Drill Holes (Paper Drilling)
Drilling is a method used in printing to create circular holes in paper using a rotating drill bit. This process is ideal for products that need to be inserted into binders, hung, or collated using posts, rings, or string.
- Paper drilling creates clean, precise circular holes using a drill bit — ideal for binders, tags, and hanging items.
- Available hole sizes: 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 8mm.
- Choose from 1, 2, or 4-hole configurations (custom layouts available on request).
- Suitable for NCR pads, notepads, swing tags, calendars, menus and more.
- Works on a range of paper stocks, including laminated products.
- Remember to leave enough margin in your artwork so holes don’t cut into text or key elements.
What Is Paper Drilling?
Paper drilling is a fast and efficient alternative to manual hole punching. While a standard handheld punch can only process a few sheets at a time, our drilling machinery is designed to cut through large quantities of paper in a single pass. This ensures:
- Clean and accurate holes
- Consistent spacing and alignment
- A neat finish, even on thicker or laminated stocks
Paper drilling is suitable for both small and large print runs.
Products Commonly Drilled
Drilled holes are available on a variety of our printed products, including:
- NCR Pads and Books – for filing or inserting into ring binders
- Notepads and Writing Pads – ideal for office and school use
- Swing Tags and Product Tags – perfect for retail items and packaging
- Calendars, Menus, and Instruction Sheets – where hanging or binding is required
If you’re unsure whether your product can be drilled, our team is happy to advise.
Hole Sizes and Configurations
Our professional drilling equipment can drill through different paper stocks and finishes, including laminated products. We offer the following hole diameters:
- 3mm
- 4mm
- 5mm
- 6mm
- 8mm
You can choose from the following hole configurations:
- 1 hole
- 2 holes
- 3 holes
- 4 holes
Tip: If you need a custom layout (e.g., 3 holes, or specific spacing), contact us before ordering. Custom drilling may be possible on request.
Drilling Through Laminated Products
We can drill through matt, gloss and soft-touch laminated finishes. The drill bit creates a clean, sealed edge around the hole, helping to reduce cracking or peeling of the lamination.
Things to Consider Before Ordering
To ensure the best result:
- Allow enough margin so holes do not cut into text or graphics
- Avoid placing important artwork or text in the drill area
- On thicker stocks or multi-layer products, slight indentation on the back may occur – this is normal with drilling
- If ordering swing tags, consider whether you need stringing as an additional finishing option
Artwork Guidelines for Drilling
When supplying artwork:
- Mark the hole position(s) if they are not standard
- Leave at least 10mm safe area from the edge of the page where holes will be drilled
- If combining drilling with binding (e.g., NCR pads), choose the correct edge orientation
For downloadable templates that include drill guides, see our Artwork Setup section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in many cases we can. Contact us with your requirements before placing your order.
Yes. Drilling is done after lamination to ensure a clean finish.
Yes — our 2-hole and 4-hole setups are compatible with standard UK and EU binder spacing. If you need US spacing, please let us know.
