submitting 1 hardback and 3 thermal binds (if your university accepts that).
Lecture notes and handouts
Printing a batch of lecture notes in one go is quicker than queuing at the library printer:
- A4 black and white for text-heavy notes
- A4 colour for diagrams, charts and slides
- Single or double-sided
Email the file with your page count for a price.
Bring a USB or email the file. We print while you wait.
Group project resources
If you are working on a group project:
- Printed handouts for presentations: A5 double-sided
- Poster for research day: A1 or A2
- Sample products or prototypes: variable
Flyers for student events
Society events, club nights, fundraisers: all need flyers.
Popular choices are A6 or A5 flyers, double-sided colour on 300gsm silk. Email us the size and quantity for a quote.
Same-day possible if ordered by 11am.
See our flyer printing sizes guide for more detail.
Posters for research days
Poster presentations usually require A0 (841 x 1189mm) or A1 (594 x 841mm).
- A1 or A0 poster on 170gsm silk
- Matt or satin laminate available (protects against scuffs in transit)
Bring the file as PDF at the correct aspect ratio. We can check your file before printing to catch low-res images or font issues.
Saving on print costs as a student
- Batch print: 4 weeks of lecture notes in one visit is cheaper than 4 separate trips
- Print double-sided: halves paper and usually halves cost
- Greyscale for text: colour only where it matters
- Draft vs final: print drafts double-sided, single copy for feedback
- Share with flatmates: a group print run saves everyone money
Stationery and supplies
We also stock basics at reasonable prices:
- A4 paper (reams)
- Presentation folders
- Plastic wallets
- Spiral notebooks
- USB sticks
Opening hours
Monday to Friday, 10am to 7pm (closed Saturday and Sunday). We are a short walk from Putney Heath bus routes. For addresses and directions see our contact page.
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