If your client or customer wants a bound book, we can be your reliable finishing partner! For over 25 years, we have specialized in binding and finishing for printers across the United States, particularly in the Paper Valley of Wisconsin.

Today, let’s talk about the two methods Binding Edge uses to bind a book with covers.

Before we dig in, please remember that pre-planning is the single most effective way we can deliver a project on-time and on-budget for you and your final customer. Always stay in touch with our team as early as possible in the project, and communicate any changes along the way, so there are no surprises.

It is our goal to save you time and money when submitting a book to be bound with covers.

Method 1: Before Trimming

The most efficient way to bind a book with covers is to collate the signatures with covers before trimming. This means all your sheets are aligned with the covers so they can be trimmed together.

Method 2: After Trimming

An alternative method for binding a book with covers is to collate the signatures with slip sheets and then 4-side trim the bookblocks. Then, slip sheets are swapped out for the actual covers.

This second method is more labor-intensive and can drive up the cost of your project. That’s why we need all the necessary components on-hand prior to finishing your project! To ensure that we are ready to handle your work, please communicate with us early and often.

How else can you ensure that we deliver your finished product in the most time and cost-efficient way?

Make sure that you provide your printed covers with enough gutter on all four sides of each cover. We need enough room to cut them to match the corresponding signatures. When the covers are the exact size of the signatures, including any lip, the trim will be quick and accurate. If a cover is smaller than its signatures, it runs the risk of not jogging correctly.

Have more questions about the best way to bind your books with covers?
Contact the team at Binding Edge and you’ll get a real, live person to talk you through the process!