Do you enjoy taking notes and writing by hand? Learning how to glue a book binding will let you make books and notebooks whose exteriors are as interesting as their contents. This guide tells you how to glue a book spine so you can get creative before you start writing!
You can bind books with different glues but, generally speaking, polyvinyl acetate (PVA) glue is often the best choice for bookbinding projects; it is very effective, flexible, strong, and also readily available. You can use many wood glues and all white PVA school glues. Loctite Express Wood Glue is a quick-drying, high-strength wood glue that dries translucent yellow in 10 minutes, making it a handy choice for binding books.
When selecting your glue, consider the following aspects:
- toxicity – avoid toxic products.
- strength – you need medium or heavy-grade glue to support the entire weight of the book.
- color – choose a glue that dries clear to avoid marks.
- acidity – buy an acid-free or PH-neutral glue to avoid paper yellowing and spine damage.
- flexibility – your product must allow the book to open and close.
Many larger bookbinding projects involve sewing sheaves of paper together and then gluing them into the binding. If you want to make a book without sewing, try simply gluing a book binding.
Here’s what you need:
- paper
- PVA glue
- heavy books
- binder clips
- scrap paper
- steel ruler
- craft knife
- self-healing cutting mat
- paintbrush/foam brush
- embossing tool
- plain card (optional)
Tip: You can use any size paper for your pages but remember your cover must be large enough to wrap around the front and back pages with overlap on each side.
- Cut paper to size. Use binder clips to hold the paper in place as you cut it using your craft knife, steel ruler, and cutting mat.
Tip: Place scrap paper between the clips and paper to prevent the clips from leaving marks. - Make the paper block. Stack the paper, and line up the sheets’ edges by tapping the stack against the tabletop. Sheets that are not flush will not be glued and could fall out. Secure the paper in place using binder clips as above.
- Apply glue. Using the paintbrush/foam brush, apply a thin layer of PVA glue to one edge of the stack to form the spine.
- Add more layers. Let the glue dry and repeat until you are happy with the results. If your paper buckles during the drying process, place it under heavy books while the last layer dries.
- Trim, if necessary.
- Prepare cover material. Use strong paper. You can double up scrapbook paper and glue it together or attach it to plain card. Let it dry under heavy books to prevent buckling.
- Make the cover. Align your paper stack with the edge of your future cover, spacing it ½” from the edge to allow for overlap. Trace around the stack with an embossing tool. Repeat for the second side, leaving enough space for the binding between tracings. Trim the paper to size.
- Wrap it around. Score 2 additional lines in the cover; they need to be placed ¼” to the side of the lines demarcating your spine so the cover will fold back in a crisp line when you open the book. Crease and fold the cover.
- Trim the cover. Align your pages with the spine and trace along the edges. Use a craft knife and ruler to cut them straight and flush with your stack.
- Assembly. Open your cover and apply PVA glue to the middle of the three sections you scored. Apply most of the glue to the center section, where your spine will go, and spread some to the outer sections. Do not cross the outer scored lines. Press your stack into the center and wrap the cover around the block.
- Let it dry. Hold everything in place with scrap paper and binder clips and leave the project to dry overnight.