Bookbinding Procedures
Do you have stacks of paper that you neither want to throw nor do you know what to do with? You can bind all those sheets into a book and use it to jot down things to remember, make shopping lists, or even use it as a personal diary. All you need to know are some bookbinding procedures. Those beautifully bound books and diaries on the shop racks may make you wonder if you could bind a book at home. But believe me bookbinding processes are not that difficult. Yes, the book you bind at home may not have the same the finish as the custom bookbinding procedures. Nevertheless, with a little time and creativity you can put those extra stacks of sheet to good use. Let's see how.
Bookbinding Techniques to Choose From
Technique 1
Materials Required
- Sheets of paper (depending upon the size of the book)
- Piece of cardboard
- Wallpaper, contact paper, felt or cotton fabric
- Paper cutter
- A pair of scissors
- White glue or wallpaper paste
- Needle with a large eye
- Twine, carpet thread, crochet thread or quilting thread.
For the Book
Determine the size of the book that you require. Fold the sheets midway. If you want a book of 5 1/2 x 9 dimensions use sheets of paper having dimensions of 11 x 18 as folding them midway will give you pages of the desired size. Each side of a folded sheet of paper will give four pages. Hence divide the number of pages you want to have for your book by 4. Use one sheet extra than the number that you get. This extra sheet will serve as the first and the last page onto which the cover will be pasted.
Place all the sheets on top of each other. Fold them midway. Clip all the four edges to hold the sheets in place. You can also clip the center of the fold. Beginning '' from the top of the fold, start marking for holes at regular intervals. Make holes with the needles and sew the book along the holes.
For the Cover
Cut two cardboard pieces in the shape of the book. These pieces could be the same size or a little larger than the book's dimensions. Place the two pieces on the felt, cloth or the material you are using to cover the cardboard pieces such that there is a gap of 1/8 to 1/4 between them. Draw the outline of the cardboard pieces on the material with a pencil. Remove the cardboard pieces. Now cut the material one inch around the entire outer side of the pencil mark.
Apply glue to the cardboard pieces and place them along the pencil mark. Apply glue to the one inch of extra material along the border of the cardboard pieces. Fold in the four corners so that the tip of the corners of the material lies on the diagonal of the cardboard piece. Now fold in the material along the sides of the cardboard. Let the cover dry.
Apply glue to the outer sides of the first and the last page of the book. Place the book carefully along the center of the two cardboard pieces and smooth down. Close the book and place some weight over it. Leave it to dry for a few days.
Technique 2
Materials Required
- Sheets of paper (depending upon the size of the book)
- Piece of cardboard
- Wallpaper, contact paper, felt or cotton fabric
- Paper cutter
- A pair of scissors
- White glue or wallpaper paste
- Stapler
- Staple pins
Fold the sheets of paper. Instead of sewing them along the fold, staple the sheets together. Wrap the felt, cloth or the material that you are using to make the cover. Cut the material leaving inch extra along the sides of the sheets. Also mark the spine of the book in a rectangular shape. Draw a line radiating out from each corner of the rectangle on the cover material that marks the spine. Cut the cover material along these lines and fold in the flaps that are formed on the top and bottom sides of the cover.
Cut two pieces of cardboard exactly the same size as the front and back of the book. Paste the cardboard sheets one on each side (front and back) of the book. Now apply glue along the outer surface of the spine of the book and place it on the rectangular area on the cover material. Press it hard for some time. Stick the cover material on the cardboard pieces of the book.
Fold the corners of the material in over the tips of the cardboard pieces in the same way as in the previous bookbinding technique. Now fold and stick the rest of the cover along the sides of the cardboard. Put the book under weight for a couple of days to let it dry.
Now that you know two simple bookbinding methods put those extra sheets of paper to good use. Make your book and do your own bit towards conserving trees.
