How To: Bookbinding
At M.E.S while printmaking is our first love, bookbinding is a close second! We have provided below a brief run down of the key materials involved in the process as well as some tips and product advice for approaching your own bookmaking projects.
Papers and Boards
The beginning to any book project is selecting your paper. We stock a range of bookmaking papers such as the popular Hereford paper, a lovey midweight option perfect for the beginner bookmaker. However, you can really use any paper to suit your project; in our example we have used a beautiful 100% cotton watercolour paper to create a sketchbook ideal to take quick watercolour sketches when working en plein air.
Note: We have used Arches HP 300gsm paper and a Professional Bookbinders Board for this project
Book Cloth
Book cloth is available in a range of finishes and colours. The always popular Buckram cloths are a stiff cloth that is tough and has a smear-resistant acrylic making them perfect for the beginner book binder.
In our example image we have used a cloth from our new Cilaux range of cloths which feature a lovely silk matt surface and textile feel as well as a smooth lining for easy application of glues and adhesives.
Note: it is always recommended to use a quality blade for precise cutting of your book cloth. We like the heavy duty NT Knives for this purpose
- Buckram Book Cloth
![A close-up image of a green buckram book cloth, showing its texture and solid colour.]()
$17.01 - Iris Book Cloth
![A close-up image of a deep grey Iris Book Cloth with a fabric-like texture for use in bookbinding projects.]()
$14.54 - Chelsea Book Cloth
![A swatch of solid blue Chelsea book cloth]()
$12.45 - Natural Range Book Cloth
![A close-up image of a beige, natural book cloth with a textured weave.]()
from $12.35 - Cilaux Book Cloth
![A close-up image of a orange book cloth with a textured surface.]()
$15.30
Glues, Tapes and Adhesives
For traditonal bookbinding a good quality PVA/Glue that is Acid Free and pH neutral is a must for preserving the longevity of your books. At M.E.S we offer both the Lineco and TBB acid free Bookbinding Glues.
An alternative to gluing can be found in our Double Sided Adhesive Sheets (used in the example here). These sheets are double sided with a white protector to peel away on each side. In our example we have adhered a pre-cut piece to our book cloth before attaching the board.
Whether using glue, tapes or other adhesives a Bone Folder will always come in handy for smoothing out the application of cloth and paper to your boxboard.
- Yamato Rice Paste Glue
![A green tube of Yamato Rice Paste Glue with a yellow cap, placed on a surface with papers and packaging around it.]()
from $6.58 - TBB Acid Free Bookbinding PVA
![Three bottles of acid free PVA glue in different sizes, labeled for bookbinding use.]()
from $9.51 - Lineco Adhesive pH Neutral (PVA)
![A person is using a brush to apply Lineco adhesive on a book that is laid open on a table.]()
from $21.82 - Frog Tape: Delicate Surfaces (Yellow)
![A roll of Frog Tape with yellow packaging, designed for delicate surfaces, with product information and the brand logo visible.]()
from $14.12
Tools
One of our favourite tools for bookbinding is the Nonaka Screwpunch which can be used to quickly make perfect and consistent holes in your book signatures for binding. The bits for this tool come in a range of 11 sizes for varying size holes. We recommend having a slightly bigger hole than the size of the needle being used.
In the example image a number 18 needle is used with a 1.2mm screwpunch bit.
- Bone Folders
![Two beige bone folders, one with a tapered, point placed on a white surface.]()
from $11.86 - Nonaka Screwpunch Blades (Individual)
![Set of 11 Nonaka Screwpunch blades of varying sizes on a white background]()
from $11.73 - TBB Bookbinding Awl
![A wooden bookbinding awl with a metal shaft and a rounded wooden handle, placed on a beige surface.]()
$12.03 - Hahnemühle Bamboo Bone Folders
![Hahnemühle brand bamboo bone folder, displayed in an open white box with the product name and website visible.]()
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Needles and Threads
Bookbinding needles come in two basic styles - straight and curved - with each suited to different styles of binding. While straight needles are suitable for most stitches, curved needles come in handy when looping around previous stitches; such as when doing a coptic stitch (as seen here).
Threads come in a variety of thicknesses and colours to suit any project. Here we have used the Wenzel Linen Thread. This thread comes lightly waxed but a bit of extra beeswax has been applied to help the thread move easier through the thicker paper used and prevent fluffing.
- Bookbinding Needles
![Three black bookbinding needles of different types, 2 straight and 1 curved, placed on a grey surface.]()
from $1.27 - TBB Waxed Thread 6m
![A thread card of high tensile strength pure linen thread in a Salmon colour, on a neutral background.]()
$8.40 - TBB Set of 8 Bookbinding Needles
![A set of 8 bookbinding needles laid out on a surface, including various sizes of straight and curved needles.]()
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