Binding

Find the right book binding option to tie the look of your project together

How your information is presented is an important decision. There are a number of ways that manuals, books, reports etc can be bound. To help you make an informed decision among the numerous bindery options, here are descriptions of several ways you can attach loose sheets of paper. Bindery methods vary according to cost, durability, appearance and of course the size and quantity of the publication. 

The binding options are:

  • Perfect Binding
  • Plastic Comb Binding
  • Wire Binding
  • Wire Binding with a Printed Spine
  • Saddle Stitching
  • Tabs
  • Ring Binding
  • Loop Staples
  • Plastikoil
  •  
   

 
 
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Find the binding style that suits you best

The following outlines several different styles of binding for you to consider and choose from.

You will see the following details on each style of finishing to help you choose what is best for the end user application of your catalogue.

 

Perfect Binding

Pur binding-106Perfect binding is known as the perfect bind. Perfect bound with Pur refers to polyurethane, the type of glue used, which is much stronger and heat resistant than other paper based EVA glues.

Perfect bound books are made up of stacked pages. These are gathered into a book and the edges of the spine are ground off (or notched). When the book block is glued into a paper cover, the pur glue that attaches the sheets to the spine can flow into the notches or ground-off areas. The covers and book blocks are then trimmed flush.

Perfect bound books are square at the spine and use pur glue to hold the pages, like a paperback book. It gives your books a more professional feel. It can accommodate a page count up to 640 pages (320 leaves 80gsm).

PUR is strong and eco-friendly. Polyurethane Reactive, also called PUR, is a popular glue due to it's superior binding strength and eco friendliness.


Lay-flat - PUR glue is more flexible than EVA glue and provides lay flat qualities when the book is opened. It is ideal for music books and cookbooks, which are read on the desk, and two-page spread such as photo books. This lay-flat quality makes it easy to read books and extends the book life.

Pur binding 2-551High Binding Strength and Durability - The binding strength is about three times stronger than the EVA glue. Coated paper or specialty stocks, which can be be a problem with EVA, are bound securely in PUR bound books. EVA glue binding strength becomes weaker over time. However, the PUR glue retains durability and flexibility in both high and low temperatures for long lasting book quality. 


Another big advantage of perfect bind is that you can also have information printed on the spine.

 

  What Does A Perfect Bound Book Look Like - click here to view on YouTube.  

Saddle Stitch

saddle-stitch-300x188pxSaddle stitch booklet catalogue is suitable for 8pp (pages) to 100pp (pages). Finished size is normally A4 or A5 when closed, although custom sizes are also available.  This style of catalogue typically has a heavier weight cover (200-300gsm) and content pages (80-150gsm) however some are the same weight throughout.

Saddle stitched is two staples inserted in the spine and folded in half to form a booklet.

This is the most economical method of finishing for a catalogue.



Square Fold Saddle Stitched

sqaure-fold-saddle-stitch300x300pxThis is a smart new look for full colour books. The square fold produces creased cover sheets, and face trimming to create crisp, sharp square spine booklets that can be opened flat and are easy to handle, stack and store.







 

Plastikoil

Plastikoil-Binding300x300pxAlso known as spiral binding, Plastikoil is a commonly used book binding style for creating documents, reports, presentations and proposals. Documents bound with coil can open flat on a desk or table and offer 360 degree rotation for easy note taking. The continual spiral binding gives document security and ease of use to the end user. Standard color is black but other colors are available.






Plastic Comb Binding

Plastic-comb-binding300x300pxThis binding method is good for technical manuals that have a lot of pages and must lie flat. The stack of pages comprising the book is punched with a series of holes along the binding edge through which a plastic comb is inserted.  

Plastic comb binding can accommodate a page count for circle ring of 500 pages (250 leaves), oval ring of 900 pages (450 leaves). Pages can be added or removed as needed. Available in a wide range of colours.






Wire Binding 

Wire-Binding-300x300pxWire bound catalogue—Wire binding is one of the most popular commercial catalogue binding methods used and is known by a number of different names including twin loop wire, Wire-o, double loop wire, double-o, ring wire and wirebind. With this binding method, the punched pages go onto a "C" shaped spine and then a wire closer is used to squeeze the spine until it is round. Documents that are bound with wire binding will open completely flat on a desk and allow for 360 degree rotation of bound pages.

