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Hard Bound Books

Here is a short explanation of the different kinds of hard binding and the materials used. Case or edition binding, the most common type of binding for hardcover books, involves sewing the individual signatures together, flattening the spine, applying endsheets and a strip of cloth to the spine. Then the hard covers are attached.

Some of the materials used for hard bound books are cloth, buckram, paper products, and leather. Until the mid-20th century, covers of mass-produced books were laid with cloth, but from that period onwards, most publishers adopted clothette, a kind of textured paper which vaguely resembles cloth but is easily differentiated on close inspection. Buckram is a stiff cloth that is often coated with acrylic and is a very durable cover. Clothette and other paper products are very common and can be made to look like imitation leathers or given linen textures. These are quite durable and cost effective. Leather is rarely used because it is challenging to work with and very expensive.

Here are some swatches of what linen texture and imitation leather covers look like.

Here is a link to my post last year about book binding that you might like to read.

Chris Stevenson cs@sgenealogy.com 

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Binding Your Book

When it comes to binding your book, you have quite a few good choices. You will want to check out all of your options for binding so you can determine what will work best for your book. A good binding will keep the pages of your book together for many years to come, that is the main goal. A hard binding that is sewn AND glued will last for a hundred years without falling apart and loosing pages. It will give your book a better look and feel, but will be more expensive. The coil or comb bindings have some advantages in that they are inexpensive for short runs and will lay flat on the counter or your lap (great for cookbooks). You can also add or subtract pages from the book in the future. The disadvantages to this type of binding are that the holes make the pages weaker so that they can tear out easier and sometimes the coil/comb will break after time and use. Perfect binding can be very inexpensive for long runs and will work with the right glues, but it won’t last as long as hard binding before breaking apart. The strongest and most flexible glue for binding is PUR glue. If you are going to have a perfect bound book, check to be sure they are using PUR glue so your book will last. I hope this helps you decide which binding will work best for your book.

Chris Stevenson    cs@sgenealogy.com
Posted on Leave a comment

Hard Binding

Here is a short explanation of the different kinds of hard binding and the materials used. Case or edition binding, the most common type of binding for hardcover books, involves sewing the individual signatures together, flattening the spine, applying endsheets and a strip of cloth to the spine. Then the hard covers are attached.

Some of the materials used for hard bound books are cloth, buckram, paper products, and leather. Until the mid-20th century, covers of mass-produced books were laid with cloth, but from that period onwards, most publishers adopted clothette, a kind of textured paper which vaguely resembles cloth but is easily differentiated on close inspection. Buckram is a stiff cloth that is often coated with acrylic and is a very durable cover. Clothette and other paper products are very common and can be made to look like imitation leathers or given linen textures. These are quite durable and cost effective. Leather is rarely used because it is challenging to work with and very expensive.

Here are some swatches of what linen texture and imitation leather covers look like.

If you are still confused with some of the book binding terms, here is a great glossary of bookbinding words.

Here is a link to my post last year about book binding that you might like to read.

Chris Stevenson cs@sgenealogy.com www.sgenealogy.com

Posted on Leave a comment

Binding Your Book

When it comes to binding your book, you have quite a few good choices. You will want to check out all of your options for binding so you can determine what will work best for your book. A good binding will keep the pages of your book together for many years to come, that is the main goal. A hard binding that is sewn AND glued will last for a hundred years without falling apart and loosing pages. It will give your book a better look and feel, but will be more expensive. The coil or comb bindings have some advantages in that they are inexpensive for short runs and will lay flat on the counter or your lap (great for cookbooks). You can also add or subtract pages from the book in the future. The disadvantages to this type of binding are that the holes make the pages weaker so that they can tear out easier and sometimes the coil/comb will break after time and use. Perfect binding can be very inexpensive for long runs and will work with the right glues, but it won’t last as long as hard binding before breaking apart. The strongest and most flexible glue for binding is PUR glues. If you are going to have a perfect bound book, check to be sure they are using PUR glue so your book will last. I hope this helps you decide which binding will work best for your book.

Chris Stevenson
Email questions and I’d be happy to help.