DESIGN FOR PRINT// Binding Types for Book

Here are some illustrative diagrams to help the readers understand various common binding techniques. The illustrations run on the same principles as the printing illustrations.

 Saddle Stitch books are very common, and are bound at the spine with staples or stitching. The bind is only really seen in small edition booklets and pamphlets. Special long hinged staplers are made specifically for these books, usually used in an office environment, but common in our studio too...

A Japanese bound book has its roots in very early Japanese, Chinese and Korean paper making. Small holes are drilled through the spine about 1cm in. A strong string, traditionally silk, is then wound through these holes with a fine sewing needle. Finally the knot is tied and hidden in the spin. Some then hide the bound spine with a cloth, however this is only aesthetic.

Thermally bound books are bound with a hot glue at the spine. This glue is then cooled, trimmed and concealed with a book cover. This binding process is most commonly used in paperback books, however many books sold as hard covers are actually Thermally bound. Magazines like NatGeo are thermally bound, with rough edges on the spine to absorb the glue.

Coil Bound books are seen most often in sketch books and notepads. A wire or plastic spiral is wrapped through holes punched into the spine of the book. This allows the book to open 360° like the Coptic bind. The metal spine can look industrial, this is not always a bad thing especially for utilitarian design.

A hardcover, hardbound book has rigid covers and is stitched in the spine. Looking from the top of the spine, the book can be seen to consist of a number of signatures bound together. When the book is opened in the middle of a signature, the binding threads are visible. Signatures of hardcover books are typically a single sheet folded three times. These are bind together at the spine, covered with cardboard and then a material of the binders choice as the cover.

I have also written a bit about Coptic binding however its illustration is in progress!
Coptic binding is an old art, originating around 200AD. The actual binding process involves stitching pages together with a braided string, which is bound to two hard covers. Coptic binding is useful today because the book can open a full 360° despite possibly containing a wide range of paper and card types. For this reason artists and like to use this bind in sketchbooks, however it is a handmade process.