The importance of a top quality finish for your book cover

Though we all know that judging a book by its cover can be misleading, when you’re browsing through hundreds of publications in your local bookshop or perusing the titles on a company coffee table, it’s almost impossible not to make a snap judgement based on the quality, design and finish of the dust jacket.

If you’re in the process of creating your own publication, getting finishing touches like dust jackets and covers right will help you to produce a product that stands out from the crowd and that you can be truly proud of.

One of the best quality finishes you can apply to a book jacket is lamination. Affordable, effective and durable, a laminated book cover will help to keep your book in great condition and ensure it looks as good as possible.

What is lamination?

If you decide to laminate your book jackets, a very thin film will be applied to the surface of the cover after the printing process. This film provides extra protection by preventing it from easily marking and improving general wear and tear.

The process is quick and easy and most good quality printing companies should be able to laminate your book jackets to a high standard.

Types of lamination

When designing your book jacket you’ll have the choice between matt and gloss lamination. Both of these types of lamination are applied using thermal techniques, however they produce very different results and very different looks once complete.

As gloss lamination is bright and shiny, it’s ideal for catching the customer’s eye.

For high end projects, art books or exclusive publications, a matt laminate may be more appropriate. Giving an instant feel of luxury to the book, a matt cover is sophisticated as well as protective. Its attractive aesthetic can be further enhanced using a Spot Gloss UV varnish to add a professional touch to the cover’s design.

See when to use UV varnish for more details about combining spot UV and laminates.

Benefits of lamination

The main benefit of lamination is that it gives book covers or any publication an instant professional look. Whether you choose a gloss or matt finish the cover is guaranteed to look smart and sophisticated.

Laminate has the added benefit of strengthening book jackets, helping to prevent tears and scratches. Marks and spills will also come off more easily, protecting your publication from everyday wear and tear for as long as possible.

An effective, affordable and practical way to finish your book, magazine or brochure cover laminate will lend an instant look of quality to you next printed project.

Talk to us to find out more about lamination or other printing options.