The right book binding is an important finishing touch for any printed project. It affects the shelf’s appearance and influences the reader’s experience. There are several options to choose from, each with unique pros and cons based on the purpose of your book. Learn about the most common choices available to customers.
Perfect Binding
Perfect binding, also known as paperback or glued binding, is one of the most popular print options in the book printing industry. It’s used for many books and projects, including business reports, corporate manuals, annual and product catalogs, graphic novels and softcover textbooks. With perfect book binding materials, the pages of a publication are collated together in a block and then glued into a cover along their spine. The back of the body is then clear-coated to improve its durability and appearance. The result is a neat, professional-looking book that is light and easy to carry or slip into a bag or briefcase.
In the perfect binding process, two primary types of glue are being used today – Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) and Polyurethane Reactive (PUR). While EVA is still the traditional choice, PUR offers superior performance and a greater temperature tolerance range. The minimum number of pages needed for perfect binding varies between 0 and a maximum of 275, depending on the paper stock used to create the interior pages. The spine must be a minimum of 125″ wide for the adhesive to secure the pages and cover securely. The most prominent limitation to perfect binding is that it can’t lay flat like a hardcover or coiled book. It could be better for books with large illustrations that may spill over onto the spine area.
Saddle Stitch
Saddle stitching is a common binding technique for producing booklets, catalogs, calendars, photo books, magazines and other softcover publications. The folded pages are nested and bound with wire staples along the book’s spine. The process is quick, relatively inexpensive and provides an aesthetically pleasing finish to the booklets. Unlike perfect binding, which uses glue rather than staples to hold the stacked pages in place, saddle stitching utilizes a series of holes on the outer edges of the folded papers sewn together with thread. It provides a flexible, attractive and durable finish to the book and can be printed with titles, dates and author names on the spine.
One disadvantage of saddle stitching is the presence of “page creep.” Because the booklet’s sheets are nested together, there is a natural tendency for the center pages to stick out more than the outside pages. It can be especially noticeable with heavier paper stock or higher page counts. To stitch a book, first cut a length of thread that is twice as long as the width of the folded pages. At the end, knot the needle after threading it. Next, insert the needle into each fold’s top or bottom hole, leaving a small thread tail on the outside edge. Move through each hole until you reach the middle spot, and then pull the thread taught to form a knot. Repeat this process for each of the remaining gaps.
Spiral Binding
Spiral binding uses plastic coils inserted through evenly spaced holes along the spine edge of your cover and pages. Both ends of the coil are crimped and then covered with plastic to prevent them from unraveling. The coils come in various diameters, allowing them to fit books of any size. They are available in dozens of colors to match your cover, although black is the most common.
One of the greatest advantages of spiral binding is that it allows your book to lie flat when open, either 360 degrees or in a half-rotation, for easy reading. This feature makes it an excellent choice for manuals, cookbooks, presentations, and seminar materials. It also works well for reference books, workbooks, planners, and activity books.
Another advantage is that the pages of a spiral-bound book can be easily removed and replaced. It’s as simple as untwisting the coil and reinstalling the revised page(s). While this is relatively simple to do on a book or two, it becomes difficult for hundreds or thousands of readers. The downside of spiral binding is that it will interrupt any image that spreads on opposite pages, as the coil covers the center spine area. For this reason, we don’t recommend it for photos or other artwork that spans across the pages of your book.
Case Binding
Although eBooks are a popular choice for books, there is still value in printing physical books in addition to or instead of digital ones. These printed versions can offer a different reading experience for users, and in some cases — particularly with reference books or workbook-style pieces where people want to write or notate — a printed book is necessary. It is why case binding, a process that makes a hardcover out of binder board and then wraps it in leather, fabric or another material, can be so effective for certain kinds of books. Case binding offers a classic, elegant look and creates a strong impression for readers. This style is also ideal for larger books that are intended to be handled and used a lot, and it gives them the longevity and durability that can make them valuable.
With this type of binding, the text block (which consists of the cluster of pages half-folded in a particular order) is sewn together before it is placed inside the cover. It’s important to note that the case binding process can be a bit more expensive than some other types of binding because it requires more materials and labor, but for those who want a premium-looking book that will last a long time, this is a great option.