Hardcover Book Printing

With so many options available for binding a book, our customers often wonder, “What’s the difference between hardcovers and paperbacks?”

A hardcover book uses the case binding method, in which trimmed blocks of pages are gathered and glued together, then cased in with a stiff cardboard cover.

Paperback books, also known as softcover or perfect bound books, may also be trimmed and glued, but they use a “perfect bound” binding method. Perfect bound books use a soft, flexible cover that wraps around the pages and is glued in place to the spine of the book.

While a perfect bound, softcover book is the right option when you’re looking for an economical alternative, nothing beats a hardcover book for durability and elegance. Choose a hardcover book if you need to ensure a premium presentation. Hardcover books are the right choice if you want:

• Long-lasting wear resistance
• Abundance of style options
• Heirloom quality
• Unique appearance that stands out
• Timeless appeal
• High page count

Perfect binding is the style of binding used for softcover or paperback books. Softcover books are a great choice for workbooks, activity books, fiction, and other book genres, and they can be customized with special effects like Diamond 3D Foil.

Spiral coil binding, or coil bound books are available in soft covers only. They are bound using a plastic coil that loops through the pages, allowing them to turn easily and the book itself to lay perfectly flat.

A saddle-stitched book is created by trimming and gathering pages, then stapled down the center to attach the pages to each other to a soft, flexible cover (such as paper stock). Saddle-stitched books are typically short, slim, and small — just 36 pages or less, and no bigger than 7” x 9”. Saddle-stitched books are a great option for manuals, programs, pamphlets, and magazines.

If you’d like to see sample of your hardcover book before ordering a large quantity, you can! For a one-time charge, we can print a retail-ready copy of your book, so you can see the quality of the final product for yourself before we complete the full run, or full print order. This is called a printed proof, and can be requested when you place your order for at least 10 books.