How many types of book binding are there?
Many aspiring publishers face the question of what binding means. In its simplest sense, the word binding refers to the book cover into which the printed book is inserted. The history of the appearance of the binding has more than eighteen centuries when the masters began to make the first binding of books.
What is Book Binding?
Book binding is the term commonly used to denote the cover of a book or any other printed publication, that is attached in various ways to blocks of notebooks or a stack of book sheets. The process of combining book material and the cover is called binding.
The binding of the book is perfect for soft-cover books. It provides:
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Minimum thickness - 5/16"
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A clean, professional appearance
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Flat, printable spine
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The tough yet flexible glue bond
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Thick card stock cover with a clear coat for improved look and durability
Benefits of Book Binding
Nowadays, there is a vast variety of book binding types. Some of them are more durable, some have an attractive appearance, others allow the book to lie flat when open. Depending on the type you choose, all have their advantages, but there are some common benefits. Among them, we distinguish:
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Book binding protects the book pages, albums, and magazines from deformation.
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Book binding plays a decorative role and creates the appearance of the book.
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Book binding contains and presents the reader with basic information about the book.
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Book binding makes it comfortable to hold the publication.
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Book binding is used in the advertising industry.
Types of Book Binding
Any book or folder requires high-quality binding. After all, the safety of the book and its cost depends on the quality of the cover, that is, the binding. But a high-quality and durable binding is required not only for a book, but also for a diploma, a thesis project, a folder, and other documents that need protective packaging. To talk about the types of bindings, you need to understand for which publications they are used:
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primarily for fiction, educational, and other literature;
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for magazines, notebooks;
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for albums, including photos;
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for promotional handouts,
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for gift publications.
Depending on the type of publication, financial costs, and other determining factors, the next book binding types are distinguished. The most commonly used are the following:
Case Binding
Case binding is also known as hardcover binding. It creates a durable book complete with a covered spine and book cover. The cover of the book might be: cellophane or not (with or without film), stitched and glued, or simply glued. Besides, the hardcover is made of cardboard and various methods of processing it. The outside cover can be covered with vinyl, fake leather, or even a cloth. For a case cover, the pattern is applied by embossing, most often with foil. This type of binding is invariably used in the design of fiction books, gift editions, and photo albums.
PROS
The main advantages of using case binding are the weighty feel and durability. Keep in mind, this type of binding book attracts high retail prices.
CONS
As to the disadvantages, then one should pay attention to the weight of the books bound with the help of this method. The thing is, they are heavier, and it may result in higher shipping costs.
Spiral Binding
Spiral book binding is also known as a wire-o binding. This type is one of the most popular book binding types all around the world. The process involves punching pages together with a metal or plastic coil that is threaded through the holes along the edge of paper pages.
PROS
This type is a perfect solution for short-run books. Besides, it doesn't require minimum order quantity and is an extremely low-cost type of book binding.
CONS
But keep in mind, it is not acceptable for standard distribution and your book will have the self-published look.
Saddle Stitch Binding
It is a perfect choice for publications that might have a short-run use or a relatively small number of pages. The ages are stacked together using metal staples.
PROS
Saddle stitch binding is a highly economical technique with a fairly quick turnaround. It has a minimal amount of excess bulk. So, you won’t have to pay for the extra weight while shipping on a long distance. Besides, it is the perfect type for binding brochures or booklets.
CONS
It can cause creeping when used for a vast amount of pages. Besides, it is not as durable as the previous method because the publication can be easily damaged.
Book binding can be done both by the employees of the enterprise themselves, who have the necessary knowledge and skills, as well as by book binding services. In the latter case, a professional approach is guaranteed and the binding is carried out following all the standards. Also, the enterprise, in this case, does not have to purchase all the materials and tools necessary for book binding.
What should you do to bind the book?
As a result of bookbinding, the customer receives aesthetically pleasing (without the cover crease) and correctly (according to the requirements of the customer) formalized papers with an opening angle of 360 degrees, which makes it possible to subsequently scan the publication. The books bound in this way are convenient for further use, take up less space on the shelves and eliminate the loss of papers.
Employees of the book binding service will make an offer to the customer free of charge and assess the scope of work. After agreeing on the terms and signing the contract, all the services will be performed as soon as possible. The customer will only have to receive the papers and pay for the work. Our company works both with enterprises, organizations, foundations, and individual entrepreneurs. We guarantee the quality of our service and provide a warranty. You can pay for our services both in cash and online with a credit card.
