What is “Perfect Binding” and when do I use it?

Perfect binding is commonly used for catalogs, directories and paperback books that have a higher page count. Pages are glued together at the spine with a strong, flexible glue. The cover is wrapped around the glued pages, and the brochure or catalog is then trimmed to its finished size.  No stitching is done.

Price
Perfect Binding is aesthetically more pleasing and the piece will have an spine area that can be used to print on.
This more refined look comes at a price, on average you can expect to add 10%-15% to your total print cost with perfect binding which
could be cost prohibitive on some projects.

Advantages of Perfect Binding

• Overall valuable look and appeal
• Printable spine
• Longevity
• Ability to creatively interleaf pages. You can use a variety of paper weights, colors and finishes nearly anywhere you like.

Limitations of Perfect Binding

• Does not lay flat. You lose design space in the gutter area.
  Not suggested for applications in which hands-free reading is
  important (e.g., cookbooks or instruction manuals)
• Recommended thickness:
  Minimum: .125 inch (if spine is printed) or .0625 inch if spine isn’t printed.
  Maximum: 2.25 inches
• Turnaround time. Even though both binding processes are done automatically, allow an extra day for perfect binding.

When you have different options available to you like binding, the best thing to do is to think of Supreme Printing as your design partner. Together we’ll solve potential problems or obstacles before they arise, and you’ll be amazed at the brilliant ideas that spark.”