Services

Hard cover, soft cover, paperback and children's book printing

Hard cover and case bound editions, soft cover and paperback book printing, art books, text books and children's board books, specified line by line before production. Each route below lists what is agreed at quoting and what is checked on the floor.

Hard cover book printing · Case bound book printing · Soft cover book printing · Paperback book printing · Art book printing · Text book printing · Children book printing · Book printing for publishers · Publishing house book printing · Perfect bound paperback printing · Smyth sewn binding · Dust jackets · Foil stamping

01

Hard cover & case bound book printing

Rigid boards, printed cases and a spine that reads on the shelf

Bookbinder casing a hardcover book with a printed cover and linen spine
  • hardcover book printing
  • case bound book printing
  • hardbound book printing

Case binding is the route for titles that need a rigid cover, a readable spine and a longer working life. The case, the book block and the endpapers are specified together, because spine width and board thickness decide how the finished book opens.

  • Rigid board case, wrapped in printed paper, cloth or booked material
  • Endpapers: plain, printed or coloured stock
  • Head and tail bands, round or square spine
  • Jacket, printed case, or case with foil and deboss
Case construction
2.0–3.0 mm board, turned-in edges
Spine
Round or square, width set from the text block
Interior
Section-sewn book block, 80–150 gsm stock
Finishing
Foil, deboss, spot UV, matte or gloss lamination
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Hard cover and case bound book printing with board cases, endpapers, head and tail bands, and jacket or printed cover options.

02

Soft cover, paperback & perfect bound printing

Soft cover editions that still open flat and hold their shape

Sewn book block with visible spine threads during softcover binding
  • paperback book printing
  • soft cover book printing
  • perfect bound paperback printing

Softcover titles are quoted on the binding that suits the extent. Thicker books are usually Smyth sewn and then glued into the cover, so the spine survives repeated opening; shorter catalogues can be perfect bound.

  • Perfect binding for catalogues, reports and short extents
  • Smyth sewn softcover for novels and long-run reissues
  • Laminated covers in matte, gloss or soft-touch
  • Spine text, fold-in flaps and rounded corners
Binding
Perfect bound or sewn softcover
Cover
250–350 gsm board, single- or double-sided lamination
Interior
60–120 gsm uncoated, matt or gloss art paper
Spine
Calculated from extent and stock before typesetting
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Paperback book printing for novels, reports, catalogues and reissues, perfect bound or sewn soft cover, with laminated covers.

03

Art book printing, photography & specialty titles

Colour-critical titles where the paper carries the image

Gold foil being stamped onto a book cover on a finishing press
  • art book printing
  • photography book printing
  • coffee table book printing
  • children's book printing

These titles are decided by the stock and the finish. Uncoated papers hold a quieter image, coated stocks carry density, and foil, deboss or UV change how the cover reads under light — so each is proofed on the specified material.

  • Art, photography and coffee table books
  • Children's hardcover and board book formats
  • Limited editions with slipcases and numbered inserts
  • Special stocks, printed edges and ribbon markers
Stock
Uncoated, matt art, gloss art and speciality papers
Reproduction
Colour-managed proofs on the specified stock
Extras
Slipcase, printed edges, ribbon, tip-in inserts
Binding
Case bound, exposed spine or lay-flat formats
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Art book printing for photography titles, children's books and limited editions, with special stocks, printed endpapers and slipcases.

Publishing houses

Book printing for publishers and publishing houses

Publisher work is planned as a list, not a single order. Titles are quoted from one specification sheet, scheduled against the date each has to leave the floor, and reprinted from the reference kept on file.

  • Schedules built around a list

    The plan starts from the date each title must ship and works back through proofing, printing, casing and packing.

  • Reprint references kept

    The approved proof, stock specification and binding record stay with the title file, so a second run matches the first.

  • Co-editions and variants

    Variant covers, title pages and jackets are listed at quoting, so make-ready and packing are planned together.

Printing for publishing houses

See publisher projects

Or send the brief by email

Do you print for publishing houses as well as self-publishers?
Yes. Titles are quoted the same way for both: trim size, extent, stock, binding, finish and quantity. Publisher schedules are planned around the approved proof and the date the list has to be ready.
How do you keep a reprint consistent with the first run?
The approved proof, stock specification, ink reference and binding record travel with the title file, so a reprint is matched to the same reference instead of being specified again from scratch.
Can co-editions and rights variants be printed together?
Co-editions are usually planned as one block run with variant covers, title pages or jackets. The variants are listed at quoting, so make-ready and packing are costed up front.
What do you need to schedule a list of titles?
A title list with trim size, extent, binding, quantity and the date each title needs to leave the floor. Artwork can follow per title; the schedule is set from the specification, not the final files.
Which countries do you quote for, and how are books delivered?
Quotes are prepared for publishers in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the Middle East. Consignments are packed for export and handed to your forwarder, with carton marking and documentation agreed before dispatch.

