We all know that books can be divided into hardcover books and soft-cover books. But is it actually this simple? Not quite. Soft cover binding is quite versatile and can consist of a few types of easy and affordable binding techniques.
Want to learn more about soft cover binding? Keep reading to learn everything you need to know, including how it works, its pros and cons, and how professional printing creates the soft cover-bound materials you’re looking for.
What is Soft Cover Binding?
When trying to understand what soft cover binding is, it can be easier to define it by what it’s not. Hardcover binding consists of binding pages within a hard spine and front and back covers that protect the pages inside, and soft cover binding consists of the other types of binding which do not include these inflexible materials. Soft cover binding is highly popular due to its affordable price, lightweight, and flexibility. That’s why it is used for mass-market paperback books.
Contrary to popular belief, paperback books or novels aren’t the only types of finished books that use soft cover binding. Some other materials that are often printed using soft cover binding include:
- Training manuals
- Employee handbooks
- Directories
- Newsletters
- Booklets
- Prospectuses
- Songbooks
In short, soft cover binding is used for a wide range of products beyond literary books. It’s a versatile and useful binding technique that works well for almost any product.
How Does Soft Cover Binding Work?
Soft cover binding is an easy process that can bind anywhere from tens to a few hundred pages together.
The most common type of soft cover binding is called perfect binding. Perfect binding is the type of binding used for many modern books and paperback novels, for example. Professional printing companies create perfect bound books by following a few steps:
- The book pages are arranged in the correct order.
- One side of the pages is ground down, which will eventually become the book spine.
- This area is glued to the cover paper. This glue holds the book block together.
Perfect binding is an easy process that doesn’t need any complicated techniques or expensive materials.
Soft Cover Binding: Pros and Cons
When considering whether soft cover binding is the right binding for your next printing project, take a look at these pros and cons.
Pros
From durability and quality to affordability, soft cover binding might be the best option for your printing project.
Durable
If you’re looking for a book or booklet that will last over time, soft cover binding is a great choice. Glue binding is hardy and will hold up to many readings.
When printing using soft cover binding, you can also choose a thicker cover paper that provides sturdier support for your book and helps it last longer. If you’re wondering which cover papers would be best for your project, feel free to ask a professional printing company such as The Print Authority for advice.
Superior-Quality
Soft cover binding isn’t only sturdy; it’s also high-quality in other respects. For example, the clean lines of soft-cover books give your products an air of professionalism.
Soft cover binding also allows for a choice of special features, such as cover flaps. These elevate your books even further and make a great impression on readers.
Affordable Production
Soft cover binding is not only a fantastic design choice; it’s also fantastic on your budget. It is an affordable binding style, particularly compared to hardcover binding.
Cons
If you’re considering soft cover binding, make sure you think about the following questions.
Design Limitations
When working with soft cover binding, the binding is permanent. Therefore, it’s important to make sure that your book design and contents are exactly the way you want them before you send your materials to the printer.
If you’re printing materials that you think you might want to change later, binding styles such as coil binding and comb binding might be a better fit for your project. These binding styles allow you to add or take out pages even after the material has been bound.
Quality Risks With Non-Professional Printers
As is the case in pretty much every field, the professionals know best. This is particularly true when it comes to printing, which requires specialized machines and the knowledge that comes with decades in the industry.
If you try to print soft-cover books yourself or with inexperienced printers, you run the risk of receiving shoddy materials that fall apart and don’t uphold your business’s commitment to quality. All of your materials reflect your company’s professionalism, so printing unprofessional books leads to an unprofessional image.
Proper Soft Cover Binding With The Print Authority
When printing materials for your business, it’s important to partner with the experts. That’s why The Print Authority is your best bet for high-quality soft cover binding services that will make your products — and by extension, your company — look great.
We’ve been providing soft cover binding services to businesses in a diverse range of sectors for over three decades, and we know the importance of great printed materials. We love to help our clients succeed!
To get started with the soft cover binding that will give your print products the boost they need, contact The Print Authority!
