Gregath Company, Incorporated
 PO BOX 505, Wyandotte, OK 74370, USA 
 Phone/FAX 01-918-542-4148 | Toll Free (inside the USA) 1-800-955-5232
 Phone Hours: 9-4 CT/M-F | Emails generally answered within one working day


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Quality Hardbound Book Services
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Services of several binderies in the United States, are utilized by this company. There are a select few binderies that are preferred, for all books of a genealogical or historical nature. Each has it's own area of expertise and the staff will help you by matching your needs to the best bindery and services. These are all the "cream of the crop" because the distinctive types of books not only need to have exceptional strength, but maximum flexibility to compensate for photocopying problems that can arise with low openability (such as from "tight" oversewn books).  Whether you are needing services for printing and binding, binding only (thesis, dissertations, genealogy, fiction, etc.), or rebinding services, Gregath Company, Inc. has a service for you!

Providing authors with the finest quality and best workmanship, at a reasonable price, is a common goal shared by all involved with a successful publishing. Nothing but the very best is offered.

Because of the importance of books, they must be durable, as well as beautiful. This statement counts double for genealogy and history publications, due to the heavy usage books receive while in library, family or individual circulation. Indeed, four primary characteristics of any hardbound book should be considered and weighed carefully:

1. The binding should not alter the text block in a major way, nor should it waste materials;

2. The binding should not contribute to a books degeneration;

3. The binding should allow for easy openability to a 180° position so copying will not be a damaging factor;

4. A bound book, when laying on a flat surface, stay open for hands free use of the reader (sometimes called "lay flat").

For this reason, the general hard binding we strenuously suggest are the ever-popular and traditional oversewn binding type, rather than the less durable smyth(e) sewn for family and history books. In the durable American Library Association certified oversewn method recommended, small groups of pages are close stitched, then stitched to the next small grouping. When all pages have been stitched, the raw book is then glued and reinforced with woven fabric.   The hardbound ALA book also meets or exceeds the Library Binding Institute standards for a Class A library binding. That said, each author and book project have different needs and every bindery used produces fine books, whether they are oversewn, sewn in a different method, or primarily utilize adhesive (glue).

Currently, our most popular (and economical) hard bindings are Library Binding Institute (LBI) side-sewing and adhesive with full color covers!

Get even more technical! The full set of current LBI standards can be freely downloaded in PDF format by going to their website.

Standard versus Color

Also included in standard and deluxe hardbound books (unless specifically requested otherwise) are quality end papers, corners that meet the Library Binding Institute (LBI) standards, further reinforcements, milled sides and your choice of first rate cloth and other man made stock, over strong binder boards. All rigid, hardcover, case bound books provide the text imprint on the spine FREE of charge.  Our standard and deluxe covers also include either the finest Buckram or distinctive man-made cover choices as a quality base for a custom front cover foil imprint. Additionally, any cover package can include more than one artwork engraving or hand set type that is heat imprinted in our standard color foils. Basic foil colors included in price list costs include: brilliant gold, silver or bronze/copper (recommended for dark material), black or red (recommended for light material) foils. Other non-foil (ink-pigment) options and more foil possibilities such as other colored metallic, matte, different shading tones of color, pearl or prismatic are available.

Our deluxe hard covers - and now standard covers - anticipate elegance by including free header and footer bands, spine bars, and rounded backs.  Executive level cover fabrics are available in prints and textures not generally offered in standard hard binding packages.

Deluxe hard covers also include a professionally designed graphic front cover imprint in your choice of ink or foil colors. Specialized custom artwork plates can be applied to the standard binding - a savings when binding many hundred. Special plates can also be made to imprint in a second, third or more colors - each plate in a different color. This is but one option that can turn an economical deluxe binding into the machine equivalent of fine binding.

For Standard and deluxe covers, please consider the color of cover you choose when deciding on your imprint color.

Another popular library option is the text mount, buckram binding. Seen in many libraries and some schools, this can be done with new books, or is a great re-binding option.

Due to an ever increasing request for 4 color covers, we have been able to arrange a very economical machine-sewn, fully illustrated four-color binding, as well as an library approved adhesive method. The number of pages is the general determining factor about sewn or adhesive books. In many instances, these are more economical than traditional books with color dust covers.  Lots of books that have dust jackets are rather plain underneath with a binding band along the spine.  One way to have this band and still save money is to forgo the dust covers in favor of a 4-color cover.  The spine can still have the same banded look along with most, if not all, of your original dust cover layout thoughts.  This cover won't get rumpled or torn through reading and shelf wear as dust jackets so often do. The absence of printed inside flaps isn't a draw back when you think of all those dust jacketed books that have lost their jackets during their lifetime. Please note that, though LBI standards do not endorse color lamination, this product meets or exceeds as many standards for quality, durable binding as we could find.

Most authors that do not favor four color covers, choose to imprint front and spine, with title of book and author, and possibly decorative spine bars. Special borders, spine panels and artwork, are also available.

Further specialty binding materials, that can be quoted, include bonded leather and genuine lambskin.

We also offer further special designer covers, personalization, marker ribbons, genuine leather bound creations, slip boxes/cases, clam-shell cases, CD pockets/storage, designer end sheets and much, much more. Specially designed or custom work can also be added, for an additional cost.

Inserts such as sales material, last minute addenda material, corrections, or even supplemental data CD/DVD can be added to any style book project as well.  Optional handling and shipping of individual sales for our customers have proven successful, time wise, and cost effective in the information age.

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We also offer blank hardbound books for diaries, journals, gag gifts, novelties, etc.

Home Page > Book Preparation Tips > Hard Binding

This Page Last Updated: April 13, 2012

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