Glue Options For Perfect Bound Paperback Books
I’ve had a chance to experiment with a few different types of glues for my books and the best one I have come across are PVA glues which can be found in any art supply or craft store.
PVA is easy to work with and strong. This is just a common white glue that is very flexible and can be easily brushed onto the spine of the book. PVA glues are acid free and used in libraries to repair books. The biggest problem is slow drying time. You will need to keep the pages clamped together for a while as it dries. Adding another layer of glue to the book block later and attaching the cover works fine.
Another very common glue choice is contact cement. PowerPoxy is a brand name that comes up a lot in my research. This is a neoprene-based contact cement and is somewhat thicker than working with PVA glue, but you can still brush it on the spine. You apply it to both the spine and cover and then let the glue ’set-up’ for a minute before pressing the spine and cover together for drying (which only takes a few minutes.)
My initial projects used Gorilla Glue to glue the pages together. This glue tends to soak into the paper a bit and gives a very strong (and somewhat stiff) spine, but it also expands as it dries which often results in lumpy spines. Plus, every cover I have used it on becomes discolored as the glue soaks in.
The drying time for Gorilla Glue is more like PVA glue, so you will have to keep the pages clamped together for a while as it sets-up. Be very careful not to leave ANY excess glue on the surface of the paper as it will expand as it dries and ‘puff up’ creating the lumpy spine I mentioned before.
You could use Gorilla Glue to bind the pages and then come back with contact cement to apply the covers. I’m not certain how well these to glues would bond to each other over the long term, but my guess is it would be strong enough.
I have experimented with hot glues, but don’t recommend them. They are hard to work with and don’t offer any benefits over the cold glues I have mentioned. The drying time is faster, but I spent a considerable amount of time trying to get smooth even coverage (often resorting to using an iron to re-heat the glued book spines making the glue workable again.)
It may be possible to create some sort of heated glue pot that keeps the glue warm enough for you to brush it on before it hardens and then quickly fold the cover over (or later run a hot iron over the cover to re-melt the glue underneath and bond it to the cover.)
It took a lot of time to get my results (I never had this much trouble with a cold glue) and I wasn’t happy with the results. I recommend contact cement or PVA glues. The dry times are longer, but the results are nicer and more consistent.
Another glue that I have recently discovered is PUR glue. It is very strong and flexible and dries quickly. I’ve come across several commercial binderies that are using it as their primary glue and claim it to be the best on the market.
There are many variations of PUR glue on the market. You can usually find it at your local Home Depot. I have not had an opportunity to use it yet for a project, so I can’t vouch for this glue, but it looks very promising.
If you have a better glue option than those listed (or advice for applying the glues I did mention), leave a comment and share your experience.
Did you like this post? Buy me a latte and say thanks!Trackback uri
http://www.diybookbinding.com/glue-options-for-perfect-bound-paperback-books/trackback/
12 Comments on Glue Options For Perfect Bound Paperback Books »
April 16, 2008
Audra @ 12:17 pm:
Definitely stick with the PVA options. Other glues, while they might appear to be OK from the outset, can turn into a nightmare as they age. Definitely stay away from hotglues. I’ve found that entire books will just pop away from their cases when this type of glue is employed. Various other kinds of glue become brittle and will crack at weak points over time.
admin @ 1:00 pm:
Audra,
Thanks for sharing your experience. PVA is the primary solution I have chosen for my own work for the same reasons you have stated.
Hot glues are usually used in the commercial binding industry and they combine it with spine roughening before the glue is applied to create more surface area for the glue to bind too. My main problem with hot glues is the difficulty of creating an even application of glue without making a huge mess.
PUR glues seem to have all of the key properties of a good binding glue, I just haven’t had a chance to experiment with it yet.
Andrew
DIY Bookbinding » Do It Yourself Book Binding Tutorial - Part 2 @ 1:05 pm (Pingback)
[...] Wait a few minutes and apply a second coat then let everything dry thoroughly.***Check out the Glue Options for Perfect Bound Paperback Books article for more information on choosing the right glue for the [...]
May 29, 2008
Paul Sears Photography @ 11:14 am:
Thanks for the tip! I could use this for matting photography as well.
October 25, 2008
Hakim @ 4:42 pm:
I want to buy your book. However the paypal did not allow it. How can I purchase this book?
March 27, 2009
John @ 9:55 am:
Hi, thanks for the tips on glue.
As I live in Scandinavia some of the brands you name is unknown to me. But I did find some PVA based carpenter glue in my basement that worked perfectly. The brand was Evonor 620, very flixible and strong plus its fast drying. It did however make a mess of my cotton swab so I think I’ll get a paintbrush for my next book binding.
April 19, 2009
Jim @ 4:56 pm:
In your video tutorial in bookbinding part 1, you mention that you used a 5 minute epoxy. What brand did/do you use or does not matter? Have you experienced any problems other than the need to get the job done quickly?
April 20, 2009
admin @ 2:28 am:
Jim,
I didn’t seek out any specific brand of 5 minute epoxy (I just used some that was left over from another household project.)
My main reason for choosing this glue was speed and convenience.
The books made with this glue continue to hold up well and I can’t say that I’ve had any problems with them. The short working time is the main issue I’ve experienced.
Andrew
May 12, 2009
Walter Ruthard @ 8:02 pm:
Hi,
regarding hot melt glue for DIY paper back books: I do this all the time and with great results and it’s much quicker than with cold glues and just as strong.
First I use a glue gun to apply the glue across the tightly clamped book block (spine). With a sharpened spatula I then cut off the excess of glue on both sides of the block. Then I insert the block into the prepared cover and place both on the hot plate which is made of an aluminum plate sitting on a heating element from an electric cook stove.
All I have to do now is to watch both ends of the book so that the hot and liquid glue does not run out of the spine. When the glue becomes visible on both ends, I take the book off the heating plate and place it on a similar plate that acts as a heat sink.
Works all the time and there is no deformation or any other blemish on the spine.
May 17, 2009
admin @ 12:28 pm:
Walter,
Thanks for sharing your gluing technique. My own experiences with a glue gun were not as successful.
If I had the space to setup something like the heating plate you described, I might have better luck. Cold glues are a better option for me right now.
Andrew
June 19, 2009
Michael @ 3:28 pm:
For paperbacks I use hotmelt glue and a hot air gun.
Use the airflow and a stick to guide the glue when melted. When the glue covers the entire spine, i put a piece of fabric over, this fabric also secures the front and back cardboard.
Usually takes me 10 minutes to glue a book.
I have had no loose pages, even after numerous re-reads or lookups.
June 20, 2009
admin @ 9:59 am:
Michael,
Thanks for the detailed explanation of your technique.
Another variation of hotgluing that I’ve come across involves using an electric hotplate to melt the glue in a pan and then dipping the book spine into the melted glue.
That approach would give a nice even coating of glue. I haven’t tried it, but it sounds promising.
Andrew