Book binding types explained
We print five bindings, all from a PDF and from one copy. They differ in page count, whether the book lies flat and how the cover file works.
Paperback bookFrom €14.99Perfect binding: glued into a flexible cover. 24 to 200 pages.
Hardcover bookFrom €18.99Case binding: a glued block in a rigid board cover. Up to 400 pages.
Lay-flat photo bookFrom €29.99Thick pages that open completely flat. 24 to 140 pages.
Spiral-bound bookFrom €7.99Metal wire-O binding: lies flat and folds back on itself.
MagazineFrom €7.49Saddle stitch: folded sheets stapled in the middle. 24 to 60 pages.
- Five bindings, from one copy
- From 24 to 400 pages
- Every binding from a PDF
The five bindings compared
Perfect binding (paperback)
- Pages
- 24-200
- Lies flat
- No
- Cover
- Flexible card, separate file
- A4, 24 pages
- from €16.99
- Best for
- Novels, poetry, readers
Case binding (hardcover)
- Pages
- 24-400
- Lies flat
- No
- Cover
- Rigid board, separate file
- A4, 24 pages
- from €24.99
- Best for
- Gifts, theses, long books
Layflat
- Pages
- 24-140
- Lies flat
- Yes, completely
- Cover
- Rigid board, separate file
- A4, 24 pages
- from €29.99
- Best for
- Wedding albums, portfolios
Wire-O (spiral book)
- Pages
- 24-100; A4 portrait up to 160, 21 × 21 cm up to 104
- Lies flat
- Yes, and folds back
- Cover
- First and last page of your PDF, behind a clear sheet
- A4, 24 pages
- from €9.49
- Best for
- Cookbooks, workbooks, manuals
Saddle stitch (magazine)
- Pages
- 24-60, in steps of 4
- Lies flat
- Nearly, with few pages
- Cover
- Separate file; for A4 portrait part of the PDF
- A4, 24 pages
- €7.49
- Best for
- Zines, club and company magazines
One A4 portrait copy with 24 pages and the cheapest options, incl. VAT. The price per extra page differs per binding.
How each binding is made
Perfect binding: the pages are trimmed flat at the spine and glued into a card cover with PUR glue, which is stronger and more flexible than hot-melt glue. The flat spine can carry a title; its width depends on the page count.
Case binding: the same glued block, hung into board wrapped in your printed cover. Neither a paperback nor a hardcover opens flat. Compare the two in paperback vs hardcover.
Layflat: thick, stiff pages joined so each spread opens into one flat surface, for photos across two pages. See photo book vs layflat.
Wire-O: holes are punched along the edge and a metal double-loop wire is closed through them, in silver, white or black. The book lies flat and folds back, which is why we use it for a recipe book.
Saddle stitch: sheets are folded, nested and stapled through the fold. Each sheet makes four pages, so the count goes up in steps of 4. For A4 portrait the cover is the first two and last two pages of your PDF; for A5 landscape, A4 landscape and 21 × 21 cm it's a separate file.
Common mistakes
A manual as a paperback
It snaps shut while you work. Recipes, sheet music and workbooks belong in wire-O.
A magazine not in steps of 4
Plan blank pages before you export: a zine of 20 pages becomes 24.
The spine made too early
Finish the inside first, then make the cover at the size the product page gives for your page count.
The wrong magazine cover file
Only A4 portrait has the cover inside the pages PDF. In other sizes, cover pages in the PDF end up printed inside.
Which binding for which project
- Novel or poetry collectionPerfect bindingLight, with a printed spine.
- Thesis, family history or long bookCase bindingUp to 400 pages and made to last.
- Wedding album or portfolioLayflatPhotos stay whole across two pages.
- Cookbook, course reader, songbook or manualWire-OStays open on the page you need.
- Zine, newsletter or event programmeSaddle stitchLight and the lowest price per copy.
How it works
Upload your file
Choose a product, a size and options, and add your PDF or photo. We check it right away and show you a preview, before you pay.
We print it
We print your order in the Netherlands on the paper or material you chose, from a single piece. No minimum order, no account needed.
We bring it to your door
We ship it to every country of the EU, with tracking. The checkout shows the delivery date for your address.
Questions
What is the strongest type of book binding?
Which binding lies flat?
What's the difference between wire-O and coil binding?
What file do I need for each binding?
More ideas and guides
All ideas and guidesPaperback or hardcover: which one fits your book?
Paperback vs hardcover: page counts, paper choice, cover files and example prices at the same size. Both printed from your PDF, from a single copy.
Photo book or layflat: which one do your photos need?
Photo book vs layflat: what the gutter does to photos across two pages, prices at 40 and 100 pages, the sizes of each and how to set up a layflat file.
Print your own recipe book
Recipe book printing from one copy: a spiral book that lies flat in the kitchen, a paperback or a hardcover. With page counts, layout tips and a template.
Print your songbook, choir book or sheet music
Print a songbook, sheet music binder or choir booklet as a spiral book that stays open on the stand, a paperback or a stapled booklet. From one copy.
Zine printing, from one copy
Zine printing, stapled, 24 to 60 pages, from one copy up to 50. Upload your pages in reading order, no imposition needed. With page counts and riso tips.
Canvas, aluminium, plexiglass or dibond compared
Canvas, aluminium, plexiglass and dibond prints compared: how each looks, which suits photos or paintings, prices at 40 × 60 and 60 × 90 cm, and hanging.
Choose your binding
Upload your PDF in the binding you want and see a preview of every page before you pay.