Which Binding Style is Best for…?
By: Mike Welsch, President, Muscle Bound Bindery
Published in Printing Industries of Minnesota, April 2006

Binderies are asked a variation of this question every day, and for good reason: It’s the perfect place to begin planning a project. The finished product should be fully conceptualized by the designer, printer, bindery and end user well before ink is laid to paper.

While our topic question may sound simplistic, very few projects are a slam-dunk for a particular binding style. However, here are some guidelines to give you a head start during planning:

Saddle stitching – An economical binding style that works best for thin projects such as brochures and booklets. If your product isn’t intended to be used for very long and doesn’t have much bulk, saddle stitching may be a good fit.

Perfect binding – Also economical, perfect binding offers a classic appearance and versatility: Books bulking from 1/8” (and sometimes less) to over 3” may be perfect bound. Spine printing is also possible, which is a plus for retail applications. A variety of glues are available to accommodate a wide range of stocks. One drawback to perfect binding is that hot-melt adhesives are stiff when cured and don’t allow the book to lay flat.

Otabind – This patented binding style provides a similar appearance to perfect binding, but utilizes a detached spine to allow books to lay completely flat. Otabind can be an attractive alternative to mechanical binding for projects such as cookbooks, children’s books and music books.

Mechanical binding – These styles hold sheets together with plastic or wire elements rather than glue. Mechanical binding allows books to lay flat, and some styles (such as Wire-O and spiral binding) permit users to open books 360 degrees. As with Otabind, mechanical binding is popular for cookbooks, user manuals, and children’s books.

Case binding – Hardcover case binding is the preferred binding style for books with a higher perceived value to end users – such as memoirs or collectibles – or those that mist be built to last for many years. Case binding can be performed to adhesive bound, mechanically-bound or sewn books, the latter providing the greatest strength and durability.

These are not hard-and-fast rules for determining the proper binding style for your projects. Before talking with your bindery, consider these questions: Who will be using these products, and for how long? How roughly will they be treated? What design elements should they have? Your answers to these questions – along with your budget and scheduling requirements – will often point you in the best direction.

Mike Welsch is President of Minneapolis-based © 2010 Muscle Bound Bindery, a full-service post press company specializing in perfect binding, Otabind binding, case binding, library binding and complementary services. Mike can be reached at (612) 522-4406, or at mwelsch@mbbindery.com.