What kind of binding does my project need?

So, you’ve created a wonderful booklet. When heading off to the print shop, the first thing they’ll probably ask you is what kind of binding you require.

Whilst all types of binding serve the same basic purpose, using the right one can create the impression you’re hoping for. It can also help keep copies looking their best for longer in the hands of their owners!

I’ve listed here, the four most common types of binding, and the reasons why you might want to choose any particular one:

Saddle Stitched Binding

Commonly used for documents from 8 pages up to around 64 pages, saddle stitching is the easiest and cheapest type of binding. It involves pages created from several sheets of paper folded in half and stapled together, usually at the left hand edge. The spine is simply a sharp, clean fold, forming the ‘saddle’. This is ideal for booklets, newsletters and magazines.

Perfect Binding

This method is universally used for paperback books. It involves individual pages being glued together, usually at the left hand edge, with thermal glue. A wraparound cover is then added, giving the book a clean, square-cut ‘perfect’ spine. Commonly used for up to 200 pages, perfect binding is ideal for novels, colouring books, professional looking reports and upmarket magazines.

Wiro Binding

Sometimes, people need a document that can lay flat when it’s opened up - without springing back closed! This is especially important for recipe books and instruction manuals. Wiro binding is ideal for this. It involves individual pages being hole-punched at one edge, then bound together with a circular or spiral wire. Because there are no folds and no springy spine, the document can lay flat when opened up, hands free!

Hard Cover Binding

Usually the most expensive, but most durable of all methods, hard cover binding involves sewing sets of folded pages together, then glueing them to a hard protective cover at the spine. Commonly used for 24 pages or more, hard cover binding is a prestigious option for diaries, journals and text books, the kind of documents that receive a lot of usage and need to stand the test of time.

Choosing the right type of binding for your publication can successfully deliver the impression you want to give. Your readers will also enjoy receiving a perfectly made copy that will look it’s best for years to come.