What’s perfect binding?

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Perfect binding is a cost-effective method for binding books, manuals, and other documents. It involves aligning the pages, gluing them together, and attaching the cover with adhesive. This method works well with various grades of paper and is commonly used for paperbacks, training manuals, and course workbooks. It is also becoming popular for heavier book covers and smaller publishing concerns. The process is relatively simple and easy to use, making it accessible to those with little bookbinding experience.

Perfect binding is a binding method that is used for many types of less expensive books, manuals, and other simple document collections. Unlike some binding processes that require stitching the pages into the spine of the book, perfect binding requires no stitching at all. Instead, a water-resistant adhesive is used to hold the pages in place by attaching them to the document cover.

The actual perfect binding process involves aligning the individual pages of the book so that they form a perfect stack. It’s not unusual for the bookbinder to use a clamp to hold the pages in place once they’re properly aligned. The pages are then glued together along the binding side of the stack. Once the page gluing process is complete, a second application of glue is used to secure the cover to the page collection. When finished, the perfect binding creates a clean look with a flat spine.

In most applications, perfect binding is used with less expensive binding projects. A paperback book is a great example of using this binding method. The process works well with paper of various grades, making it a good option with paperbacks that use recycled paper or wood pulp as well. Along with paperbacks, perfect binding is also often used for preparing training manuals, course workbooks, and other documents that require some kind of binding process.

In recent years, using softcover has become a viable option with heavier book covers, such as sturdier softcovers on larger books and even hardcover books. Part of the attraction is the lower cost, which allows book makers to sell the product at a more competitive price.

Also known as slipcover binding, the use of paperback binding also lends itself well to smaller publishing concerns, such as in-home desktop publishing and publish-on-demand (POD) businesses. The equipment needed to create a perfect binding is relatively simple and easy to use. The glues used in this binding technique are also easy to work with, making the task of creating a professional look possible even for people with little bookbinding experience.




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