Description
Perfect binding is a softcover bookbinding method: the printed pages are glued into a flat, square spine and wrapped in a full-colour cover, just like a paperback book. Grafix Media, a Calgary print shop, perfect binds books in-house in 8.5″ × 11″ and 6″ × 9″ sizes, from 40 to 500 pages. Order 5 to 250 books online, from $3.55 per book, ready in 3 to 5 business days after proof approval, with pickup in Calgary or shipping across Canada.
What Is Perfect Binding?
In a perfect bound book, the interior pages are stacked, roughened along the spine edge and glued into a wrap-around cover. The result is a clean, professional book with a flat spine that stacks neatly on a shelf and can carry a printed title. It is one of the most cost-effective ways to produce multi-page books that look polished, and it is the binding used for most paperbacks, catalogues and annual reports.
Popular Uses for Perfect Bound Books
- Self-published books, novels and anthologies
- Training manuals and handbooks
- Corporate and annual reports
- Catalogues and look books
- Event, tournament and souvenir programs
- Yearbooks, colouring books and journals
How We Make Perfect Bound Books
Every book is printed, bound and trimmed in our Calgary shop:
- Covers are printed in full colour on 80# or 100# cover stock, then finished with UV coating or soft-touch lamination if you choose one.
- Interior pages are printed double-sided on our production laser printer, then cut and gathered into books.
- Binding: each book is clamped, and the spine edge is roughened with a saw blade so the glue can grip the paper fibres. We bind with industrial-grade PUR glue, which resists humidity and lasts 10+ years without peeling.
- Trimming: the cover is wrapped around the glued spine and the finished book is trimmed with laser-guided cutters for clean, square edges.
Watch the process:
Perfect Binding Specifications
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Book sizes | 8.5″ × 11″ or 6″ × 9″ |
| Page count | 40 to 500 pages, printed double-sided (100 pages = 50 sheets) |
| Interior paper | 20# bond, 24# bond or 80# gloss text |
| Interior printing | Full colour or black and white |
| Cover | Full colour on 80# or 100# cover stock |
| Cover finish | UV coating, soft-touch lamination, or no coating |
| Spine text | Title or logo on the spine for thicker books (typically 60+ pages, depending on paper) |
| Quantity | 5 to 250 books online; larger runs by quote |
| Turnaround | 3 to 5 business days after proof approval |
Need a custom size, a different paper or another finish? Contact us for custom sizes, materials or finishes.
Perfect Binding Prices
Perfect binding is priced by page count, paper and printing, plus your cover options. Starting prices for a 40-page book:
| Book (40 pages) | Interior | With 80# cover |
|---|---|---|
| 6″ × 9″, 20# bond, black and white | $2.80 | $3.55 |
| 8.5″ × 11″, 20# bond, black and white | $3.20 | $3.95 |
| 8.5″ × 11″, 20# bond, full colour | $6.40 | $7.15 |
| 8.5″ × 11″, 80# gloss text, full colour | $9.60 | $10.35 |
Cover and finishing options: 80# cover +$0.75 or 100# cover +$1.00 per book; UV coating +$0.50; soft-touch lamination +$1.50. Cover design help is available for $75. Prices are before tax. In general, the more books you order and the higher the page count, the lower your price per book. The order form shows your exact price as you choose your options.
How to Order Perfect Bound Books
- Choose your options: book size, paper and printing, then enter your page count (40 to 500).
- Pick your cover: 80# or 100# cover stock and UV coating, soft-touch lamination or no coating.
- Enter your quantity: 5 to 250 books.
- Upload your files at checkout or on our file upload page, preferably print-ready PDFs at 300 DPI with 0.125″ bleed. Need help with your cover? Choose cover design help when you order.
- Approve your proof, and your books are ready 3 to 5 business days later for pickup in Calgary or shipping across Canada.
Need your books sooner? Contact us about a rush order. We can’t always accommodate rushes, so get in touch as early as possible.
Perfect Binding vs Coil Binding vs Saddle Stitching
- Perfect binding: a glued, square spine with a wrap-around cover. Best for books, reports and catalogues that should look like a paperback and sit on a shelf.
- Coil binding: a plastic coil through punched holes, so the book lies flat and folds back on itself. Best for manuals, workbooks and cookbooks. See our coil bound books.
- Saddle stitching: folded sheets stapled through the spine. Best for thinner booklets, programs and magazines. See our saddle stitched books.
Not sure which binding suits your project? Our book binding services page compares every option we offer.
Perfect Binding from a Calgary Print Shop
Grafix Media prints and binds books in-house at 312 Meridian Road NE, Calgary, with expert advice and in-person proofing when you need it. Our printing services also include digital printing, educational printing and graphic design.
Questions about perfect binding? Call us at (587) 329-4304 or email estimator@grafix-media.ca.
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