What is a book spine?
A books spine is the edge of the book where the cover attaches to the bookblock. It is usually glued onto the bookblock using a very strong EVA or PUR glue which also holds all the internal pages in place.
The width of the spine is determined by the amount of pages in the book and type of binding, e.g paperback or hardback.
If the spine of the book is 3mm or more we will be able to print text, images or a logo onto the spine. If the books spine is over 4mm we will be able to add foil blocking to it.
Book Spine Calculator
The type of paper used is entirely your choice (within reason). We stock a variety of paper that is suitable for paperback and hardback printing.
Some examples of our most popoular paper;
- 80gsm opaque
- 100gsm opaque
- 80gsm munken bookwove white (offwhite)
- 80gsm munken bookwove cream
- 100gsm recycled
We also offer a range of coated papers and various endpapers that can be inserted into your book.
Book Spine FAQ
You can use the calculator above to get an exact measurement for the spine of your book. If you design the artwork for your books spine based on the above measurement then you can be sure it will fit your book perfectly.
This depends on what paper you have. For paperback books the number of pages should be around 20 to 24 pages.
The spine size for a hardback book will need to be over 3mm.
Yes, we can print on the spine of the book. If your books spine is over 3mm we can print text, images and logo on the spine. A book spine which is smaller than this will require a font that may be too small read.
Your books spine can have pretty much anything on it. The usual elements of a spine will have the books title, subtitle, author name and the publisher name/logo.
If your books spine is over 4mm then you will be able to have foil blocking on the spine. Almost all hardback books will be over this width.
Your books spine should be part of a complete wrap-around cover including the front and rear cover of the book with the spine in the middle. We don't have any in-house designers to edit your cover but we can recommend the services of Derek at studio@imprintdigital.com.
If you want to make the spine of your book bigger you only have two options;
- Add more pages to your book either more content or blank pages.
- Choose a heavier / thicker paper. We recommend having your book printed on our Munken Bookwove 80gsm paper if yougo with this option.
Our Munken Bookwove 80gsm paper comes in white (off-white) or cream. Although it is 80gsm in weight, the way it is produced makes it our thickest paper and the best way to 'bulk' up your book.
The Importance of Design for Your Books Spine
Every year more and more people are purchasing books online or they are getting audiobooks and eBooks. Still, there are many millions of books purchased from physical bookstores.
The spine of your book is more than likely one of the first things a potential reader will see when looking for a new book from a book store. It is therefore essential that the spine of your book is designed in a way to grab that potential readers attention.
Have a look below at some book spines found on instagram to give you some inspiration.
