Advantage Book Binding

June 27, 2017

Determining what style of book binding to use greatly depends on the purpose of the book being created.

Books have been around for thousands of years, and in that time, many styles of book binding have emerged. Determining what style of book binding to use greatly depends on the purpose of the book being created. Here are the most common styles of book binding you can expect to find, some other factors that go into the book binding process, and the consequences of choosing the wrong binding for your book.

Styles of Book Binding

Perfect Binding: For this binding, the book must be inserted into the binding machine. A small amount of material, about 0.125 inches, is then removed, either from the spine of the book or from the back. The next step in the process, roughing, prepares the pages of the book for the glue that will hold them together. This process is occasionally called adhesive binding. This style of book binding is most common with paperback novels, but it is used for hardcover books as well.
Notch Binding: In notch binding, every group of pages carries notches from being folded together. Like perfect binding, an adhesive is also used to hold the books together. Notch binding is also a wise choice for binding paperback or hardcover books.
Lay Flat Binding: Lay flat binding mimics the appearance of perfect or notch binding. However, this style ensures a book will remain flat on a table while being used. Books with this binding must be fed into what is known as a binding line. Then, as in perfect binding, 0.125 inches are removed from the spine. A type of cover known as the detached cover is added on. Now, the book can lay flat.
Sew Binding: In this style of binding, a machine sews the spines of the books together.

Other Factors in the Process

What are some other factors in the book binding process? First, whichever type of binding is used is arranged by the ultimate purpose of the book. A coffee table book would have a much different purpose than a Bible intended as a family heirloom. Two other factors in the process would be the overall expense of the project, and how long it would take to produce the book. Perhaps most importantly, the book’s binding can also serve to make the book easier to use and last longer.

What Can Go Wrong?

Avoid choosing the wrong book binding. Always keep the end user in mind, because it is the end user who will ultimately benefit from the finished product. Also, the user will become aggravated by the fact that the book might not lay flat while in use. This circumstance is especially true of workbooks, which are much harder to write on when they won’t stay flat.

Choosing less durable bindings can also interfere with the end user’s experience. If for example, a college textbook has a less durable binding, it could easily break apart, especially considering the constant use a textbook will face.