How to Create Your Own Hardback Book
Hardback books offer greater protection for manuscripts than paperback books. A hardback book can withstand bending and the elements much longer than a paperback. Consequently, hardback books are worth more than paperbacks and are more expensive. Publishers will charge a higher fee to publish a hardcover book for you than a paperback. However you do not necessarily have to spend more to get a hardback copy of a book. You can, in fact, make your own hardback book rather than purchasing one.
- Difficulty:
- Challenging
Instructions
Things You'll Need
- 5" by 8" paper Two tapes of flexible card Nail Needle Waxed linen thread PVA glue Heavy pile of books Two 4" by 5" boards of hard card 5" by 6" cardstock paper Scissors Scrap fabric Plastic sheets
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How to Create Your Own Hardback Book
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1
Fold each piece of 5" by 8" piece of paper in half.
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2
Unfold the papers and stack them together horizontally.
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3
Place the two tapes of flexible card horizontally on the top of the stack of papers. Place them in the center, spaced about an inch apart.
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4
Punch holes along the crease in the papers using the nail. Make holes around both sides of the tapes and one more at each end of the fold.
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5
Thread the needle with about 50 inches of waxed linen thread and begin sewing the papers together through the punched holes. Start at one end of the fold and pass the thread over the tapes while sewing. Pass the thread under the tapes on the next round to hold them in place. When the tapes are sewed to the paper, tie off the thread.
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6
Seal the sewn spine with a thin layer of PVA glue. Work the glue into the cracks, making sure to coat the thread. Press the book flat under a heavy pile of books. Leave the book underneath the pile and allow the spine to dry completely while you create the cover.
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7
Lay the two 4" by 5" boards of hard card side by side on the 5" by 6" cardstock paper, leaving a space between them the width of the book spine plus one inch.
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8
Cut each corner of the cardstock diagonally, creating a straight edge.
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9
Coat the cardstock with glue and glue the boards in place.
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10
Glue a scrap piece of fabric, such as a piece of an old sheet between the boards.
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11
Fold down the top, bottom, left and then right pieces of excess cardstock over the boards, gluing them to the boards. Place a pile of heavy books onto the cover and allow it to dry under the weight.
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12
Place the book into the cover when the cover is completely dried. Lift up the first page of the book and place a sheet of plastic underneath it.
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13
Close the first page on top of the plastic and coat the entire page with glue. The plastic stops the glue from seeping through onto the pages.
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14
Coat the tapes of the spine with glue.
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15
Flip the book and drop it so that the page coated with glue is flush against the cover.
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16
Repeat this process with the back page. Close the book, pressing the spine and front and back pages to the cover. Place the book under a heavy pile and allow it to dry.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Type and print the pages of your manuscript beforehand, or insert blank pages to create a hardback journal.
Have the book positioned exactly how you want it before you press the glue into place and allow it to set.
