Everything you need to know about book binding, explained by our own printing house. The finishing and binding give your book its final look and sturdiness. From sewn and perfect bindings to matt or gloss lamination and luxury techniques such as foil and spot UV, in this category we explain which finishes exist and when to use them.
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Which method of book binding do you choose?
The binding follows from the thickness of your book and the way it will be used. Up to about eighty pages, saddle stitching works well: the sheets are folded and stapled through the spine, so the booklet lies flat. Above that you move to an adhesive binding, which also gives you a printable spine. If your book has to last for years or will be opened often, thread sewing is the sturdiest option: the sections are sewn together with thread before being glued into the spine.
Then comes the finish. Matt lamination looks restrained and slightly more expensive and shows fingerprints less; gloss makes colours stronger. For background on the craft itself, the overview article on bookbinding is a good starting point. Which binding suits which book is covered under hardcover or softcover and under paper and materials.