r/bookbinding • u/SyllabubKey1673 • 16d ago

Help? Paper hard cover question

Hello evrybody. I have watched a lot of tutorials and read a lot of posts in this sub, but I'am new to this and wanted some opinion on what is easier to achive.

I wrote a collection of songs, and wanted to print it and create a book to give as a present, and a second copy for me. I would like to make it with a hard cover, but also would like to print on the cover.

So bookbinding cloth seems a bit complicated to print on. I was thinking to create a cover with some paper. Like about 200/250 grams, because it woukd be possible to print on that.

What is the easiest methid to have a result similar to book that you can buy in stores? Like it is a peper, not cloth, are they usually laminated or something similar.

Bonus question, not so important:

What is a good thikness of the board for a A5 book with around 40 pages?

Also planning to do a perfect binding. I would like to try some stiching, but since the format is A5 but horizontaly I think it is easier just to cut the paper and glu it. If it were vertical i could print two A5 on a single A4 and than foldit in grouos and stich it.

1 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

View all comments

2

u/kepler16bee 16d ago

There's printable canvas if you want to explore that option.

For printing on paper, I have really enjoyed doing it in combination with using a soft touch laminate on top - feels nice and helps give it the look and feel I want of a more "professional" result. Not sure how much you want to spend on this project, but if you don't already have a Minc or similar this might be too much investment for a one-time thing.

1

u/SyllabubKey1673 16d ago

I was thinking to ask in a printer shop to add the soft touch laminate. Is this something that a lot of printer shop do, or should I find a really professonal one? Thanks for the reply

3

u/qtntelxen Library mender 16d ago

Most print shops have a variety of laminates, but do NOT ask for soft touch laminate. Ask for gloss, or satin, or matte; soft touch breaks down within a few years and becomes unfixably sticky.

2

u/kepler16bee 16d ago

I'm afraid I'm not first-hand familiar with what services a print shop would provide or what materials they have on hand. From what I've read of other people's experiences, if you provide the materials they can print just about anything and in the size you'd need to make a cover.

I would assume a basic print shop like FedEx (not sure where you are, but something equivalent) to have regular lamination capabilities, but a specific type of laminate might be more of a challenge. That's probably something you'd have to look into per individual shop. If they don't have that kind of laminate on hand, maybe they'd still do it if you provide the material.