Whether you’re printing a booklet, brochure, magazine, or novel, you want the end product to reflect your hard work. When it comes to book printing, there are a variety of binding options to explore, each of which has its own advantages. Before you send your content to a printing shop, here is a quick guide to help you select the right binding for your needs.

What You Need to Know About Bookbinding Options

Spiral Bound

Spiral binding uses a plastic or wire spiral to hold pages together. It’s often used for reports, short prints, and workbooks, and is a cheap option, though you will need to sacrifice on aesthetics. If utility and cost are more important to you than looks, this is an excellent option.

Lay Flat 

Lay flat binding is a simple, though attractive option that’s perfect for manuals, reference materials, cookbooks, and other books that needs to lay flat when opened. It has a single soft cover on the front and back, and the page ends are glued to the spine. This design is made for heavy use, as well as for users to be able to easily flip through pages.

Hardcover

Hardcover binding is the most recognizable, durable, and aesthetically pleasing option for book printing. They come in a wide variety of materials and textures, so you’ll have a lot of options to choose from. They work well for novels, textbooks, and high-end sales materials, though they do come with a higher price tag.

Softcover

Softcover is a cost-effective alternative to hardcover binding. It’s durable and can be designed a number of different ways. Various page sizes are available, but the smaller the pages and thicker the book, the more difficult it will be to keep it open. Softcover binding is typically used for paperback books.

Saddle Stitched

For thinner books, saddle stitched is an excellent option. Rather than having a spine, pages are neatly stapled to a soft cover. It’s less durable and doesn’t lie flat, though it’s ideal for adding inserts, foldouts, and other unique features at a low cost. Side stitched is a similar option; rather than stapling it at the spine, staples are fixed roughly an inch into the margin, creating an uncovered spine.

Are you looking for a book printing and binding provider in New York? Bestype Imaging is a leading printing service in Manhattan’s Tribeca Neighborhood, and they offer a wide selection of book printing and binding options. They’re proud to work with industry-leading brands and can assist with booklet, brochure, book, and poster printing. They pride themselves on fast turnaround times. Call (212) 966-6886 to speak with a representative, or visit their website to learn more about their book printing and large format printing services.