Document Binding

Ready to improve your document binding operations? Let Binding101 be your premier source for all things professional binding. We offer the best binding machines and supplies for all levels of users from homes, to offices, to worldwide corporations. Spiral coil, wire, comb, Coverbind thermal, and velo binding are just a few of the most popular solutions we offer. Choose below whether you want to browse binding equipment, supplies, covers, or more. Call our experts at 866-537-2244 for support, or coverssign up for newsletter for specials & promotions.

At Binding101, our goal is to make the process of buying the equipment and supplies needed to achieve your presentation goals as simple and hassle-free as possible. That is why we are partnered with the most widely known brand-names in the industry, to offer you the best-in-class binding machines, accessories, spines, and covers around. Their reliability, ease-of-use, outstanding warranties, and exceptional consumer ratings make Akiles, Coverbind, James Burn, Rhin-O-Tuff, and more the most desirable options on the market. Paired with our educational and kind customer service style, as well as our nearly 90 years in the industry, we can help you wherever you are in the process.

How to Choose a Binding Style

To select the ideal book binding type for your specific needs, let’s ask ourselves a couple of key questions. 1. What look and functionality do I want to achieve? 2. How much and how often will I bind? And, 3. What is my budget? With this information in-hand, we can help guide you to the perfect solution.

To dive in, we will cover a little bit about each of the various binding options available, their benefits, and their limitations. At the end of this, you should have a good idea of what style of binding you should purchase for your business.

1. Spiral Coil – Coil binding is the most popular solution we offer. The finished look is professional enough for presentation materials, but also very durable to withstand heavy handling and the test of time, as well as economically priced for affordability. A coil spine basically looks like a long spring; a continuous looping of a single piece of flexible, resin plastic. Many customers consider a plastic coil binder to be a great middle ground for finished look, functionality, and price. Coil binding machines are available for all levels of users, so no matter how much (or how little) you bind, you can definitely find the proper piece of equipment to meet your needs.


2. Wire – Also called Wire-O or twin loop bindings, these metal wires are considered the most professional solution by many users. The metal finish itself is a step up from plastic alternatives, and the functionality of a wire bound document is also desired by many. Pages flip all the way around and remain perfectly aligned, and it is easy to make them with hard or flexible/soft covers. Wire spines are open when they arrive, and then closed around your pages, with the loops connecting inside the punched holes. Wire can be a little tedious to work with, and tends to be more expensive than plastic binders, but it comes in a close second as far as popularity because of the exceptional finished look. One limitation to keep in mind is that wire uses two different punching patterns for various sizes, so you might be limited to either thinner or thicker books, depending on your budget and whether it allows for a "duo" punch that will do both. We have wire binding machines available for every size of user and can fit into nearly any budget.


3. Comb – Plastic comb binders, or GBC spines as many people call them, are most often used in schools, for recipe books, etc. They are not the most professional choice, however, they are the most economical. A major benefit of the plastic comb over other options is that they are editable; meaning that you can open and close the spines as many times as you may need. They can also be custom printed on, if you so desire. Available comb binding machines range from low to high volume, so whether you craft at home or have a large engineering firm and need to bind often, we can help you find the ideal equipment.


4. Combination – If you can’t quite choose, or you are binding for clients and need variety, then a combination solution is likely the best bet. These machines tend to be geared toward higher volume users, but there are some mid-volume combination systems available as well. They will either have multiple punching throats with different patterns, or have a "punching die" that can be removed and changed out to switch between patterns. Combination binders are available in various configurations: coil and wire, wire and comb, 3:1 and 2:1 wire, and "build your own" interchangeable / module systems (also called heavy duty punches). Most are more expensive than when you select one specific style, however, having the opportunity to punch and bind for various styles from one system is most often less expensive than buying two machines, in addition to taking up less space in your office.


5. Coverbind Thermal – Coverbind thermal binding is a perfect option for those who want to achieve professionalism, without a traditional punch-and-bind. It uses heat and pre-made covers with glue in the spine to bind pages together. This makes them much faster and easier to use than any of the other options. Thermal binding has been around for a long time, but Coverbind has revolutionized the process by offering not only manual systems, but automated solutions for continuous workflow operations. The manual system is affordable for users of all levels, and the automatic systems are ideal for heavy volume. A great thing about Coverbind is that the supplies (which ultimately decide the finished look) come in various options that include clear-front, linen front, and hard covers of many kinds and styles, including with and without windows. They also have thermal binding covers that you can customize in-house without special equipment.


6. Fastback – Fastback is another method for thermal binding, but instead of using pre-made covers, it uses a "tape strip" made from fabric that is attached to your book block. Fastback machines and supplies are a bit more on the expensive end, however, have several benefits. For one, they are incredibly fast and easy, so you can bind many more books much faster than traditional methods. They are also flat and square once finished, which makes them a popular choice for travelling sales presentations, mailers, etc. The fabric Fastback strips also come in several styles, fabrics, and colors, so you also have quite a variety to choose from.


7. Perfect Binding – To those not deep in the industry, this binding method is more widely known as "soft cover binding" and is the method used to make novels and published books. This method of binding is exclusively for the high volume users in the publishing and printing industries, offering semi-automated equipment to texturize, bind, and nip book blocks and covers together.


8. Velo – Velo binding is a method of punch-and-bind that is almost exclusively used in legal and government agencies, primarily because of the security-of-bind that it offers. Velo strips are two-pieces (a pegged bar and a holed bar) that are actually melted together around your sheets, creating a strong bind that can only be undone with specialized tools, which would indicate tampering. The machines punch the holes and melt the strips, and are exclusively available in higher volume systems for these larger industries.


9. Hard Cover – Hard cover binding is also ideally suited for printers and publishers who can invest in a heavy-duty system for high-volume output. These systems range in type, from case making machines (to make the hard cover piece itself), to binding systems (to bind the cover to the book block), and use a specialty book binding glue to achieve a strong hold.


10. Automatic – We also offer specialized industrial binding equipment for the printing industry that can streamline the process and increase productivity, without requiring you to spend extra on staffing expenses. Automated bindery machines are available for various styles, like wire and coil, as well as for various functions, such as punching, inserting, crimping, etc.

So now that you’ve read a little bit about each of the most common binding styles, you should have a better idea of what route you want to take. Go ahead and click into the Binding Machines or Binding Supplies categories to get the equipment or spines you need to achieve those goals. If you want to see photos of the various styles side-by-side, then click on the "Shop by Binding Style" section for a comprehensive guide.

Now onto binding covers! Report cover pages are really what turn a plain bound book into a customized presentation. Think about a wire art pad or a comb recipe book that you have, and remove the cover…you’re left with, well, nothing to be impressed with. A cover is the final piece of the puzzle that will complete the look you want. There are many kinds of covers, from transparent sheets to show your first page, to window covers to show just a small section, to rigid/hard covers with no bend at all. Here at Binding101, we have every kind of presentation cover you might need. And if don’t see something you like, keep in mind that we can make custom report covers to meet your exact specifications. Anything from a basic one-color foil stamp to a full-color graphic sheet; we can do it all in-house with our specialized equipment and knowledgeable production staff with over 80 years of expertise.

Book binding gives you the opportunity to not only organize paperwork and create stand-out presentation materials, but also reinforce your brand essence. It is truly an essential practice for businesses of all kinds, throughout all industries, and at all levels of growth. With the assistance of quality bound pages, all of your documents, marketing materials, and loose paperwork can have the professional finish that they deserve, and that your clients and staff will appreciate.