Watch our video demo and/or read through the suggestions below! (If you can't see the YouTube player click HERE.) Turnaround for book binding can take up to 24 hours so plan ahead!
These are suggestions intended to give you a generic idea of what happens when you want to get a book bound. once you've had a book bound and trimmed you'll have a better understanding of how the process works, what your finished product will look like, and how to make the best work you can within the confines of this process.
- The minimum page count for perfect binding a book is between 8 and 12. anything less than that and it kind of defeats the purpose of perfect binding.
- The maximum thickness for binding is approximately 2 inches.
- Design and create your book (make sure to include bleeds on your interior and cover designs as your book will need to be trimmed after it is bound. also be wary of design elements that are close to the edge of your pages and cover and which may get trimmed off or trimmed too closely in this process.) if you *do* design elements that require precise trimming and alignment, be prepared to make some mistakes and for some trial-and-error.
- It is advisable to print a mock-up of your whole book on the SB black-and-white printers first so you can see how all the elements fit together, to proofread, and to make sure things look right in general.
- Remember to include crop marks and/or crease marks on your interior pages and/or cover!
- Print out your final interior pages (front to back, double-sided) on the type of paper you intend to use for the final version (do NOT print them out using Print Booklet in InDesign). also - it is helpful if your interiors and cover are both centered on the page. if that isn't possible you at least want the top edge of your interiors and your cover to line up.
- Do NOT trim any of your interior pages yet. it is advisable to trim AFTER the book is bound, unless there is a specific reason to do so beforehand. your contents need to be at least 5 inches wide to fit properly in the binding machine.
- Measure the thickness of your interior pages to determine how thick your book's spine will be (note: we will NOT do any measuring for you).
- If your cover design utilizes a defined spine or design element, adjust your spine and cover design to the width you just measured.
- Print your final cover.
- Measure the distance from the front spine crease to the outside of the sheet of paper. do this with the back spine as well (note: we will NOT do any measuring for you).
- You can use the worksheet below for reference and recording of your measurements.
- Bring all of your book materials into the SB - including your measurements.
- The binding process can take as little as 30 minutes but during busy times may take up to 24 hours. Plan ahead!
