How to Make a Binder Book

You can making an attractive book from a common office or school binder. Binders are especially suited to scrapbooks, recipe collections or other book to which you want to add information over time. Making a binder book is a project that even elementary school children can do and enjoy, and it makes a great way to save their school work and art projects over the years. You can decorate your book as elaborately or as simply as you like.

Things You'll Need

• Binder
• Fabric
• Craft glue
• Sponge brush
• Decorative paper
• Paper
• Three-hole punch

Instructions

1. Open the binder so that both covers are lying flat with the binder clips facing up in the middle. Lay it on top of your fabric.

2. 

   Cut the fabric around the binder leaving an extra 3 inches all the way around. Snip off each corner of the fabric at an angle.

3. Brush a thin layer of craft glue, such as Mod Podge, over the outside of the front cover of the binder. Place the fabric over it, lining up the trimmed corners, and press. Allow to dry for 15 minutes then repeat the process for the back cover.

4. Open the binder again and brush a layer of glue onto the excess fabric around the cover. Fold the excess fabric over the edge onto the inside of the binder and press in place. You may need to trim the fabric to make it fit around the binder clips. Allow to dry completely, usually about 30 minutes.

5. Cut two pieces of decorative paper 1 inch smaller on all sides than the inside of each cover. Brush glue over the back of each piece and center them on each cover. This will cover the inside of the binder and the unfinished fabric edges.

6. Use prepunched paper or punch your paper with a three-hole punch. Place into the binder.

Tips & Warnings

• Decorative contact paper instead of fabric makes for a quicker binder book covering.

• If you are using your book for scrapbooking, use acid-free paper to avoid damaging your photographs.

References

• Binder Book Decorating Techniques