There are two common hole patterns used in binding documents with double loop wire. Each hole pattern has specific sizes and applications where it is best suited. Here is a quick overview of the different options.

3:1 pitch (3 holes per 25mm) Up to 120 80gsm leaves – 240 pages

The three to one pitch hole pattern is most commonly used for binding small sized documents with double loop wire. Spines for this binding style are available in sizes between 4.8mm and 14mm in diameter. Three to one pitch wires are not available in sizes larger than 14mm. The size of the holes used with this pattern simply does not allow for larger spines to be manufactured.

2:1 pitch (2 holes per inch) Up to 240 80gsm leaves – 480 pages

Although a two to one pitch hole pattern is most commonly used for binding larger sized documents it can also be used for binding smaller diameter books. Two to one pitch wire is most commonly used in sizes ranging from 15.9 mm up to 32mm. However, we can use special small sized 2:1 pitch wire for binding documents as small as 6.4mm. 

 

  What Does A Wire Bound Book Look Like - click here to view on YouTube.  

Wire Binding with a Printed Spine

Wire-Binding-with-printed-spine300x300pxThis method of wire binding allows for a spine making the catalogue easy to identify when lying in a stack or in a book shelf. Wire is a traditional 3:1 and 2:1 pitch wire binding option. Available in a wide variety of colours, wire binding gives all your bound documents a classic look. 

It can accommodate a page count for 3:1 wire of 240 pages (120 leaves), 2:1 wire of 480 pages (240 leaves)







Ring Binder

Ring-Binder300x300pxRing binder catalogues are very useful for operational manuals or any type of manual or catalogue that is going to be updated. Pages can be easily removed and replaced. Inside pockets, 2, 3, or 4 ring binders are available.

Another popular option to consider when using ring binders is tabs that are used to separate topic sections. Tabs make it easy to find the right information in a ring binder quickly.

 



 



Tabs

Tab-300x300pxWhen combined with tabs the binding methods above produce an easy to use manual.








 

 

 


 

Contact us to discuss the the best binding option for you. Today!  


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Binding History


Bookbinding is the process of physically assembling a book of codex format from an ordered stack of paper sheets that are folded together into sections or sometimes left as a stack of individual sheets. The stack is then bound together along one edge by either sewing with thread through the folds or by a layer of flexible adhesive. Alternative methods of binding that are cheaper but less permanent include loose-leaf rings, individual screw posts or binding posts, twin loop spine coils, plastic spiral coils, and plastic spine combs.

For protection, the bound stack is either wrapped in a flexible cover or attached to stiff boards. Finally, an attractive cover is adhered to the boards, including identifying information and decoration. Book artists or specialists in book decoration can also greatly enhance a book's content by creating book-like objects with artistic merit of exceptional quality.

Before the computer age, the bookbinding trade involved two divisions. First, there was stationery binding (known as vellum binding in the trade) that deals with books intended for handwritten entries such as accounting ledgers, business journals, blank books, and guest log books, along with other general office stationery such as note books, manifold books, day books, diaries, portfolios, etc. Computers have now replaced the pen and paper based accounting that constituted most of the stationery binding industry. Second was letterpress binding which deals with making books intended for reading, including library binding, fine binding, edition binding, and publisher's bindings. A third division deals with the repair, restoration, and conservation of old used bindings.

Today, modern bookbinding is divided between hand binding by individual craftsmen working in a shop and commercial bindings mass-produced by high-speed machines in a factory. There is a broad grey area between the two divisions. The size and complexity of a bindery shop varies with job types, for example, from one-of-a-kind custom jobs, to repair/restoration work, to library rebinding, to preservation binding, to small edition binding, to extra binding, and finally to large-run publisher's binding.

There are cases where the printing and binding jobs are combined in one shop. For the largest numbers of copies, commercial binding is effected by production runs of ten thousand copies or more in a factory.
 
 

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