Book Binding Instructions A4

QUICK REFERENCE

inspiration for the next generation

Book Binding

SKILL LEVEL

12yrs +

EQUIPMENT

PAPER, PVA GLUE, CARDBOARD, FABRIC, STAPLER, COLOURED PAPER OR MARBLED PRINTABLE

TIME

1 hr hr (inc. glue drying)

Learn how to bind books the traditional way and make your own really beautiful hardback books

1.

TAKE EIGHT A4 SHEETS OF PAPER AND STACK THEM NEATLY

2.

FOLD THE WHOLE STACK OVER AS NEATLY AS POSSIBLE

3.

UNFOLD THE STACK

4.

TURN THE STACK OVER AND MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE PAGES ARE STILL ALL ALIGNED

5.

IF YOU DONT HAVE A LONG ARM STAPLER, OPEN UP A NORMAL OFFICE STAPLER

6.

USING A SLOW FIRM ACTION PRESS A STAPLE OUT THROUGH THE PAPER AND INTO AN ERASER POSITIONED UNDER THE PAPER

7.

STAPLE BOTH ENDS ABOUT 2cm IN FROM THE EDGE & TURN OVER, THEN CAREFULLY FOLD OVER THE OPEN STAPLES WITH YOUR THUMB OR A SUITABLE BLUNT EDGE

9.

HOLDING THE FOLIOS TIGHTLY TOGETHER, GLUE THE EDGES OF THE SPINES WITH HOT MELT OR PVA GLUE (ONLY COVERING THE EDGES)

IDEALLY MAKE 4 (OR MORE) OF THESE 8 SHEET FOLIOS

PAGE 1 of 3

PLEASE SEE

DADCANDO.com

8. CUT A PIECE OF THIN FABRIC (IDEALLY COTTON OR SIMILAR) IN A STRIP AS LONG AS THE FOLIOS AND 5 TIMES THE WIDTH OF THEM TOGETHER

FOR MORE WAYS TO HAVE FUN WITH YOUR KIDS AND BE THEIR HERO.

COPYRIGHT DADCANDO.COM 2007

Book Binding inspiration for the next generation

Learn the traditional craft & bind your own lovely hardback book 

10. PRESS THE FOLIOS SPINE ONTO THE FABRIC TAKING CARE NOT TO GLUE THE FABRIC TO THE SIDES BY MISTAKE

11. IF YOU WANT YOU CAN NOW TRIM THE FOLIOS SO THAT THEY HAVE A NEAT EDGE. THIS TAKES PRACTISE. BE VERY CAREFUL WITH THE CRAFT KNIFE

12. PLACE THE FOLIOS ON SOME OLD STIFF CARDBOARD AND DRAW ROUND ALLOWING A BORDER OF ABOUT 5mm

13. CUT OUT TWO OF THE SAME SIZE BOOK COVERS (CUT ONE THEN TRACE ROUND IT FOR THE SECOND)

14. ASSEMBLE THE COVERS AND THE FOLIOS AND USING A PIECE OF SCRAP CARD, MEASURE THE DEPTH OF THE COMBINED COVERS AND FOLIOS TOGETHER

15. USING THE DEPTH MARKER CUT A STRIP OF CARDBOARD FOR THE SPINE, THE SAME HEIGHT AS THE COVER PIECES

16. LAY OUT THE COVERS AND SPINE ON A PIECE OF FABRIC OR LEATHER SO THAT THEY ARE ALL ALIGNED AND ARE SPACED TWO THICKNESSES OF CARD APART. THEN MARK

THE FABRIC WITH A BORDER OF ABOUT 25mm ALL ROUND AND NEATLY CUT OUT TO THE MARK

17. GLUE THE COVERS AND SPINE IN PLACE USING PVA (WHITE GLUE) SPREAD EVENLY USING A SCRAP OF CARD AS A SPATULA

PAGE 2 of 3

PLEASE SEE

DADCANDO.com

FOR MORE WAYS TO HAVE FUN WITH YOUR KIDS AND BE THEIR HERO.

COPYRIGHT DADCANDO.COM 2007

Book Binding inspiration for the next generation

Learn the traditional craft & bind your own lovely hardback book 

18. GLUE THE BORDER OVER AS NEATLY AS POSSIBLE TAKING CARE WITH THE CORNERS. FOR THICKER FABRICS YOU

MIGHT HAVE TO CUT OFF SOME OF THE HIDDEN CORNER FOLD TO AVOID IT BEING TOO BULKY AT THE CORNERS

19. APPLY GLUE TO, AND SPREAD EVENLY OVER, ONLY THE CENTRE-MOST PARTS OF THE COVER (NOT THE SPINE)

18. GLUE THE FLAPS FROM THE SPINE BINDING FABRIC TO THE COVERS (DO NOT GLUE IT TO THE COVER SPINE)

19. PRINT OUT THE MARBLED PAPER, OR MAKE YOUR OWN, BUY SOME, OR USE THE DADCANDO LINER DOWNLOADS AND CUT OUT

20. NEATLY PASTE THE FIRST PAGE AND THE INSIDE OF THE COVER WITH GLUE. MAKE THE GLUE EVEN AND RIGHT UP TO THE EDGE

21. FOLD OVER YOUR LINING PAPER AND GLUE ONE HALF AT A TIME TO THE FRONT PAGE AND TO THE INSIDE OF THE FRONT COVER

22. REPEAT FOR THE BACK

PAGE 3 of 3

PLEASE SEE

DADCANDO.com

FOR MORE WAYS TO HAVE FUN WITH YOUR KIDS AND BE THEIR HERO.

COPYRIGHT DADCANDO.COM 2007