Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

18

Time Required

                          1 hour

Sections

1

  • How to Rebind a Hardcover Book
  • 18 steps

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Introduction

Please note that this guide is meant for basic cloth or paper bound hardcover books, not leather bound books or embossed hardcover books.

What you need

Step 1

              How to Rebind a Hardcover Book
  • Remove the dust jacket from the book.

Remove the dust jacket from the book.

1024

Step 2

  • Use the Xacto knife to cut the existing endpaper along the crease.
  • Be careful not to cut the pages of the book!
  • Separate the book cover and set the pages aside.

Use the Xacto knife to cut the existing endpaper along the crease.

Be careful not to cut the pages of the book!

Separate the book cover and set the pages aside.

Step 3

  • Put the new bookcloth on the worksurface with the back side (paper side) up.
  • Lay the book cover on the new bookcloth.
  • Use the ruler to measure a 3/4 inch margin on all sides of the book cover.
  • Trace outlines for the margins on the bookcloth.

Put the new bookcloth on the worksurface with the back side (paper side) up.

Lay the book cover on the new bookcloth.

Use the ruler to measure a 3/4 inch margin on all sides of the book cover.

Trace outlines for the margins on the bookcloth.

Step 4

  • Trace the outline of the existing cover and spine on the new bookcloth.

Trace the outline of the existing cover and spine on the new bookcloth.

Step 5

  • Cut the new bookcloth along the margin outlines.
  • Use the ruler as a straight edge to cut a clean line.

Cut the new bookcloth along the margin outlines.

Use the ruler as a straight edge to cut a clean line.

Step 6

  • Carefully remove the existing endpaper enough to expose the edges of the existing covers.
  • Cut out the existing covers.
  • If the endpaper does not separate from the covers easily, measure the covers and spine with a ruler and draw these dimensions onto the chipboard.

Carefully remove the existing endpaper enough to expose the edges of the existing covers.

Cut out the existing covers.

If the endpaper does not separate from the covers easily, measure the covers and spine with a ruler and draw these dimensions onto the chipboard.

Step 7

  • Trace the outline of the existing cover and spine on the chipboard.

Trace the outline of the existing cover and spine on the chipboard.

Step 8

  • Cut out the new covers and spine.

Cut out the new covers and spine.

Step 9

  • Use the paintbrush to apply the bookbinding glue to the covers and spine.
  • The glue dries fast so make sure to apply quickly and have all materials ready for the next step.

Use the paintbrush to apply the bookbinding glue to the covers and spine.

The glue dries fast so make sure to apply quickly and have all materials ready for the next step.

Step 10

  • Align the two covers with the outlines of the existing cover.
  • Place the new spine on the book cloth, centered between the covers.

Align the two covers with the outlines of the existing cover.

Place the new spine on the book cloth, centered between the covers.

Step 11

  • Apply bookbinding glue to the left and right margins.
  • Fold the margins over the covers.

Apply bookbinding glue to the left and right margins.

Fold the margins over the covers.

Step 12

  • Apply glue to the top margin.
  • Fold the corners of the top margin to meet the top edge of the book covers.
  • Press on the corners with your fingers until secure.
  • Fold the top margin over the covers and spine.
  • Repeat these steps on the bottom margin.

Apply glue to the top margin.

Fold the corners of the top margin to meet the top edge of the book covers.

Press on the corners with your fingers until secure.

Fold the top margin over the covers and spine.

Repeat these steps on the bottom margin.

Step 13

  • Press the gaps between the spine and covers until secure. Repeat this step on the bottom margin.
  • Close the book cover and fold the edges of the spine.

Press the gaps between the spine and covers until secure. Repeat this step on the bottom margin.

Close the book cover and fold the edges of the spine.

Step 14

  • Measure the existing endpaper from the book.
  • This measurement is twice the width of the book pages.
  • Trace the dimensions on the new endpaper.
  • Cut the new endpaper with the Xacto Knife.

Measure the existing endpaper from the book.

This measurement is twice the width of the book pages.

Trace the dimensions on the new endpaper.

Cut the new endpaper with the Xacto Knife.

Step 15

  • Apply glue to one side of the book.
  • Attach the end page to the glued side.
  • The edges of the endpaper should be aligned with edges of the pages.
  • Let the glue dry.
  • Repeat steps on other side.

Apply glue to one side of the book.

Attach the end page to the glued side.

The edges of the endpaper should be aligned with edges of the pages.

Let the glue dry.

Repeat steps on other side.

Step 16

  • Apply glue to the back of each endpaper.
  • Align the book pages to be centered on the spine.
  • Attach the endpapers to the new cover.
  • Press down until secure.

Apply glue to the back of each endpaper.

Align the book pages to be centered on the spine.

Attach the endpapers to the new cover.

Press down until secure.

Step 17

  • Close the book.
  • Put other books or another heavy object on top of the books.
  • Let the new book cover dry.

Close the book.

Put other books or another heavy object on top of the books.

Let the new book cover dry.

Step 18

  • Put the dust jacket back on the book.

Put the dust jacket back on the book.

Your book is now rebound and for reading! Keep the dust jacket on the book to protect the new book cover from harm.

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Author

                                      with 4 other contributors 


                    Emily Shaw

Member since: 10/26/2018

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Team

                       UC Davis, Team S1-G2, Bender Fall 2018                        

                                                  Member of UC Davis, Team S1-G2, Bender Fall 2018 



                    UCD-BENDER-F18S1G2                     


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                                            2 Guides authored

Maryann Raymond - Jun 13, 2019

Reply

Don’t know how long these instructions have been around, but I have to tell you that they are perfect. I am disassembling a large textbook and rebinding it into 4 sections. This wonderfully detailed info is precisely what I needed to have. Have bought all of my equipment and am ready to go.. I know this project will be a success because of your really clear instructions with the wonderful illustrations. Thank yo SO SO much! Maryann

Robert Lambert - Aug 24, 2020

Reply

Amazing work!

ricky-fe - Jul 1, 2021

Reply

Hi there @eykshaw, congratulation for this awesome guide!

I was translating it to Italian and I noticed that (probably) steps 12 and 13 should be repeated for the bottom side as well.

Ciao!