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How to choose the right binding for your printed document
Affecting the look and the feel of a document, binding is an incredibly important part of the production process and can transform the aesthetics of your report, brochure or book.
If you’re new to the world of printing, knowing which type of binding is right for your project can be difficult. To make your life a little easier, here’s a quick run down of some of the most common binding options.
Saddle stitched
One of the most affordable binding options, saddle stitching is suitable for documents that are made up of between 8 and 80 pages. The technique is achieved by punching wire through the spines of the pages to be bound. The wire is then bent flat on the inside of the document, giving an aesthetic that is similar to stapling. It is a popular choice for booklets and magazines.
Perfect bound
Ideal for documents that have between 32 and 240 pages, perfect binding is used for publications that have a soft cover, like a paperback book. Perfect binding uses glue to keep the different sections in place, and this allows it to have a flat spine. It can be neatly trimmed to size, giving it a professional and stylish appearance. It will be the first choice for most brochures, catalogues, travel guides and prospectuses.
For more details see Why choose perfect binding?
Case bound
The standard binding method for hardback books, case binding is the perfect choice for high-end projects and documents that require a high class and durable finish. There are a few different types of case binding, but in general, the inner pages of the document are sewn together in sections before being glued to end papers which are themselves then glued to the book’s cover.
For more details on binding hard back books see Book Binding Options Explained.
Spiral bound
To create a spiral bound document, holes are drilled or punched into the pages – the technique can be used on books of between 2 and 275 leaves – before wire is threaded through the holes to keep the pages in place. The wire is then crimped at each end to prevent it slipping.
Wire-o (wiro) bound
Wire-o binding is an affordable option for documents with between 2 and 275 leaves and is a popular choice for both large and small documents as well as hanging and desk calendars. Unlike spiral binding, wire binding resembles a C-shape. One side is threaded through the holes in the page, then the two sides are squeezed together to form a ring. The advantage is that it allows the book’s pages to lie exactly next to each other when flat.
Plastic comb bound
Suitable for documents with between 2 and 230 leaves, this style of binding uses a plastic comb threaded through rectangular holes to keep the pages firmly in place. It is often used for reports, journals and notebooks.
We hope this guide will help you choose a binding solution that suits your budget and your publication. If you need more advice, please get in touch to discuss your requirements.