Spiral binding, also known as coil binding is a way of joining a book’s pages and cover. Spiral bounds are very popular for their cheaper costs and great durability. They help in creating a professional presentation of your book.
Once completed, the spiral-bound book pages will rotate around the spiral or coil with no resistance and will remain opened unaided, while you read information. In most cases, a margin of between 1-1.5cm is required to complete the spine.
Today, black plastic coils are the standard for making spiral bounds because they are quite simple, and appear more professional, though there are many other colors used. Standard spiral bounds usually come in dimensions of 8.5 x 5.5”, 6 x 9”, or 8.5 x 11” in width and length respectively.
Where Can I Get Spiral Bind for My Book?
You can spiral-bind your book at most stationery stores. Though stationery sores mostly sell spiral-bound materials, not all of them will spiral bound for you. A commercial station where other offices and book-related services are rendered will be your best alternative.
You may also find some online service providers who can spiral bound your book but such services may cost much more because of the shipping. Also, you may not find it convenient to complain about bad spiral binding services.
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What Are The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Spiral Bound Book?
The main advantages of Spiral bookbinding are;
- The pages of the book with spiral bound can be folded over and can be opened at 180 degrees.
- It can either be produced manually for small orders or with a machine for larger volumes of orders.
- The coils do come in a variety of colors and sizes that will accommodate both small and large spiral bounds.
- Spiral bounds can contain or hold as many pages as possible, depending on their size.
- Spiral-bound is good for products that rely on the use of tabbed dividers such as organizers.
- It is more economical than many other options.
- It is very durable as the coil will spring back to its original shape even when pulled aside or crushed.
The following are the likely disadvantages of spiral-bound;
- Some pages can easily get caught inside the coil and tear easily. This is the reason why you need a professional handler to get spiral bound done for you.
- Spirals are set diagonally, hence the papers may not set properly.
- Once the coil is inserted for binding, new pages are very hard to add.
How A Spiral Book Binding Is Constructed
The spiral binding option will join the cover with pages of books via a coil that is made of plastic or metal. The binding is completed by twisting and inserting the coil through small holes that are already punched along the edges of the spine of the book cover.
The number of holes punched along the spine per inch as pitch and usually vary from 3 to 5 with 4 holes inside an inch and this is the most widely used pitch.
Once the coil of the appropriate pitch has been fed into all the holes, the coil will be crimped at both ends to secure its place.
Spiral coils come in different diameters according to the thickness of the book being bound. This means that the thicker the size of the book, the larger the diameter of the coil size. his will ensure the proper functioning of the book and prolong its appearance.
The cover of a spiral book comes with a different material than paper materials used in making the interior pages. A black vinyl backer is normally inserted and bound into the cover of a book to add more durability and protect the inner pages.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on Book Spiral Binding
What is the minimum number of book pages that can be spiral bound?
It is possible to bind 2 sheets of paper inside a book together. this means the minimum number of pages you can spiral-bound is 4 since each sheet of paper has 2 pages.
What is the maximum number of pages that can be spiral-bound
There is no definite number of maximum book pages that can be spiral-bound, this will depend on the capacity of the largest coil available to bind your book plus the thickness of the paper used for the book.
The largest binding coil has a 2” diameter and can accommodate a block thickness with a diameter up to 1.75 inches. a 2” diameter coil can accommodate more than 900 pages with average thick papers.
Can print on the spine of a spiral bind?
This is impossible. The spine of the spiral-bound contains coils only hence there is no practical way you can have a print on the coil.
What colors can I find spiral binding coils?
You can find the plastic binding coils in options of about 40 colors Though black is still the most popular color used so far, you may also find blue and white colors almost as popular as black. Most printers often use basic colors for spiral binding, though the color used will depend on type and preference for a project.
Can Pages be easily removed in the Spiral-bound book?
Yes it can but it can be extremely difficult because you have to untwist the coil and twist it back after replacing or removing a page.
What Are The Pros And Cons Of Alternatives To Spiral Binding?
There are some alternatives to spiral binding worth knowing, these are;
- Case binding.
- Perfect binding, and
- Saddle stitch binding.
Case binding is also referred to as hardcover binding, and it is the oldest form of bookbinding that is still relevant today. The inside pages are generally sewn together in different sections before they are glued to the end of papers before they are finally glued to the spine of the hard book covers. Hard case covers always lay flat on a table when opened.
One of the advantages of case binding for books is that it offers one of the most impressive presentations. The binding will give your book some weighty feel plus some great quality appearance. Books with case binding are very durable and attract higher retail prices.
The main disadvantage of this type of binding is that it costs much more than other options like spiral binding, hence it is not very economical. Weigh can also be a major issue here because such a book can be pretty difficult to store. Since case-bound books much heavier, the costs of shipping the books are much higher.
The Perfect binding is another option to consider. It is also referred to as the softcover binding, and it is characterized by a poor quality cover. The perfect binding comprises heavyweight cardstock paper that is laminated or coated to protect the content of the book inside.
With a perfect binding, the cover pages and cover themselves are glued together with a strong adhesive. The cover is normally trimmed to the size of the paper because it is normally longer.
Perfect binding is very economical when compared to a hardcover binding. The production cost is low and the costs of shipping are also low. The presentation of the binding is good and it attracts good prices.
The number one downside of perfect binding is that the binding doesn’t lay flat when opened on the table because the cover of the book is glued to the spine of the block. Another disadvantage here is that the cover is made of inferior materials hence it is less durable.
The saddle stitch binding is mostly used for books with very short-term use and those with very small page numbers. Once the pages inside have been printed, they are arranged in stacks and loaded inside a conveyor before they are stitched together with metal staples. Stitching may be done without a book cover.
This option is highly economical and the book covers lay flat when opened on a table. The quick turnaround in making this binding saves time, money, and energy. The main disadvantage of this binding option is that pages of books may nestle awkwardly. The bookbinding is less durable hence the cover and pages within may become damaged.
Conclusion
Just any type of book can be spiral bound because the coils can open and allow the book to be opened at an angle of 360 degrees. Many other binding options will only allow your book to open at an angle of 180 degrees, flat on the table. The hands-free nature of a spiral-bound book makes the binding option more suitable for reference materials. You will likely find today’s manuals, cookbooks, journals, scientific and non-scientific books spiral-bound for convenient access and quick opening. The spiral binding option can be used for short production for hundreds of books- this will save time, energy, and resources. Spiral-bound books also offer some of the best presentations.
