Type in context - Binding methods

The binding method is a crucial aspect of a publication. Fundamentally, it is what keeps it together and preserves it for as long as possible. Since we will be creating a publication of our own I thought I would dedicate time into researching the different binding methods that I could possibly try out for my own work. 

Saddle stitch

I began by looking into the simplistic nature of the saddle stitch. Though pretty basic, this binding method is functional, minimal and uncluttered. It effectively keeps your publication together and would ideally hold around 8-80 pages together as an estimate. 



Perfect bound

Perfect Binding is a widely used soft cover book binding method. With this binding method, the pages and cover are glued together at the spine with a strong yet flexible thermal glue. The other three sides of the book are then trimmed as needed to give them clean “perfect” edges.The many soft cover books that you see on the shelves at bookstores are good examples of perfect bound books. They have a square, printed spine and the cover is usually made from paper or cardstock that is heavier than the interior pages.  Plus, the cover is often clear coated to provide durability and improve appearance. In addition to authors, businesses and organizations use the perfect binding method on a variety of printing projects because of its professional appearance and relatively low cost. Perfect binding is commonly used for annual and corporate reports, manuals, catalogs, and thicker product brochures and magazines.



Case binding

Definition: The most common type of book binding for hardcover books is case binding. With case binding pages of the book are arranged in signatures, sewn together, and hard covers (cloth, vinyl, or leather cases) are attached.



Burst binding

Burst binding is a type of Perfect Bind where the binding edge of folded sections have been 'notched' instead of pre-trimmed, creating a strong bite for the adhesive.

Stab binding

This method uses single sheets rather than signatures, meaning for this book you can use different stocks, weights and colours as each page is separate. Stab bound books have holes away from the spine, which are then bound together using string/embroidery thread. This method is relatively easy and adds an element of decoration to a publication.