Making Books With Wood Binding

Ever since the Romans created codices, which replaced scrolls as their preferred form of reading, books have had a wide range of bindings. Whether for a photo album, scrapbook, journal, memoir or even to preserve a favorite paperback, encasing the pages within wooden front and back covers gives your project extra strength, elegance and longevity. While some wooden bindings are covered in cloth or leather, bare wooden bindings and covers have a beauty all their own. Creating a wooden binding is not only satisfying but turns an ordinary book into something quite special.

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Book to be bound, sewn or glued together in sections
• Small wooden planks (1/8 to 1/4 inch thick)
• Measuring tool
• Small jigsaw or craft saw
• Fine sandpaper or hand sander with fine-grain paper
• Glue
• Decorative facing papers/endpapers
• Wood stain
• Leather and leather ties (optional)
• Clamps
• Dowels
• Engraving tool (optional)
• Cut-out letters (optional)

1. Book with Wood Binding and Spine

   • 1
     Measure the length, width and thickness of the book you are binding. Glue or sew the outer edges of the sections, or quires, together so that when the endpapers are attached to the covers there is no chance that the internal pages will come loose.
   • 2
     Hardcover book

     Measure and cut the wood for the front and back covers, ensuring that the covers are at least 1/4 inch longer and wider than the page block. If you want a solid spine, measure and cut a third piece of wood the length of the covers and the width of the block. Smooth the edges of the wood cuts, and round the corners, if desired, with sandpaper or a sander. Sand the exterior of the covers to accommodate the wood stain.
   • 3
     Glue the decorative endpapers, with the design facing inward, securely to the block of paper. Fold the endpapers in half, and glue or sew the half facing the block to the block's spine side on the front and back of the block, securing them tightly. The other halves of the endpapers will be secured to the wood covers. Allow the glue to dry until the endpapers are firmly attached to the paper block.
   • 4
     Engrave designs or attach any letters onto the wood. Apply stain, and wipe off the excess. Allow the stain to dry fully before proceeding to seal the wood. Save a step by applying wood stain with sealant, such as polyurethane.
   • 5
     Cut the leather to wrap around the spine with about 1 inch overlapping the front and back covers. Place the wooden spine in the center, and glue the leather to the spine and the wood. Allow the glue to dry.
     Cover the wood entirely with leather for an antique look, or just use the leather to attach the two covers and spine to the endpapers.
     Attach the remaining endpaper halves to the front and back covers with a powerful glue. Glue the interior wood bindings, and press the endpapers against them. Fold the endpapers sharply so that the book closes. Close the book, clamp it shut, and allow it to dry.

   Open-Spined Book with Wood Covers

   • 1
     Tie the wooden bindings for a special photo album or scrapook that will last a long time.

     Follow steps 1 through 4 above. Additionally, drill dowel holes into the paper block if you are placing wooden covers on an open-spined book such as a scrapbook or photo album. For a small book, holes 1 inch from the top and bottom of the block and boards should be sufficient to hold all the pages securely. For larger books, bore the holes 2 to 3 inches from the top and bottom, or if three holes are desired in the book, approximate their spacing in comparison with an 8-by-11 sheet of notebook paper.
   • 2
     Drill holes in the front and back covers in the same locations as those drilled into the block. Thread the leather ties through the drilled holes, and tie the book closed.
   • 3
     Apply glue to the decorative endpapers, and attach them to the covers. Be certain that the edges of the paper are tightly secured and do not lift or tear. Fold the endpapers along the edge of the covers. Clamp the book closed until it is dry.