More book types

Text books, wire-o books and children's books

Text book printing, children's book printing and wire-o book printing sit outside the case bound list, each quoted with its own paper, binding and packing rules. Each type is shown with a finished copy below, or send the specification straight to the production team.

Stack of printed text books with laminated covers on a desk
01

Text book printing

Text book printing has to hold dense pages and tight margins, so paper opacity, section sewing and cover lamination are specified together. The aim is a block that stays open at the right page and a spine that survives a full term.

  • Single-colour and full-colour text blocks
  • Sewn or perfect bound, matched to the extent
Wire-o bound notebook opened flat on a desk with the coil spine visible
02

Wire-o book printing

Wire-o book printing punches the block and threads metal loops through the spine, so the pages turn a full 360 degrees and lie flat. Cookbooks, manuals, workbooks and planners use this route when the page has to stay open during use.

  • Lay-flat pages, turned back on themselves
  • Exposed wire spine or concealed case
Colourful children's picture book cover with illustrated artwork
03

Children's book printing

Children's book printing is decided by colour, board thickness and how the book survives small hands. Picture books, board books and activity books are quoted with paper bulk, rounded corners and cover finish confirmed up front.

  • Picture books, board books and activity titles
  • Rounded corners and thicker board options

Regions we quote for

Hard cover book printing for publishers in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the Middle East

Publisher enquiries reach us from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and the Middle East. Specifications, proofs and production notes are handled in English, and every consignment is packed for export before it leaves the floor.

  • Specification in English

    Every quote restates trim size, extent, board, endpapers, finishes and packing, so nothing is lost between languages.

  • Proofs before the run

    Colour proofs are approved on the specified stock before the press starts, including case and jacket artwork.

  • Export packing and freight

    Cartons are built for long-haul transit, and handover to your forwarder is coordinated with the delivery schedule.

United States
Trim sizes, board and paper specified in inches or millimetres, with proofs approved before the run.
Canada
Cross-border paperwork and carton marking agreed with your freight forwarder in advance.
Australia
Long-haul export packing with corner protection and moisture control for sea transit.
New Zealand
Pallet and carton labelling set before dispatch so the consignment clears without rework.
Europe
Delivery terms and carton marking are set per destination country before dispatch.
Middle East
Consignments are packed for heat and humidity in transit, with documentation agreed in advance.

Hard cover book printing: common questions

Hard cover book printing case studies
What is hard cover book printing?
Hard cover book printing produces a book with a rigid board case instead of a paper cover. The printed book block is sewn or glued, trimmed, then cased into boards covered in printed paper, cloth or booked material, with endpapers joining the block to the case.
Is hard cover the same as hardcover or hardbound?
Yes. Hard cover, hardcover and hardbound describe the same rigid-case construction, and case bound refers to the casing step. The terms are used interchangeably, though a specification should still state board thickness and spine type.
How is case binding different from perfect binding?
Perfect binding glues the block into a flexible paper cover and suits paperbacks and shorter-life titles. Case binding wraps rigid boards around the block, so the book keeps its shape on a shelf and opens with a visible spine groove.
What do you need to quote a hard cover title?
Trim size, extent and page count, paper stock, board and case material, endpaper choice, finishes such as foil or spot UV, jacket requirement, quantity and the delivery country. A print-ready PDF helps us check bleed, spine width and image resolution.
Can short runs be case bound?
Short runs are quoted per title. Binding route, board and finishing decide the practical minimum, so the quantity is confirmed against the specification rather than one figure applied to every book.
How are hard cover books packed for export?
Copies are wrapped, packed in export cartons with corner protection, then palletised or cased for freight. Labelling and documentation are agreed with your forwarder before dispatch.
What is soft cover book printing?
Soft cover book printing wraps a glued or sewn block in a flexible paper cover, usually 250 to 350 gsm with lamination. Perfect binding suits catalogues and shorter extents; Smyth sewn soft covers are used for novels and titles that are opened repeatedly.
Do you print children's books and board books?
Yes. Children's book printing covers board books on 2 mm greyboard with rounded corners, picture books on coated stock with sewn or perfect binding, and activity titles that need wire-o binding to lie flat.
What is the difference between soft cover and paperback book printing?
They describe the same flexible-cover construction. Paperback book printing is the trade term for a glued or sewn block in a laminated paper cover; soft cover is the same book described by its cover rather than its binding method.
Can you print text books and workbooks?
Yes. Text book printing covers single- and full-colour blocks on opaque stock, sewn sections for titles that must lie open, laminated covers, and wire-o workbooks where pages are written in flat.
What is wire-o book printing?
Wire-o book printing punches the trimmed block and threads a continuous metal wire through the spine. The pages turn a full 360 degrees and lie flat, which suits cookbooks, manuals, workbooks and planners.

Not sure which binding route fits the extent?

Send the format, page count and quantity. We will suggest the binding that holds the book together for its intended use, and flag any specification that would change the spine or the cover.