Bookbinding: The most commonly used bindings of books and publications
Before you flip through a book, a chain-store flyer or a calendar, someone has to design, stack, print, and bind them. And it is binding in the printing industry that we will look at in more detail, so you can get an idea of which printed matter can get by with plain bookbinding, and where you cannot do without hardcover and sewn binding. Whether because of design, or functionality and durability. A creatively chosen binding will attract and impress the reader, too.
To choose the right binding, first decide the following points:
- the purpose of the publication;
- how often, on what occasion and in what environment people will use the printed matter;
- durability requirements;
- the number of inner sheets/pages, their material and weight;
- the requirements for creative use of the binding and impressing the reader;
- or financial requirements.
To give you at least a rough idea of which bindings are out there, we have put together their basic overview.
V1 – sewn binding
You know this type of binding well from school exercise books or regular magazines. The cover and inner sheets of paper are stapled together at the spine with flat or rounded wire staples. The rounding creates tabs or eyelets on the spine of the printed matter, for example, for hanging the publication or for setting it in a ring binder. Flat staples resemble the staples of an office stapler.
Most often 1–4 staples are used according to the format of the printed matter. For very small formats (e.g. A7) one staple is sufficient, for A4, A3 and larger formats 3 or 4 staples are usually used. Combinations of flat and rounded staples are also used. Finally, the entire printed material is trimmed to the final size.
V1 is also known as:
- saddle-stitched binding,
- "on a staple / on staples".
The V1 binding is suitable for the production of regular magazines and brochures or customized exercise books. The V1 can bind:
- a maximum of 40 inner sheets with the paper weight of 115 g/m2,
- or up to 60 sheets with the weight of up to 70 g/m2.
Get in touch and we can choose the right binding for your publication together.
V2 – glued binding (also known as "perfect binding" or "paperback")
You almost definitely know this binding from the more representative magazines and journals or slimmer books. It is also known as a paperback. The inner pages of the publication are held together by a layer of glue. The book block thus formed is hinged (glued) into the cover at the spine. The whole publication is then cut into its final shape.
Differences in binding durability and production speed depend on the glue used. At Papírny Brno we use hot-melt adhesives, which have the advantage of fast curing. We produce publications with the spine thickness of 2–50 mm.
We hang (glue) book blocks into covers without flaps or tabs.
We most often bind catalogues, manuals, promotional publications, magazines, or textbooks with the V2 glued binding. We will be happy to discuss specific options with you.
Get in touch and we will choose the right binding for your publication together.
V3 – block binding
This binding is mainly found in university and college textbooks today. A whole book block of loose or folded sheets (book folders) is joined on the side by 2–4 wire staples (depending on the format of the publication). The block usually includes a soft cover without spine. In order to make the textbook look better and not to get injured by the wire staples, the spine and the staples are taped together with a strip of canvas or paper. Finally, the publication is trimmed on three sides.
The V3 block binding is used less and less for publications because it suffers from a number of problems. Most often, the outermost sheets tear at the points around the wire staples, the staples rust, and if the publication contains many sheets of paper, it is very difficult to open. This is why it is very rare, but you will still see it in the above mentioned textbooks or small-circulation non-periodicals.
V4 – sewn paperback binding
The V4 binding is used for larger, i.e. "thicker" publications such as catalogues, atlases, regular textbooks and books that do not need or cannot be in hardcover.
It is a stronger and more durable version of the V2 binding. The main difference is that the book folders are sewn together with:
- melting thread – in simple terms, these are plastic threads that stick when heated, or
- classic thread, which holds the individual book components together.
This will ensure the longevity of the binding and prevent the inner pages from falling out. Then we hang and seal the book block in the envelope without tabs or flaps and trim the three remaining sides (except the spine).
The V4 sewn paperback binding can withstand heavier loads; it is durable and allows you to staple a book block that is up to 50 mm thick.
Get in touch and we will choose the right binding for your publication together.
V5 – semi-hard binding
The V5 semi-hard binding is less common. It is similar to the V2 and the V4, depending on whether it is glued or sewn. It differs in that the semi-hard covers are made of lightweight cardboard, and they do not cover the spine of the publication – which is usually just covered with canvas.
In the past, the V5 semi-hard binding was used for university or college textbooks and books, but it has been superseded by other types of binding.
V6 – Leporello
Everyone has most probably seen and held this binding – at least in your childhood, when you looked at children’s leporellos made of hard sheets of printed or coated lighter cardboard and built playpens from them around you.
Hard sheets of the leporello fold up like an accordion and are joined together with canvas or paper. Each two sheets thus have their own spine – the outermost sheets one, the inner ones on two sides. Finally, the publication is trimmed at the top and bottom.
In addition to children's books, the V6 leporello binding is also used for tourist or souvenir items. Manuals are often folded like accordion folds, but it is not a binding but the way the paper is folded (accordion fold or Z-fold) in this case.
V7 – Quarter hard binding with combined cover edges
The V7 binding looks luxurious and representative thanks combining two materials on the cover. The spine of the book and a few inches of the cover are made of canvas, and the rest of the cover is made of printed paper – often enhanced by lamination, blindblocking (embossing) or partial varnish. Alternatively, the spine is covered with paper and the covers with canvas. Leather or imitation leather are also used.
The V7 binding is our specialty. Get in touch and we will find an exclusive solution tailor-made just for you.
V8 – hardcover binding with edges and non-combined material
In V8 book binding, the boards are covered with a uniform material. Books with a dust jacket usually have a canvas cover, while laminated paper covers are common for books without dust jackets. It is also used for our record books.
In total, there are three forms of the V8 book binding:
- V8 – hardcover binding with canvas-covered boards;
- V8a – hardcover binding with laminated cover;
- V8b – hardcover binding with dust jacket. It does not matter whether you choose coated paper, regular printed paper, special coated paper, or synthetic coated paper;
- V8c – hardcover binding with boards covered with leather, imitation leather, or other coverings. This category also includes board cushion, where a foam padding is inserted between the board and the cover.
Get in touch and we will choose the right binding for your publication together.
