These are just some of the questions you need to ask before you determine how you need to finish the cover and text pages of a perfect bound book.

Coatings, varnishes and/or laminates are all designed to protect the printed product – and to add visual (glossy or matte) and tactile (touch and feel) elements.

It’s important for designers and printers to recognize that in the perfect binding process all product (both cover and text) travels through nip points,  grippers and over/under belts and conveyors.

This travel puts pressure on the sheet that can cause scuffing, marking, and/or scratching – particularly if the ink is not fully dry.

When we receive printed product, we test for scuffing and ink dryness. If we are concerned about the printed product, we contact our customer to let them know and to find out how they’d like to handle it. Sometimes it means that we need to hold the product for an extra day – to dry.  Sometimes it means that the cover needs to be protected with a plastic laminate. Sometimes it means that the product needs a UV coating. In all instances, we work with our customer to find the best solution.

Ensuring that you plan for coatings, varnishes or laminates at the beginning of your project will mean that quick turn-around times can be met and will mean that  your product will be a ‘perfectly bound’ book at the end of the mechanical perfect binding process.

P.S.  This is not an ‘up-sell’ for Pacific Bindery Services – we do not sell coating, varnishing or laminating services.