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How to Rebind a Hardcover Book

Introduction

Old books are often recycled or thrown away because of wear that causes the binding to fall apart. This guide will show you how to repair your old books and extend their shelf life. For this fix, you'll need book cloth, chipboard, and endpaper. Make sure to size these appropriately, as detailed under "Parts."

Please note that this guide is meant for basic cloth or paper bound hardcover books, not leather bound books or embossed hardcover books.

What you need

  1. How to Rebind a Hardcover Book, How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 1, image 1 of 2 How to Rebind a Hardcover Book, How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 1, image 2 of 2

    • Remove the dust jacket from the book.

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  2. How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 2, image 1 of 3 How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 2, image 2 of 3 How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 2, image 3 of 3

    • Use the Xacto knife to cut the existing endpaper along the crease.

    • Be careful not to cut the pages of the book!

    • Separate the book cover and set the pages aside.

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  3. How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 3, image 1 of 3 How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 3, image 2 of 3 How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 3, image 3 of 3

    • Put the new bookcloth on the worksurface with the back side (paper side) up.

    • Lay the book cover on the new bookcloth.

    • Use the ruler to measure a 3/4 inch margin on all sides of the book cover.

    • Trace outlines for the margins on the bookcloth.

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  4. How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 4, image 1 of 1

    • Trace the outline of the existing cover and spine on the new bookcloth.

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  5. How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 5, image 1 of 1

    • Cut the new bookcloth along the margin outlines.

    • Use the ruler as a straight edge to cut a clean line.

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  6. How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 6, image 1 of 2 How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 6, image 2 of 2

    • Carefully remove the existing endpaper enough to expose the edges of the existing covers.

    • Cut out the existing covers.

    • If the endpaper does not separate from the covers easily, measure the covers and spine with a ruler and draw these dimensions onto the chipboard.

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  8. How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 7, image 1 of 2 How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 7, image 2 of 2

    • Trace the outline of the existing cover and spine on the chipboard.

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  9. How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 8, image 1 of 1

    • Cut out the new covers and spine.

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  10. How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 9, image 1 of 2 How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 9, image 2 of 2

    • Use the paintbrush to apply the bookbinding glue to the covers and spine.

    • The glue dries fast so make sure to apply quickly and have all materials ready for the next step.

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  11. How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 10, image 1 of 1

    • Align the two covers with the outlines of the existing cover.

    • Place the new spine on the book cloth, centered between the covers.

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  12. How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 11, image 1 of 2 How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 11, image 2 of 2

    • Apply bookbinding glue to the left and right margins.

    • Fold the margins over the covers.

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  13. How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 12, image 1 of 2 How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 12, image 2 of 2

    • Apply glue to the top margin.

    • Fold the corners of the top margin to meet the top edge of the book covers.

    • Press on the corners with your fingers until secure.

    • Fold the top margin over the covers and spine.

    • Repeat these steps on the bottom margin.

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  14. How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 13, image 1 of 2 How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 13, image 2 of 2

    • Press the gaps between the spine and covers until secure. Repeat this step on the bottom margin.

    • Close the book cover and fold the edges of the spine.

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  15. How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 14, image 1 of 3 How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 14, image 2 of 3 How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 14, image 3 of 3

    • Measure the existing endpaper from the book.

    • This measurement is twice the width of the book pages.

    • Trace the dimensions on the new endpaper.

    • Cut the new endpaper with the Xacto Knife.

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  16. How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 15, image 1 of 2 How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 15, image 2 of 2

    • Apply glue to one side of the book.

    • Attach the end page to the glued side.

    • The edges of the endpaper should be aligned with edges of the pages.

    • Let the glue dry.

    • Repeat steps on other side.

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  17. How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 16, image 1 of 2 How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 16, image 2 of 2

    • Apply glue to the back of each endpaper.

    • Align the book pages to be centered on the spine.

    • Attach the endpapers to the new cover.

    • Press down until secure.

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  18. How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 17, image 1 of 1

    • Close the book.

    • Put other books or another heavy object on top of the books.

    • Let the new book cover dry.

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  19. How to Rebind a Hardcover Book: step 18, image 1 of 1

    • Put the dust jacket back on the book.

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Conclusion

Your book is now rebound and for reading! Keep the dust jacket on the book to protect the new book cover from harm.

7 other people completed this guide.

Author

with 4 other contributors

Emily Shaw

Member since: 10/26/18

431 Reputation

1 Guide authored

Badges: 8

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Team

UC Davis, Team S1-G2, Bender Fall 2018 Member of UC Davis, Team S1-G2, Bender Fall 2018

UCD-BENDER-F18S1G2

3 Members

3 Guides authored

4 Comments

Don’t know how long these instructions have been around, but I have to tell you that they are perfect. I am disassembling a large textbook and rebinding it into 4 sections. This wonderfully detailed info is precisely what I needed to have. Have bought all of my equipment and am ready to go.. I know this project will be a success because of your really clear instructions with the wonderful illustrations. Thank yo SO SO much! Maryann

Maryann Raymond - Reply

Hi there @eykshaw, congratulation for this awesome guide!

I was translating it to Italian and I noticed that (probably) steps 12 and 13 should be repeated for the bottom side as well.

Ciao!

ricky-fe - Reply

You didn't mention what kind of glue and the name of it?

John Lazar - Reply

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