Books bound in this way have flat spines, which means they can bear titles, dates and author names. Staples are stronger and easier to work with than glue, but that does not mean perfect binding should be overlooked. Perfect binding uses glue rather than staples to hold printed pages in place. Failing to take creep allowance into consideration can result in center pages with very slim outside margins. Creep is eliminated by trimming, but the amount of paper that is removed must be accounted for when the book or magazine is laid out. This is known as creep, and it is unavoidable when printed materials are saddle stitched. Creep: If you place 20 or 30 sheets of paper together and then fold them in half, you will notice that the edges of the pages in the middle protruded further than the pages on the outside.A count that does not divide by four will result in one or more blank pages. This means saddle stitch binding page counts should be multiples of four.

Exact page counts are needed: Each piece of folded paper in a saddle stitched book will make up four pages.This means that it is not possible to print titles or other information on it. No spine printing: The spine of a saddle stitched book or magazine is the folded crease of its outside pages.Using thinner paper is a way to maximize page counts and reduce folding problems, but saddle stitching large books can result in a bulky end product that bows at the spine and does not lay flat. Limited page counts: Saddle stitching is not recommended for media that has more than 64 pages.The four main disadvantages of saddle stitching are:

While saddle stitching offers many benefits over other binding methods, it is not always an ideal solution. Saddle stitching uses unobtrusive staples that are only visible when the book or magazine is opened in the middle. This makes them unsuitable for materials that will have images or graphics that span adjacent pages. Artistic freedom: Methods like coil and wire binding produce pages with dozens of holes.Flexibility: The process is suitable for short as well as long production runs because minimal preparation is required.When thousands or tens of thousands of books or magazines have to be shipped, these savings can really add up. Lower shipping costs: Saddle stitching adds very little weight and virtually no additional bulk to printed materials, which keeps shipping costs low.This is why the process is so popular with publishers that work on tight schedules. Speed and simplicity: Saddle stitching is a relatively straightforward process, which means very little setup time is needed.Ironically, other methods that actually cost more are often viewed by the public as being cheap and disposable. This is why the technique is the preferred solution for glossy magazines that cater to upscale audiences.

Appearance and style: Books, catalogs and brochures that have been saddle stitched look and feel professional.

However, saddle stitching offers benefits other than price. Saddle stitching has become one of the most popular binding methods because it is far less expensive than other options like case, wire or coil binding. The process gets its name from the metal frame that is used to hold the folded pages in pace when they are stapled, which is called a saddle. Two staples are usually used, but larger page counts or heavier paper may call for three or even four staples. The staples can be seen in the fold between the book, brochure or the magazine’s center pages. When printed materials are saddled stitched, folded pages are placed on a metal frame and then staples are inserted in the fold line to bind them together. If you have ever read a magazine, you have likely seen an example of saddle stitch binding. In the printing industry, using staples to bind printed materials is known as stitching, and saddle stitching is one of the most popular ways of going about this because it offers several advantages over other binding methods. The term “saddle stitching“ may conjure up images of equestrians or garment workers, but it is actually a very popular method of binding booklets, catalogs, menus, calendars and brochures. Saddle Stitch Binding Is a Printing Industry Mainstay What is Saddle Stitch Binding in the Printing Business?

Stapled binding