Perfect Binding Tutorial to Bind Your Own Book
‘Perfect binding’ is one of the simplest ways to bind your own book. If you are a beginner, then use this method because it requires simple steps and you can also do it quickly (if you have the signatures ready).
‘Perfect binding’ is technique in which a paper cover is attached to a stack of signatures with the help of glue. Using a thick paper for the cover will be better. You may have heard some terms like paperback binding, lay-flat bind and Euro bind. All these refer to the perfect binding only.
So, this is NOT considered ‘perfect binding’. It is instead a more advanced technique.
Book Binding Materials List
Before writing the steps it would be better to have a material checklist. You should have
- some signatures
- a cover (thicker than the papers)
- glue, ( Gorilla Wood Glue
, or white, hot glue, PVA glue etc.)
- scissors
- brush for spreading the glue
Step-by-step Perfect Bookbinding Tutorial
- Arrange all the signatures together. See that all the four sides are even. If any side is out of order then just cut it.
- To keep the entire thing in perfect order clamp it along the spine edge. For thin books you can use strong paperclips. Just use your imagination and use some clamps which will hold all the papers together.
- Using a sand paper you can roughen up the side along the spine end. It will help to bind the signatures strongly when you apply the glue.
- Now take some glue and spread it on the spine edge completely. Let this thing dry and apply the glue one more time. It will ensure that the signatures are connected strongly. Hold this together by using clamps on the spine edge.
- Lastly it is time for applying the cover. When the glue has dried completely take the cover and fold it to match the spine. Now apply the glue again on the spine and attach the cover. Keep this strongly held till it dries completely.
There you have it. A perfectly bound book in easy steps. This bookbinding tutorial is easy to follow and you will have a great feeling of accomplishment after doing it with your own hands.
By Faiz Rahman, who says: I would appreciate your comments on this. To learn more about bookbinding methods, visit http://selfbookbinding.blogspot.com/.
Recommended Further Reading
Interview with great Book Binding Artist,
Which Glue to Use for the Job,
Allergy ingredients in craft-supplies, and
How to bind a book: 3 simple bookbinding methods
Bound books really are beautiful. I’d love to be able to take a plain book and make it into a work of art, but I’m not particularly good when it comes to craft. Nic + Hot glue = disaster.
I usually get myself a bound diary but they’re always so expensive and they don’t feel like they belong to you for quite a while. But if you’re writing in something you’ve bound yourself, I bet it feels like it belongs to you immediately, your personality is already part of it.
I know there’s thermal binding machine and things like that (in fact, my sister’s got one) but they always make something look so formal. Don’t get me wrong, my sister’s made some amazing looking scrapbooks but they do look so formal, as though any scrapbooker could have made them.