Book Binding

Books are source of information, especially if we have to look for information about our history and culture. If books that are centuries old are still available, it is only because they have been bound in a way so as to ensure that the pages were given ample protection. Book binding is defined as the process of assembling a book from sheets of paper. This a permanent method of ensuring that all the pages of the book are bound together when compared to the alternatives like stapling, sewing or using a tape.

History of Book Binding

The craft of book binding first originated in India. Palm leaves on which religious sutras were copied were bound together with the help of long twines. Buddhist monks took this idea through modern Persia, Afghanistan and Iran and finally to China in the first century BC.

Around first century AD, the Romans used wooden boards sewn together known as Codex (Latin for tree trunk) which was a solution to lengthy scrolls. However, the Coptic Christians of Eqypt made the first breakthrough and discovered that vellum sheets when folded could produce a book that could be written on both the sides. Wooden boards were used to hold the book together and a goatskin leather bag was used to carry the whole book together.

Book Binding Techniques

The bookbinding technique that is required for a particular book depends on many factors the main being the space available in the margin that can be utilized for binding. While some bindings are more durable others allow the books to lay flat when opened. Cost is also an important factor that has to be considered while deciding on the binding method.

Some of the common binding techniques are:

• Case Binding: is also known as edition binding and is the most common type that is used for hardcover books. In this kind of binding, individual signatures are sewed together, flattened against a spine. End sheets and a strip of cloth are attached the spine. Next the hard covers are attached and lastly the spine is bound to the hinges along the edges of the cover near the spine.
• Thermal Binding: In this kind of binding, heat fused cloth or plastic strips are used. This kind of binding provides a very neat look and allows the documents to open flat.
• Stitched Binding: is commonly seen in small booklets and calendars. Here, several sheets of paper are folder and staples are placed on the fold. The fold serves as the spine of the booklet.
• Comb Binding: In this type of binding a piece of corrugated plastic is used that fits into rectangular holes that are made in the paper. This kind of binding allows documents to lay flat when opened. These are inexpensive but give the book a professional look.
• Coil Binding: In this kind of binding, a continuous coil of a wire or plastic passes through the many holes that are made in the paper. This kind of binding is expensive when compared to coil binding but they can add a colorful look to the book. Just be careful that the loose ends of the coil at both the sides of the book are coiled into the book so that they do not accidentally poke the people using the book.
• Wire Binding: In this type of binding, double loops in addition to wires are used. The loops are crimped to hold the wires in place. This is a sturdier alternative when compared to coil and comb binding.
• Ring Binding: uses notebook binders along with flexible covers and metal rings that open and close thereby providing the facility of adding or removing pages at the convenience of the user. Three rings are commonly used but more rings can be added if the number of pages that have to be assembled is very large. Ring manuals are suitable for manuals where page revisions may be required periodically.

Some of the common supplies that are used in bookbinding are adhesives, binder’s board, book cloth, bookbinding leather, leather conditioners, plastic coils, wires, rings, sewing supplies, headbands for decorative purpose and spine reinforcement products.

You can pick up an interesting hobby by becoming a book binder. You will find plenty of tips to start bookbinding as a hobby on the Internet. You can even order a starter kit which comes which comes with all the supplies that you will require to bind a book.

I hope this article has provided some interesting inputs to bookbinding. But as the saying goes, ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’. Open the book and judge whether it is of any benefit to you. Happy reading!