Understanding the Gutter Margin

Summary: Word gives you complete control over the margins defined in a document. One special type of margin you can define is the gutter margin, which is an "additional" margin space helpful for binding or hole-punching needs. (This tip works with Microsoft Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, and Word 2003.)

The gutter margin is a typographical term used to designate an additional margin added to a page layout to compensate for the part of the paper made unusable by the binding process. In a facing pages layout (Word refers to this type of layout as "mirror margins"), the gutter margin is on the very inside of both pages. It is uncommon to use a gutter margin in a single-sheet layout, although Word allows you to do that. In single-sheet layouts, the gutter margin is typically the area where you might three-hole punch your paper.

To set the gutter margin in Word, you follow these steps:

Choose Page Setup from the File menu. Word displays the Page Setup dialog box. (Click here to see a related figure.)
Using the Gutter control, indicate how wide you want the gutter margin to be.
Click OK.

Tip #172 applies to Microsoft Word versions: 97 | 2000 | 2002 | 2003

Great Idea! Word is a tool to get what you really want—printed output. This means you need to make sure that Word works as well as possible with your printer, whether it is sitting on your desk or in a room down the hall.

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Understanding the Gutter Margin