Insights

Print and Binding Tips From Sooner Than Later.

When it comes to print and binding, appearance is everything, it is key to ensure that you select the binding option that works best for your brochure or book. There are many different binding options so choosing the option that best fits your project is important as it can be the difference between a good brochure and a great one! But what are the binding options? Sooner Than Later offers a wide range of binding options, from Saddle Stitch to Wiro Bound and Perfect Bound Binding! Whether you’re looking to improve the quality of your printed materials or issue a stylish brochure to promote new materials, Sooner Than Later can help you find the perfect binding option!We bind our digitally printed material in many different ways – Saddle Stitch, Wiro Bound and Perfect Bound (PUR).

Saddle Stitch

Saddle Stitch is one of most popular types of binding, it is the least expensive option with the fastest turnaround time. It is simply a wire staple inserted into the spine of your document, holding the cover and the inside pages together. This binding method is used for lots of different digitally printed book types, such as programmes, product guides and calendars. Saddle Stitch digitally printed documents must be created in four page multiples.

Why is it called Saddle Stitching if the pages are stapled and not sewn? During the Binding process, the folded sheets are draped over a device that looks like a saddle. This process was given the name ‘saddle-stitching’ early on and it has become a staple in the printing industry’s terminology ever since. Any bookbinding process that attaches wire staples through sheets of paper is commonly referred to as saddle stitching.

Saddle Stitching is ideal for:

Wall Calendars
Newsletters
Booklets
Programmes
Direct Mailers
Comic Books
Thin catalogues and Magazines

Another advantage of Saddle Stitch is its ability to work with a variety of paper types and finishes. This allows for your booklet to have a classy, professional look despite the low binding costs.

Wiro Bound

Wiro Bounding provides an upscale yet durable way to bind a wide variety of booklets. Wiro Bound digitally printed documents open completely flat on a table and therefore are ideal for presentation style documents, manuals and recipe books. Holes are punched in the cover and the inside pages where a ‘C’ shaped wire spine is inserted and squeezed closed. Each coil is separate from the others, filling up two punched holes at a time. The wire loops are made of sturdy wire and can be custom ordered in a variety of colours that can coordinate with the colour and design of the cover if desired.

Wiro Binding is a great option when:

You want to customise the look and feel of your booklet with various different papers, covers and coating options.
Want a book that lays flat easily.
Want a neater, more organised looks than spiral binding
Need the booklet to make a polished, professional presentation
Need a sturdy, durable binding that can take more than the average use.

PUR Perfect Binding

PUR Binding is a form of perfect binding that is generally used for thicker, digitally printed reports, annuals and manuals. The pages and cover of your digital print document are bound together at the spine using an adhesive – Polyurethane Reactive (PUR) which is the most durable book binding glue available. This binding technique is ideal for producing short print runs cost effectively. Only print what you need and if and when required, we can produce more.

The structure of Perfect Bound Books creates a common problem that doesn’t allow these books to lay flat when opened. Instead there is a curve of the pages coming from the spine away from the surface that it is resting on. With the flexible properties of the PUR glue, PUR perfect bound books are able to be opened wide and pressed down without the possibility of the glue cracking at the spine. Due to the strong bond of the PUR glue, less glue is required to be applied which makes it more flexible and creates less distortion of the spine. Ultimately, PUR allows for an even cleaner appearance than the traditional adhesive.

The advantages of PUR Binding:

The thin coat of glue allows for a more flexible spine and cleaner appearance.
Lay-Flat abilities – books can be pushed down without the spine cracking.
50% stronger adhesive than perfect bound books.
Ideal for high page counts.