By
Sarah Harris
If you’re working on a book, whether through a publisher or on your own, you have a dizzying array of decisions to make. From fonts and graphics to page size, getting each detail right is essential for making the book pleasing to the eye.
Is it a novel? A reference book? A collection of photographs? A notebook with inspirational quotes on each page? Your printing choices can seem endless!
Here’s one more important decision: What binding is right for your book?
There’s saddle stitching for short booklets or brochures; hardcover binding is an excellent choice for authors who want to present a classic, upscale appearance; and section-sewn binding glues together short sections of pages for maximum durability.
If you want a lightweight, sleek look and your book is around 200 pages, you may want to go with perfect bound booklet printing.
What Is a Perfect Bound Book?
Perfect binding is a special process that gives softcover and paperback books a neat, even appearance.
First, the cover and pages are glued at the spine. Then, the page edges are trimmed down to make the book look perfect. It’s a highly useful method for bound-book printing, one from which authors can expect long-lasting, visually appealing results.
Benefits of Perfect Bound Booklet Printing
Perfect-bound books are cheaper to print than hardcover books, but that doesn’t mean they’re any less classy or aesthetically pleasing. They also come with some excellent benefits.
Professional and Stylish
While a hardcover book has something of an old-fashioned quality, a perfect bound book is far more modern in appearance, thanks to its even, squared-off edges. Perfect-bound booklet printing gives books a spare, contemporary feel.
Customizable
The perfect-bound book process is incredibly versatile. Authors can experiment with paper stocks of varying thickness, texture and finish. Sizes can be nonstandard, and while the perfect bound-book printing technique is best used on small books and booklets, it can also work for large coffee table books or art books.
Secured
The glued-in pages are well-anchored in the binding, allowing for years of trouble-free reading.
Is Perfect-Bound Booklet Printing Right for Your Project?
You might be sold on the advantages of the perfect book printing and binding process already, but keep in mind that it’s not perfect for every book.
For example, textbooks and cookbooks must lie flat and stay open for hands-free reading. For these sorts of books, spiral binding or hardcover binding is preferable.
Moreover, a hardcover binding can lend a more antique feel if your book evokes a specific era in history the way a collection of Victorian ghost stories or an analysis of Gregorian chants might.
Why Choose PBS for Perfect Bound-Book Printing and Binding?
Many self-published authors choose perfect bound booklet printing for its durability and relatively low cost. At Print Bind Ship, our perfect binding process is ideal for authors looking to create large runs of books or sell them through our print-on-demand service.
We print and ship worldwide, which means we can get high-quality perfect bound booklets into your readers’ hands fast.
Experience
We’ve been working with authors and major companies for decades on large printing projects, and they’re all more than happy with the quality of the books they receive.
If you’re looking for a printing partner that understands the ins and outs of binding types, paper styles and weights and can make books that stand the test of time, you’ve found it in Print Bind Ship.
Design Assistance
We’re not one of those printing companies that just take whatever files you send, print them and hope for the best. Our in-house designers will work with you to ensure that your book looks like a work of art before it ever gets to the print stage.
Highest Quality
When you choose Print Bind Ship, you can be confident that your books will come out consistent, attractive and durable. We realize that a subpar print job reflects poorly on you as the author, and that’s not something we want to happen. Expect top-notch book printing every time.
How to Order Perfect Bound-Book Printing Online
Ready to finally see that book you’ve been working on take physical form? Here’s how it works:
- Contact Print Bind Ship and tell us about your printing needs.
- Send us your files.
- Receive your books.
It’s that simple!
We’ll print a test version of your book to make sure it meets your approval before producing the final version. Then, it’s just a matter of letting your customers know your book is available for purchase.
Feel Like a Genius with the Perfect Printing Partner
Perfect-bound books are stackable, attractive and long-lasting. No wonder it’s the binding method of choice for so many authors. It’s also one that Print Bind Ship specializes in.
Authors who truly want to wow their readers can also use our Mail Genius service to include custom notecards, special offers, merchandise and personalized notes that look like they’ve been written by hand! For perfect binding and custom options, trust Print Bind Ship.
FAQ
Perfect binding is a process used to bind softcover books that involves gluing pages directly to a cover, then trimming the pages for a perfect appearance. By contrast, hardcover books feature sewn page sections glued to flexible end-papers that are then glued to the hard spine.
Most perfect bound books or booklets are upscale magazines, brochures and softcover books.
The term “perfect bound” refers to the neat, no-frills appearance the binding process achieves. Pages are glued to a flexible cover and then trimmed for a clean, flawless look.
It’s possible to bound bind books as long as 400 pages. However, high page counts can make books vulnerable to broken spines.
Perfect binding can be performed on booklets with as few as 40 pages, though thin papers can necessitate higher page counts.