Binding Bookbinding Booklets Books

Perfect Bound vs. Saddle Stitch; Which Book is Right for You?

One of the most important decisions to make for your next book printing project is what type of binding option to choose. While saddle stitch binding is our most popular and cost efficient form of binding, if you have a high enough page count, perfect bound is also a top choice. In this blog, you will find some information and examples that will help you choose the best binding for your book.

binding-characteristics

There are two main things to keep in mind when selecting your binding: (1) what is your final page count going to be?; and (2) do you have a budget?

What is your Page Count?

One big factor when choosing binding is the minimum and maximum page counts needed for both perfect bound and saddle stitch book binding. Saddle stitch binding works very well for smaller page counts, whereas perfect binding is great for larger page counts. If your book is between 8 and 92 pages, saddle stitch is the most cost-effective choice. If your book has over 28 pages, perfect binding becomes another option.

page-count-requirements
For saddle stitch binding, the higher the page count gets, the more you have to keep in mind about page creep. This is when the inner pages stick out farther than the pages closer to the outer cover. This usually happens when there is a large number of pages or when a thicker paper is being used.creep

 

 

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A saddle stitch book with fewer pages will most likely not have to worry about creep because trimming may not be as noticeable as with higher page counts. So, if you have a book with a higher page count, perfect binding might be the best option.

Customer Example: Pittsburgh Moto Magazine (84-page Perfect Bound)

Since the majority of magazines you see on store shelves are perfect bound, Pittsburgh Moto, an 84-page publication, chose perfect binding to give their magazine that high quality look and feel you see with other widely circulated magazines. Since perfect binding is superior to the other binding types, it may help increase your return on investment because you can resell these perfect bound books to subscribers at a higher cost.pittmoto-mockup

Another cool characteristic perfect binding offers is that you can put text on the spine if your book is thick enough. Since Pittsburgh Moto prints 3 to 4 issues a year, this binding option allows them to add in their magazine name, year and issue number down the spine, as you see with other magazines.

Are You on a Budget?

Though perfect bound book binding is more expensive than saddle stitch, it offers a highly professional appearance at a fairly low cost. If you plan on reselling your books, choosing perfect binding can help you sell them at a higher cost because of the higher quality and durability it offers. If you’re on a budget and perfect binding is a little out of your price range, saddle stitch is still an excellent alternative (and is still our most popular binding option). Whether you choose perfect binding or saddle stitch, the quality we provide will still give your printed book a sharp and appealing, professional look.

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