Common Binding Types Part 1

Binding is the act of physically assembling the paper inside the cover. Factors such as cost, number of pages, and the purpose of the book will affect the type of binding you choose.

Here are the most commonly used binding types:

Type #1: Perfect Binding

Perfect binding (also known as "softcover") is a type of binding suitable for publications with a wider range of content than bound products.

This makes it the most used book binding technique if we want to stay within the most economical and fastest binding range. Perfect binding is created when the pages are glued together at the spine.

The cover is usually made of thicker cardstock that wraps the inner pages to protect the book. "Perfect" binding gets its name from the trimming of the pages.

You can choose this binding style if your publication has a spine thickness of at least 0.1875 inches. Therefore, it is a binding technique suitable for publications of at least 40 pages and no more than 300 pages.

Without a doubt, this book is the most commonly used publication for this binding method.

If you plan to print textbooks, informative booklets, or thick magazines, you might also consider this binding, an especially economical and quick option for getting a professional-looking product.

Type #2: Spiral Binding

The spiral binding method uses a coil made of very durable plastic to join the pages and cover of a book.

The coil is shaped like a long spring, inserted and twisted through small holes in the edge of the book cover and page binding.

The number of punched holes per inch is called the pitch and usually varies between 3 and 5, with 4 holes per inch (4:1) being the most widely used pitch.

After threading the appropriate pitch coil through all the holes in the cover and page, crimp the ends of the coil to hold it in place. Spiral coils are available in a variety of diameters to accommodate books of different thicknesses. With too much paper the coils are easily damaged.

In most cases, the cover of a spiral-bound book is made of a different paper than the inner pages. Depending on the project, the cover is usually heavier, smoother, and/or has a different texture than the inner pages.

Some spiral-bound book projects call for a sheet of clear acetate bound to the front of the book and a black vinyl backing to the back of the book.

These covers are a relatively common request for certain book projects, especially manuals, as it adds to the durability and finished look of the document. The helical coil binding method uses spring-like coils to join the book cover and pages as a unit but allows them to turn freely.

Books bound in this way can lay flat and be read hands-free, making them a great choice for making instruction and repair manuals, cookbooks, manuals, guides, and other reference materials.