Gary....sadly, the vast majority of fine printing stock isn't available in 8 1/2"x11". It is shipped to printers from mills in much larger sheets.

If you want an 8 1/2" x 11" finished image and the project is a "bleedd" (photos, colors, typography, etc.right to the edge),
the sheet must be larger, overprinted and then trimmed to size. Availability depends on mill runs.

AS you can tell, I'm way into production
(overkill, in this case). One of my current projects is a $250,000.00 production for an Italian staircase company selling their product line to Loew's. The run is over 2,750,000 sheets. Some are laminated. The Lowe's spec for production and content is over 180 pages.

I apologize for the excessive length..this stuff has been my lifelong passion.

The key is to use what works best for you.
If you're working, you have to be doing things right.

Happy Holidays!


Russ