Binding Services

Binding Services Information

We provide a wide range of binding services for all types of documents and purposes. We can bind manuals, work books, reports, technical manuals, educational projects and dissertations, all to a high standard and with a quick turnaround. Whilst all of our offices offer binding solutions, please check that the office you normally use provides the service you require. Normally if they do not offer the exact style you want they will be able to send it to the nearest office that can provide the service. This may however take slightly longer so you should consider this when choosing which option which suits you best. Below is an overview of the types of finish available.

Wiro Binding

Wiro binding uses coated metal wires available in black, white & silver. This accommodates A4 documents of just a few pages up to a block of print up to approximately 25mm in thickness. Wires can be cut to accommodate smaller documents or A4 short edge, and in some cases can be joined for binding larger A3 or A2 documents and sets of illustrations. We keep a range of types of card and acetate overlays which provide extra rigidity and durability to the bound document. Punched holes are either 3:1 or 2:1 pitch depending on the thickness of the document (this roughly changes at approx 12mm in thickness). The binding margin on the left hand side of each facing page needs to be 10mm for 3:1 pitch and 15mm for 2:1 pitch. We can offer wiro binding services for any quantity of documents from 1 upwards!

Comb Binding

Comb binding works in much the same way as wiro binding but requires punched rectangular holes rather than the round holes used in wiro binding. Whilst we stock mainly black or white combs, they are available in a multitude of colours to order. The advantages of comb binding are that the combs can be reused if adding pages into existing documents and they also allow the binding of thicker manuals or files up to 50mm in thickness. Again we can add acetate overlays and card backings onto comb bound documents and quantities are only limited by your requirement.

‘Steel’ Thermal Binding

Thermal binding is a system that does not require holes to be punched in the documents to be bound. The system uses a number of different thicknesses of narrow ‘U’ shaped channels with an acetate overlay on the front and the back of each. The block of paper to be bound is dropped into the channel and then it is heated up on a hot plate so that the paper edge is bound in with thermally activated glue. Once this cools and hardens the pages are fixed into the channel. The system has the advantage of being neat and less bulky than wire or comb binding. The documents will not however sit flat on a table when opened. This system will accommodate documents of only a few sheets up to approximately 25mm in thickness. We generally only carry black coated channels but for longer bespoke runs we can obtain other colours. This system is only suitable for A4 documents.

‘VIP’ Thermal Binding

The ‘VIP’ system works in the same way as the ‘Steel’ thermal bind system but use a black, hard back cover & spine much more like a traditional hard back book. Again we have a number of spine thicknesses allowing us to bind documents from 3mm up to 24mm in thickness. This process is very suited to quick turnaround dissertation binding. This system is A4 portrait only.

Hard Back Channel Binding & Gold Blocking

This system produces a bound hard back book with embossed lettering on the front and spine if required. The covers have a matt buckram style cloth material finish. Gold lettering can be applied in two positions (top & bottom) of the front page using a maximum of three lines in each position and a maximum of 32 letter characters (including spaces) on each line. As an additional element we can gold block a single line of text on the spine of each book. As all text is set by hand we offer a next day service on this option. The system is a clamp binding type and as such it can be opened up and have replacement pages inserted but there would be a nominal charge for this. Lettering can be metallic gold or silver if required. This system is A4 portrait only.

Hard Back Wiro Binding

This ‘hybrid’ option uses a hardback cover with the internal pages wiro bound together and fixed into the outer cover. This is a good option for design books and we can offer not only A4 portrait but A4 & A3 landscape options. As an additional option we can also produce full colour laminated ‘dust jackets’ for hard back books and can advise on this as required.

Saddle Stitched

This is the simplest option for producing small booklets. Sheets of paper up to A3 in size are printed on both sides, collated together, creased, folded and then stapled at the spine. Booklets can be a finished size of A6 & A5 (portrait & landscape) or A4 portrait only. This is suitable for any number of booklets. For long runs finishing is automated, for short runs it is produced by hand. Depending on paper thickness, we can produce booklets up to 48pp (printed pages) by this process.

Perfect Binding

Perfect Binding is the process commonly used to produce magazines and paper back / soft cover books. This process is suitable for longer runs books, magazines and brochures. Prices are quoted by order and minimum orders apply. Prices and lead times for all of our services are available on request. Please use the contact form to submit your inquiry or call your local office.