Stepped Accordion Page

A stepped accordion brochure is a single sheet folded in a zig-zag of parallel scores, with each panel cut shorter than the one beneath it so the closed piece shows a staircase of stepped tabs. The closed piece is held flat with a printed belly band; slide the band off and the panels open in sequence. Each tab can be labeled by category, and every fold reveals the next section as the reader opens it, which is what makes the format read like a tabbed, sequential story rather than a flat set of panels.

The difference between a stepped accordion and a standard accordion fold is panel height. A standard accordion folds to panels of equal size, while a stepped accordion shortens each panel so the tabs stay visible when the piece is closed. Those exposed tabs act as a built-in index the reader can scan before unfolding, which a flat accordion cannot do.

A stepped accordion brochure has four stepped panels, printed on both sides for eight information panels in total (four per side). The format is fixed by the product's dieline rather than chosen at order time: We print this piece to 8.5 by 5.5 inches folded, opening to 8.5 by 18 inches, so the panel sequence and tab depth are already set. Build your artwork from our supplied template or dieline rather than a generic accordion-fold layout.

To set up artwork for a stepped accordion fold, start from a dieline or template that maps the exact panel dimensions and score lines, then build each panel's content within its own panel boundaries, keeping anything you want visible when the piece is closed inside the exposed tab area. The closed piece is wrapped in a printed belly band, so position key tab labels to stay visible alongside it. Keep live text and logos clear of the fold lines and add an eighth-inch bleed on the outside edges so nothing critical is trimmed or creased. We provide stepped accordion brochure templates and a 3D design tool that lets you review your artwork before you order.

The cost depends primarily on the quantity ordered. Standard production includes 10pt coated cover stock, four-color printing, semi-gloss UV coating, die cutting, hand assembly with 100% quality control, and bulk packing. Mailing services and postage are quoted separately based on the mailing list and service selected.

Yes, we print this fold on 10pt coated cover stock finished with a semi-gloss UV coating, which provides a protective printed surface and helps keep the panels from softening under handling. The piece is also mailed inside a USPS-approved envelope, which helps protect it during transit.

A stepped accordion's folded and open dimensions are 8.5 by 5.5 inches closed and 8.5 by 18 inches fully opened. The mailing size is slightly larger at about 8.68 by 5.625 inches, and each piece weighs roughly 1.16 ounces. The 18-inch open width gives you room for a multi-panel sequence while the folded piece stays compact enough to mail or hand across a desk.

The printed belly band keeps the stepped accordion folded flat, and we mail it inside a USPS-approved envelope rather than as a bare self-mailer. Your piece is inserted, a 4 by 3⅓ inch address label is affixed, and your return address comes from the list you supply. We offer First Class, presort, and non-profit mailing services where applicable, with postage calculated separately after the mailing list is processed.

A stepped accordion is the right format when your message runs in a sequence, and the stepped tabs can carry the reader from one section to the next. It works well for product or process walk-throughs, event programs, higher-ed and admissions pieces, brand guides, and multi-touch direct mail where the unfolding sequence carries the story. If the content is a single flat message or a simple two-sided offer, a plainer fold from the Budget Brochures range will usually serve it better.

The minimum quantity you can order is one. We print the stepped accordion from a single copy up to 25,000 or more, which lets you order a lone proof, a small run for a targeted list, or a full campaign from the same production setup.