Bookbinding

Discover the benefits of BC Adhesives bookbinding adhesives, designed to give your books strength, flexibility, and a professional finish. Whether you’re using perfect binding, case binding, layflat, or saddle stitch glue assist, our adhesives provide superior durability and efficiency. With advanced formulations, you’ll achieve secure page adhesion while ensuring smooth, high-quality results. Elevate your bookbinding process with the reliability, technical support, and performance of BC Adhesives.

Close-up of BC Adhesives’ perfect binding adhesive securing a book’s spine for a durable, professional finish.

Perfect binding

BC Adhesives provides high-quality perfect binding adhesives designed for paperback books, manuals, and catalogs. Our solutions ensure strong spine adhesion, long-lasting durability, and optimal performance for various binding needs.

Adhesives Used:

  • EVA Hot Melt – A cost-effective option offering fast set times and reliable bonding.
  • PUR Hot Melt – Provides superior flexibility, durability, and resistance to temperature and moisture fluctuations.

Key Benefits:

  • Strong spine adhesion for high-quality bookbinding.
  • PUR adhesives enhance durability, preventing page pull-out and cracking.
  • Tailored solutions to optimize production efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

 

Whether you’re binding high-volume catalogs or premium-quality books, BC Adhesives delivers the right adhesive solutions to meet your needs.

Case binding (hardcover binding)

Premium case binding adhesives are designed for hardcover books, yearbooks, and coffee table books. They ensure a strong, durable bond for high-quality book production, from spine adhesion to casing-in. BC Adhesives delivers reliable solutions for superior bookbinding performance.

Adhesives Used:

  • EVA Hot Melt – Applied to the spine for efficient bonding and quick set times.
  • PVA (Polyvinyl Acetate) – Used for the casing-in process, providing strong adhesion between the book block and cover.
  • Animal Glue – A traditional option for end sheet attachment and spine lining, offering flexibility and durability.

Key Benefits:

  • Secure and long-lasting binding for hardcover books.
  • PVA adhesives provide excellent flexibility and prevent warping.
  • Optimized formulations for smooth application and efficient production.

From classic bookbinding to modern production methods, BC Adhesives delivers reliable solutions to enhance quality and longevity in case-bound books.

Close-up of a saddle-stitched book with BC Adhesives’ glue assist for added durability and stability.

Saddle stitching with glue assist

Glue assist solutions for saddle stitching enhance the durability and appearance of magazines, booklets, and smaller catalogs. While stitching secures the pages, these adhesives reinforce the binding and improve cover adhesion. BC Adhesives delivers reliable solutions for stronger, longer-lasting bookbinding.

Adhesives Used:

  • Hot Melt Glues – Applied to the spine or cover to enhance hold and durability.

Key Benefits:

  • Strengthens the spine for improved longevity and handling.
  • Enhances cover adhesion for a cleaner, more professional finish.
  • Prevents shifting or page misalignment over time.

For publications that require both flexibility and durability, BC Adhesives’ glue assist solutions provide the perfect balance of strength and aesthetics.

Close-up of a layflat book bound with BC Adhesives, allowing pages to open completely flat without cracking.

Layflat Binding​

Perfect for photo books, cookbooks, and children’s books, layflat binding adhesives ensure books open completely flat without spine damage. This method enhances readability and provides a seamless, high-quality finish.

Adhesives Used:

  • PUR (Polyurethane Reactive Adhesives) – Delivers exceptional flexibility and durability.
  • Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives – Keeps pages securely in place while allowing smooth layflat functionality.
  • PVA (Polyvinyl Acetate) – Adds reinforcement for long-lasting adhesion.

Key Benefits:

  • Ensures books lay completely flat for an enhanced viewing experience.
  • Prevents spine cracking and extends book longevity.
  • Ideal for high-quality, full-spread images and premium publications.

BC Adhesives provides expertly formulated adhesives to deliver the perfect balance of strength, flexibility, and visual appeal for layflat-bound books.

Close-up of a book using BC Adhesives’ notch/burst binding adhesive for a secure and durable spine.

Notch binding / burst binding

Ideal for high-volume books and catalogs, notch and burst binding enhance glue penetration by cutting slots or notches into the spine edge of the signatures. This method creates a stronger, more durable bond, making it perfect for large-scale production.

Adhesives Used:

  • EVA (Ethylene Vinyl Acetate) – Offers fast set times and efficient bonding for high-speed production.
  • PUR (Polyurethane Reactive Adhesives) – Provides superior strength, flexibility, and resistance to temperature and moisture changes.

Key Benefits:

  • Enhances glue penetration for a stronger, longer-lasting bond.
  • Improves durability, preventing page pull-out.
  • Suitable for high-speed, high-volume production environments.

 

BC Adhesives supplies high-performance adhesives tailored for notch and burst binding, ensuring efficiency, strength, and reliability in large-scale bookbinding applications.

