Perfect Binding

In perfect binding (also known as softcover binding), pages are folded, gathered, sewn, and glued into a cover to form a squared-off spine. At our domestic facility, pages are printed, cut and then fed into a perfect binding machine. The perfect binder, will take both the cover and the interior pages at the same time, roughens one edge of the interior pages and then applies glue, ensuring a fit with the cover that is strong. Perfect binding is the preferred binding method for graphic novels, trade paperbacks, softcover children’s books, coloring books, catalogs, literary journals, and quarterly magazines. Keep reading to learn more about how PrintNinja’s superior softcover binding method will ensure your softcover book is built to last.

 

What Is Perfect Binding?

In traditional perfect binding, like at our U.S. based print facility, sheets are printed, cut, and assembled into their proper page order. From there, the side of the book block is cut off, and the pages are glued into a cover to form a squared-off spine.

Overseas, Mike Printing uses a more sophisticated method, where instead of cutting the book block, the pages are smyth sewn together before being glued into the cover. This methodology provides a far more durable finished product, since the pages are both sewn and glued, and the books can open much flatter, so much less content is lost in the gutter between pages.

Perfect Binding Cover Design Considerations

Keep in mind that production of perfect bound books includes a score running down the binding edge of your front and back cover – about 10mm away from the spine. This is to create a sturdier binding and avoid a ragged crease when bending back the covers. 

Because the book block is glued into the cover, perfect bound books have a 10 millimeters area on the inside covers that will be glued to the first and last inside pages. It’s important to keep that in mind when designing your inside covers, because artwork may be lost in the glued area. Given this, important text and artwork should be kept at least 10mm away from the trim line on the binding side of the inside covers and first and last interior page.

Cover Design

Because perfect bound projects have a spine width that varies based on number of pages and paper weight, every perfect bound cover has different size requirements. You can use our perfect binding cover template to design your cover.