| If you are planning on doing any booklet printing or | | | | Comb, Coil, and Wire Binding: Comb binding uses plastic |
| catalog printing, you need to decide how your finished | | | | “teeth” that fit into rectangular holes in paper. |
| product will be put together. There are many binding | | | | This is good for documents that need to lay flat when |
| methods you can use for your print materials, and | | | | opened. Coil binding is a long spiral of wire or plastic |
| each has a specific purpose. Each binding method has | | | | that goes through many little holes along one side of |
| its pros and cons depending on your document and | | | | paper. These aren’t good if you’ll be stacking |
| your budget. | | | | them because the wires stick out the ends and can |
| Some bindings are more durable, allowing the user to | | | | get caught on other binders or even your clothing. Coil |
| lay a print catalogs flat when it’s open. You can | | | | binding is more expensive than comb binding. Wire |
| choose simple binding methods, such as using a | | | | binding is similar to comb binding, except the plastic |
| three-ring binder, in which all you have to do is make | | | | teeth are doubled – two wires go into one hole in |
| sure the margins are wide enough to punch holes | | | | the paper. This is sturdier than comb and coil binding |
| through one side. Other binding methods, like | | | | and is also good for when you need the document to |
| saddle-stitching, require you to compensate for | | | | lay flat when opened. |
| situations like “creep,” which is when inner pages | | | | Thermal Binding: This method includes cloth or plastic |
| extend or “creep” out further than the outer | | | | strips that are fused to the edge of paper by heating |
| pages when folded. | | | | the strips. This is a very sturdy method that allows |
| Here are some binding options for you to consider | | | | documents to lay flat when opened. |
| along with what kind of document works best for | | | | Saddle-Stitched Binding: Numerous sheets of paper |
| each method. | | | | are folded and then stapled in the fold. You’ll |
| Ring Binding: Uses notebook binders that have stiff | | | | generally use two staples. This is good for small |
| covers with metal rings that allow pages to be easily | | | | booklet printing, catalog printing, calendars or other |
| removed or added. These are good if you have a | | | | documents that aren’t thick. |
| document that needs to be updated frequently. | | | | |