Book binding option: Cover finishes

The way a book looks has an impact on its appeal – the quality and finish enhance its perceived value. There are a variety of different materials and finishes that can enhance your book’s appearance, and provide improved handling and durability. Here are a few of these options.

Laminates

One of the main benefits of lamination is that it significantly increases durability and protects the paper from the elements. It can prevent the cover from becoming worn or torn and will act as an extra protective layer, therefore, a separate dust jacket may not be needed. There are several laminates to choose from – gloss, matt, and soft touch are the most popular choices.

Combining a matt laminate with a gloss UV spot varnish can add an additional touch of luxury to your publication. Using a varnish on selected areas, such as the title and pictures, can give them a lovely glossy sheen that makes them stand out against the matt ground.

If you’re looking for creative finish options like this, please give our team a call to talk through the possibilities.

Cloth, faux leather, and textured materials

For a more traditional look, a cloth or faux leather material can be used with foil blocked lettering. These tactile fabrics are a popular choice when the publication will have a printed dust jacket.

For a more versatile option, use a cover material like Wibalin, which has a fabric-like textured finish that can be printed on. Wibalin is a hardwearing uncoated paper stock, making it an ideal covering for hardback books. It’s available in a variety of textures and in around 50 different colours.

For more details see: What is Wibalin?

Metallic foil blocking and debossing

Another way of adding a stylish, elegant finish to a book is to use metallic foil stamping. It is available in a choice of metallic colours and is applied once the cover has been printed. It can be used to pick out eye-catching details in the design and creates a tactile contrast between the shiny foil and soft-touch background.

When metallic foil stamping used with a textured material, as shown in this example, the area to be foil stamped is debossed to produce a flat area for the foil.

To find out more about any of these finishes or to discuss your publication, please get in touch with a member of our sales team on 01603 868862.