intro to book editing

Types of Books We Print

Choosing the right binding style can make all the difference. As a short-run book printer, we offer softcover or paperback books, hardcover books, spiral bound books, and saddle-stitch booklets. We are one of the best book printers for authors and publishers because we utilize industry-leading print technology to produce durable, high-quality books. If you need help choosing a book binding style, contact our book printing experts to discuss your project today!

booklet link
Booklets
Coming soon!

The Price to Print a Book

Get a quick quote to compare different binding styles. The tool below will start you with our standard 60lb interior paper and the standard 10pt C1S cover with UV Coating or Printed hardcover with gloss. Click "Order Books" to review all specs. For custom book sizes or paper, Start a Custom Book Printing Quote and receive a quote instantly!

softcover book printer

Softcover

32 - 900 Pages
hardcover book printer

Hardcover

24 - 900 Pages
spiral book printer

Spiral

20 - 450 Pages
booklet printer

Booklet

Coming Soon

How to Choose a Binding Style

Choosing your book binding style might seem intimidating but it can actually be quite easy. The main things when deciding usually come down to price, aesthetics, and how you will sell your book. Here is a little bit about each of the binding styles.

Softcover Books

The most popular and common book style you will see are softcover or paperback books. They are cost-effective, durable, and easy to handle. As a softcover and paperback book printer, we print all of our softcover books interior in single sheets and then bind them with EVA glue. Learn more about Softcover Book Printing.

softcover book printing company

Specs of a Softcover Book:

  • Lightweight, great for handling
  • Affordable and cost effective
  • Easier to distribute and ship
  • Durable, professional presentation
  • Full color cover with UV coating or film lamination
  • Black & white or full color interior pages
  • EVA Adhesive perfect binding
  • Page counts from 32 to 900 pages
  • Sizes from 4x5 to 8.5x11

Hardcover Books

A hardcover book always has a traditional elegant look. Hardcover books or case bound books are the second most popular books on the market. This binding style is used often in short-run book printing for memoirs, history books, special editions, and photography books. It can be used for children’s books but printing small quantities of hardcover books can be quite expensive. So this is something to consider when choosing hardcover binding style.

hardcover book printing company

As a hardcover or case-in book printer, we print all of our hardcover books in single sheets and then bind with PUR or EVA glue. We offer both printed hardcovers and linen or faux leather hardcover books with the option of dust jacket printing as well. Learn more about Hardcover Book Printing.

Specs of a Hardcover Book:

  • Highest level of durability
  • Aesthetically pleasing
  • Uncoated or coated interior pages
  • Variety of cover material and finish options
  • Black & white or full color interior pages
  • Custom hot foil die stamping for cloth covers
  • Linen, cloth, faux leather OR full color printed covers
  • Page counts from 24 to 900 pages
  • Sizes from 4x5 to 8.5x11

Spiral Bound Books

When it comes to layflat books, spiral binding is the option for you. Spiral bound books use the method of punching several small holes along one side of the book, then adding a coil (either plastic or metal wire) that circles through the holes. Spiral binding is a great durable binding style perfect for your journals, workbooks, cookbooks, and more. At Gorham Printing we offer plastic spiral bound books and metal wire-o books. Learn more about Spiral Bound Book Printing.

spiral book printing company

Specs of a Spiral Bound Book:

  • Lays completely flat when open
  • Coated or uncoated paper can be used for interior pages
  • Over a dozen plastic spiral colors
  • Durable coil binding
  • Full color cover with UV coating or film lamination
  • Option of plastic or metal coil
  • Page counts from 20 to 450 pages
  • Sizes from 4x5 to 8.5x11

Booklets/Saddle-Stitched Books

You’ve likely seen saddle-stitched books in the form of catalogs, magazines, or other booklets with small page counts. The concept is simple: the interior pages are printed on larger sheets that are then compiled, folded, and bound along the spine using a metal staple. At Gorham Printing, we are working on adding our new booklet binding style to our Online Pricing Tool. In the meantime, if you would like to have booklets or saddle-stitched books, please Contact Us to discuss your project and get a quote.

booklet printing company

Specs of a Booklet:

  • Inexpensive to print
  • Faster turnaround time
  • Works well for marketing and promotional materials
  • Great for school projects
  • Full color interiors
  • Full color cover
  • Page counts from 4 to 98 pages
  • Sizes of 5.5x8.5,6x9, or 8.5x11
  • Two different type of paper options including coated and uncoated
booklet printing company

We Print Books From All Genres

Sometimes authors and publishers feel that their genre might limit them to one book binding style but that is not the case. Each genre usually has a mixture of binding styles. If you want to learn more about your book’s genre and the difference in cost for each binding style, check out our Book Printing Genres. We can print books of any genre in any of our binding styles.

booklet printing company

Need Help Picking a Binding Style?

When in doubt of picking a book binding style at a book printer, the best thing to do is talk to a book printing expert. At Gorham Printing, we have been in business since 1976 and have book printing experts to answer any and all of your questions no matter what stage of a book you are at.

If we can’t answer your question or have the service you need, we will help direct you to others who can! We believe in helping the author, publisher, and self-publishers no matter if it is at our shop or somewhere else.

Be sure to check out our book printer blog or join our newsletter to receive insider tips from our team of print experts.