Books are divided into two very general categories: hard cover and soft cover. Hard covers usually use a Smyth sewn binding and soft covers are typically perfect bound. There are two commonly used hard cover methods, casewrap and dust jacket. Novels usually have a dust jacket for an attractive colourful imprint on the bookstore shelf and the fabric covered cover underneath will usually use gilt lettering on the spine. Casewrap covers are full colour, glossy and don't usually come with jackets. This cover type is commonly used on text or coffee table books but lately is becoming more common on novels.
Here are the standard binding options (and there are additional variations).
Side stitched
The pages are trimmed on all sides and held together staples on the left side. This is a common binding for low circulation reports. It is inexpensive and often used by law firms and medium to large companies. This type of binding cannot be opened flat and doesn't work on books thicker than 1/2 inch. Sometimes the book will be drilled on the left side and held together with twine or other decorative stitching. This is the original method and is still used today for very small run decorative or art books.
Saddle stitched
For very small books (less than 64 pages) this is the binding of choice. For books of this size it is difficult to glue the pages together. The book is printed in a two-up format (4 pages on one sheet of paper -- 2 front and 2 back) and stitched or more commonly stapled in the centre.
Perfect bound
The most common type of binding used today. The pages are trimmed on all sides and then glued onto the cover, either hard or soft. This is an economical binding and all manner of books today use it, even some high quality coffee table books.
Notch bound
This is essentially a modified perfect binding. The paper is trimmed on only three sides. On the untrimmed inside margin several notches are cut. Sometimes twine is glued into the notches. When the cover is glued onto the pages it forms a very good bond eliminating the problem of the pages starting to fall out as can happen with regular perfect bindings.
Spiral Bound
If your book needs to lie flat like a recipe book, or be folded back to back to be useful then this is the binding for you. The pages are cut on all four sides with holes punched in the margin so a metal or plastic spiral holds the pages together. With this binding the thickness of the book is limited.
Comb bound
This is very similar to spiral binding except the book can not be folded back to back but can lie flat. Some of you will recognise this as a Cerlox binding. The advantage of the comb bound book is a cleaner look where the title can be printed on the spine and pages can be added at a later date (not as easy as it sounds as anyone who has tried to do this without the proper equipment can attest). This binding will also limit the thickness of the book.
Smyth sewn (rhymes with blithe)
This is the traditional binding. The book is divided into several smaller booklets which are saddle stitched together (always with thread not staples) and then glued to the cover. This method is generally reserved for hard cover books and is available in several grades. But don't confuse this type of binding with a hand sewn binding.
Hand sewn
You may be able to find someone in your area that hand binds books. Smyth sewn books are done by machine and the process is based on the system used to hand bind a book but there are distinct differences. The main difference is, of course, that hand binding is done by hand. The pages are folded in signatures the same as Smyth sewn but are hand sewn to heavy cords or ribbons. The cords and ribbons are used to attach the cover boards and using cords result in the ridges that you see on the book spine. Leather is the material of choice for the cover but there are many variations. The resulting book is costly but lovely and a pleasure to own, particularly if you are the author. You might want to have a couple of copies of your book hand bound so have your printer reserve several pre-bound book copies that you can use for special binding.
I have listed the bindings in their order of cost. The Smyth sewn binding will be on the order of five times more costly than the least expensive bindings (a hand binding can be five times more costly again). Your choice of binding should all come down to use and price. The price that you will be marketing your book will probably limit you to two or three of the binding choices. The nature of your work, how long the information will be useful and who will buy it, will direct you to your final choice.
Michael Dyer has been a full time graphic designer for over 15 years. He has designed all manner of communication but his first love is a good book finely bound.
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information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
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