Close-up of BC Adhesives’ side glue application, securing pages with a strong, precise bond.

Side gluing (cover attachment)

Used in perfect bound books and magazines, side gluing strengthens the binding by securing the inside edges of the cover to the first and last pages. This added reinforcement enhances durability and prevents cover separation over time.

Adhesives Used:

  • Hot Melt – Provides fast set times and strong adhesion for high-speed production.
  • PUR (Polyurethane Reactive Adhesives) – Offers superior flexibility and long-lasting strength, especially for heavy-use publications.

Key Benefits:

  • Reinforces cover attachment for improved durability.
  • Prevents pages from pulling away from the cover.
  • Ensures a clean, professional finish for bound materials.

 

BC Adhesives offers high-quality side gluing solutions designed to enhance the longevity and performance of perfect bound books and magazines.

Close-up of BC Adhesives’ tip-in and pasting adhesive securing inserts with a strong, clean bond.

Tip-in & past down applications

Commonly used for inserting special pages, flyleaves, fold-outs, or illustrations, tip-in and paste-down adhesives provide a secure and precise bond. These adhesives support both automated and hand-bound book production, ensuring seamless integration of additional pages.

Adhesives Used:

  • PVA (Polyvinyl Acetate) – Delivers strong, flexible adhesion for long-term durability.
  • PUR (Polyurethane Reactive Adhesives) – Provides superior strength and flexibility, ideal for high-use books.
  • Pressure-Sensitive Adhesives – Allows for easy application and repositioning when needed.

Key Benefits:

  • Securely attaches special pages without compromising flexibility.
  • Works for both automated and hand-bound book production.
  • Ensures a clean, professional finish for high-quality publications.

 

BC Adhesives supplies high-performance adhesives tailored for tip-in and paste-down applications, ensuring durability and precision for specialty bookbinding needs.

Close-up of BC Adhesives’ pad binding glue securing a notepad for a durable yet easy tear-away finish.

Pad binding (padding)

Designed for notepads and receipt books, pad binding adhesives create a flexible yet secure hold, keeping sheets together while allowing for easy tear-off. This method ensures durability while maintaining convenience for everyday use.

Adhesives Used:

  • PVA (Polyvinyl Acetate) – Provides strong adhesion with flexibility for smooth page removal.
  • Padding Compound – Forms a sturdy yet peelable bond, ideal for high-use notepads.

Key Benefits:

  • Holds pages securely while allowing clean, effortless tear-off.
  • Suitable for both small-scale and high-volume production.
  • Dries quickly for efficient binding and handling.

BC Adhesives offers high-quality pad binding solutions to ensure reliability, ease of use, and a professional finish for notepads and receipt books.

Comprehensive technical support and in-house lab testing designed to ensure optimal adhesive performance for bookbinding and manufacturing applications.

Expert technical support

At BC Adhesives, we don’t just provide high-quality adhesives—we bring decades of expertise and hands-on support to ensure your bookbinding process runs smoothly and efficiently. Our team is dedicated to helping you achieve the strongest, most reliable bonds for your books. With over 30 years of experience working with bookbinders, our team offers free on-site technical support to optimize your adhesive application. Leveraging our Nordson backgrounds, we help troubleshoot equipment, fine-tune glue settings, and ensure your production runs efficiently with minimal downtime.

Expert technical support

At BC Adhesives, we don’t just provide high-quality adhesives—we bring decades of expertise and hands-on support to ensure your bookbinding process runs smoothly and efficiently. Our team is dedicated to helping you achieve the strongest, most reliable bonds for your books. With over 30 years of experience working with bookbinders, our team offers free on-site technical support to optimize your adhesive application. Leveraging our Nordson backgrounds, we help troubleshoot equipment, fine-tune glue settings, and ensure your production runs efficiently with minimal downtime.

BC Adhesives’ in-house flex testing equipment assessing the durability and flexibility of a bound book.

In-house flex testing

Our in-house lab testing capabilities include flex testing to evaluate the durability and flexibility of your bound books. By simulating real-world use, we help ensure your books maintain their integrity over time, providing a high-quality product for your customers.

In-house flex testing

Our in-house lab testing capabilities include flex testing to evaluate the durability and flexibility of your bound books. By simulating real-world use, we help ensure your books maintain their integrity over time, providing a high-quality product for your customers.

BC Adhesives’ in-house flex testing equipment assessing the durability and flexibility of a bound book.

In-house page pull testing

We also conduct page pull testing in our lab to measure the strength of adhesive bonds within your books. This ensures your binding meets industry standards, preventing page detachment and guaranteeing a secure, long-lasting product.

Partner with BC Adhesives for more than just glue—gain access to expert technical support and testing to take your bookbinding to the next level.

BC Adhesives’ in-house page pull testing machine measuring the adhesive strength of a bound book.