Book Printing: What Is a Book Block?

estimated reading time: 3 minutes

What does "Book Block" mean?

When you call Color Vision to discuss your book printing project, you may hear us use the term Book Block in the course of our conversation. While the term may be unfamiliar, it simply refers to the collection of interior pages that will make up your book, before the cover is attached. Depending on who you talk to in our office, you may also hear the book block being referred to as a Page Block or Text Block.

A Closer Look at the Book Block

As mentioned, the book block is the complete set of interior pages that will eventually be bound together to form your book. Depending on the binding method you choose, those pages may be printed, gathered, folded, trimmed, and assembled in different ways before the cover is applied.

For example, if you are ordering your book with perfect binding, we will collate and gather the printed pages together in a tight stack. We then use a machine to prepare the spine side of the book block for an application of hot-melt PUR adhesive.

Color Vision uses PUR because it is one of the strongest and most flexible binding glues available. Our perfect binding machine roughs up the spinal edge of the book block to expose more paper fibers, giving the glue more surface area on which to adhere. After the PUR is applied, the cover is wrapped over the book block. Once the adhesive sets, the three open edges of the book are neatly trimmed.

How Is a Book Block Created?

The exact process depends on the type of book and the production method.

With some books, individual pages are printed and then gathered into the correct order before being bound. Other books have the pages printed on larger sheets that are folded into sections called signatures. Those signatures are then gathered or nested together to form the interior of the book.

Regardless of the specific production method, the basic idea is the same: the book block must be properly assembled before being bound within its cover.

Why Does the Book Block Matter?

It's important to note that a book block is more than just a set of printed pages. Its dimensions, paper thickness, and page count all influence the construction of the finished book.

For example, the total page count and paper thickness help determine the overall thickness of the book block, which in turn affects the spine width of a perfect bound book.

Because a cover fabricated for the wrong page block thickness will not fit the finished book properly, once we know your page count and the type of paper you have chosen, we will calculate the exact spine width for you. This will allow you to finalize your cover artwork with confidence.

Insight from our Production Team:

Many people are unaware that traditional paper, made from wood pulp, acquires a distinct "grain" direction during the manufacturing process. As the liquid pulp mixture moves along a mesh belt at the paper mill, the tiny wood fibers align in the direction of the manufacturing flow - similar to how logs align themselves when floating down a swift river.

Even though you might not be able to see it, the grain direction of a book's pages plays an important role in how the book functions. For a book's pages to open smoothly, lie flatter, and turn effortlessly without resisting or springing back, the paper grain must run parallel to the spine. If the grain runs perpendicular to the spine, the pages become stiff, bulky, and difficult to turn.

At Color Vision Printing, ensuring proper grain direction is a standard quality checkpoint we handle during the manufacture of every single book. We always match the grain direction of the pages to your book's spine, ensuring a smooth and flawless reading experience from the first page to the last.

Are You Looking to Have Some Books Printed?

Whether you are printing a professional training manual, a novel, or an employee handbook, the team at Color Vision Printing ensures every structural detail - from your book block thickness to the paper grain - is executed flawlessly.

As a full-service commercial printer serving the entire US and Canada, we match our deep industry expertise with your unique vision to deliver beautiful and durable books at affordable prices.

Let's get your project started:

Call us directly: 800-543-6299

Get a custom quote: Quote Request Form

Have a question for our team? Quick Contact Form

We look forward to partnering with you on your next print run!