A page to a printer is one side of a sheet that is the finished size of the document. This is true whether ink is printed on both sides or one. So if the finished size is an 8.5x11 sheet that represents 2 pages whether they have ink on them or not. That same 8.5x11 sheet that is printed front only should be communicated as a 2 pager printing front only. This is done because if you look at a book one sheet of paper represents two sides or two pages.

So an 11x17 sheet that folds to 8.5x11 would be represented as a 4 page finished size of 8.5x11. If you have a brochure that finishes at 5x7 but unfolded it is 15x7 it would be called a 6 pager with a finished size of 5x7. A catalog that is 8.5x11 and has 8 sheets of paper and prints on both sides of the sheet except for the back cover would still be called a 16 pager.

Basically, there are two defining terms a sheet of paper which has two sides that are called pages. It is not necessary to know this when talking to your printer but the more everyone is on the same page in communication the less chance for problems.

Written by Buzz Tatom
buzz@odeecompany.com
The Odee Company