Format 06 · Book
Book
Cased, sewn and built to be opened repeatedly. For monographs, archives, cultural publishing and anything meant to outlast its launch.
A strong fit when
- The book will be opened many times over many years
- Spreads run across the gutter and must lie flat
- It goes into a library, an archive or a collection
- The object itself is part of what is being said
Consider another format when
- The content dates within a year
- Budget is the deciding constraint and perfect binding meets the required use
How it is built
The construction decisions that shape the result.
- 01Signature
- A printed sheet folded into a group of pages, usually sixteen or thirty-two. Page counts planned around complete signatures can improve sheet efficiency.
- 02Section sewing
- Thread passes through the fold of each signature. This supports flatter opening and keeps the sections securely joined through repeated use.
- 03Case
- Boards and spine covered as one piece, made separately from the text block and joined at the endpapers.
- 04Rounding and backing
- The process of shaping the spine into a curve. It is optional, adds a production stage and gives a casebound book a more traditional profile.
Stocks we run
- Uncoated text, 100–170gsm
- Book cloth, buckram and wrapped papers
- Greyboard cases, 2–3mm
- Coloured and printed endpapers
Finishes available
- Blind emboss and foil on the case
- Sprayed and gilded edges
- Head and tail bands
- Ribbon markers
- Slipcases
Quantities and lead time
Both depend on structure, stock and finish, and quoting them without a live brief would be misleading. Share the job and we will price the specification against your date.
Start a book briefSeen in
Index No. 07Services that cover it
Book questions
Useful before we begin.
01Sewn or perfect bound?+
Section sewing suits books that need to open well, be read repeatedly or enter an archive. Perfect binding can suit higher page counts, tighter budgets and publications with a shorter use cycle. Stock, extent and image crossovers should be assessed with the binding choice.
02Why make a paper dummy before artwork is finished?+
Paper determines the book’s bulk, opening behaviour and spine width, none of which can be judged accurately on screen. A blank dummy in the intended stock makes those decisions visible before pagination and cover artwork are final.
Specify the project
Let us shape the right book around the job.
Share the contents, dimensions, quantity, finish direction and delivery date. We will identify the decisions that need a sample, proof or structural check.