Once you order a Picsme photo book, your personalised design becomes a physical album through printing, trimming, cover making and binding in our own UK facility. The paper and cover you choose affect how the finished book feels; your original photographs and layout affect the detail people see on each page.
This article explains the journey from design to delivery. To compare formats and current prices, visit our photo book collection. For instructions on using the editor, follow how to make a photo book with Picsme.
Start with a design you have checked
The preview is your opportunity to check the content before ordering. Read captions, confirm page order and look closely at each crop. Leave space around faces, text and other important details near the page edges and centre fold.
Use original photographs where possible. Enlarging a small or heavily compressed image cannot add detail to it, even when it is printed on a production press. A picture that works well in a small photo box may need a different layout when used across a full page.
Printing: the file and paper work together
Our UK print environment includes Canon varioPRINT iX3200 sheetfed inkjet technology and Ricoh production presses. Kodak Prinergy forms part of our workflow for preparing and managing print work. The process used for a particular job depends on its format, stock and production requirements.
Colour management supports consistency through production. It does not make paper look identical to every phone or computer display: a screen emits light, while a printed page reflects it. Very bright screen settings can make dark photographs look lighter than they will appear on paper.
Our photo books offer two inner-paper choices:
- 170gsm gloss: a shiny, more reflective surface in the standard range.
- 170gsm recycled silk: a subtler sheen, with inner paper made from 100% recycled paper, in the Recycled range.
The recycled claim describes the inner paper, not every part of the finished book. The 170gsm specification gives the paper weight; the surface finish is a separate choice.
Finishing: turning the printed sheets into a book
The cover is produced for your chosen format and personalised design. A softcover uses flexible 250gsm silk cover stock with gloss lamination. A hardcover uses printed 200gsm silk cover paper wrapped around rigid 2.25mm board and finished with gloss lamination.
Hardcover construction includes traditional folded endpapers connecting the book block to the case, with gauze reinforcement at the spine. Cutting, laminating, binding, case making and casing in form part of our in-house finishing work.
For a closer explanation of the construction and materials, read how our photo books are printed and bound. Our pricing approach explains the role of in-house production in keeping prices accessible.
Delivery: count from your order, including production
The delivery estimates below include the time to make your photo book. They are not shipping times to add on after a separate production estimate.
- Mainland UK standard: £3.50, estimated 3–5 working days from order.
- Mainland UK express: £4.00, estimated 2–4 working days from order.
- Free standard mainland UK delivery: on orders of £30 or more.
Orders use tracked delivery, and a tracking link is sent after dispatch. Working-day estimates exclude weekends and bank holidays. Check delivery information for other destinations and the options available for your address.
If the book is for a wedding, birthday or another fixed date, allow time to finish and check your design as well as the delivery estimate. Contact Picsme before ordering if you need advice about a particular date.
What to check before paying
- The product: confirm the size, orientation, cover and inner-paper option.
- The page count: your selected starting count is the minimum. Pages can be added in pairs, up to 200.
- The total: check the book price, extra spreads, quantity and delivery charge.
- The design: preview both covers and every inside page.
- The address: check the recipient and delivery details, especially when sending a gift.
For help choosing sizes or planning pages, use the photo book buying and design guide. When you are ready, choose your photo book.
