Hardback Book Printing Casebound 3mm Strong Grey Board
Casebound hardcover books built from grey board of 1.5mm, 2mm or 3mm wrapped in 157gsm glossy art paper, with end papers of 120gsm to 160gsm offset or fancy paper and a text block on 105gsm to 250gsm art paper. Sewing binding lets the pages spread 180 degrees across the gutter so a full-bleed image is not swallowed by the spine, and perfect binding is available where cost matters more. Sizes run A4, A5, B5, 6 x 9 in, 8.5 x 11 in, 5.5 x 8.5 in or customised, printed CMYK, Pantone or black and white. Ordered by publishers and organisations producing recipe books, picture books, photo books and graduation or travel commemorative volumes.
What This Product Gives You
- Sewn casebound pages spread 180 degrees, so a photograph across a spread stays visible instead of vanishing into the gutter
- Grey board at 3mm gives a cover stiff enough to survive repeated shelf handling, which a limp card cover does not
- Board thickness can step down to 1.5mm or 2mm where postage weight or budget is the binding constraint
- Text paper from 105gsm to 250gsm lets a photo book and a text-heavy volume use the same cover build at different costs
- End paper choice between offset and fancy paper adds a finished interior without changing the printing plates
- A stated dimensional tolerance of +2mm gives you a number to specify against rather than an open-ended promise
Where It Is Used and Who Buys It
Application Scenarios
- Recipe and cookery books that must lie open on a worktop
- Children's and adult picture books with full spread artwork
- Photo books and portfolio volumes
- Graduation and school commemorative books
- Travel and anniversary commemorative editions
Who It Is For
- Publishers placing hardback title runs
- Self-publishing authors producing a casebound edition
- Photographers and studios printing portfolio and client books
- Schools and universities commissioning yearbooks
- Corporate communications teams producing anniversary volumes
What Goes Wrong Without It
- Perfect bound photo books hide the centre of a spread, which sewn casebinding avoids
- Thin covers warp and corner-bump in transit, so grey board is specified by thickness rather than by feel
- Buyers get quoted a cover without knowing the end paper, which is listed here as a separate weight choice
- Text weight is often fixed by the printer, forcing a photo book onto thin stock that shows through
- Trim size disputes arise with no stated tolerance, so +2mm is quoted up front
Technical Features
- Casebound construction with 1.5mm, 2mm or 3mm grey board coated with paper
- 157gsm glossy art paper cover wrap with end papers
- End papers in 120gsm, 140gsm, 150gsm or 160gsm offset or fancy paper
- Text block on 105gsm, 128gsm, 157gsm, 200gsm or 250gsm art paper
- Sewing binding for 180 degree spread, or perfect binding
- CMYK, Pantone and black and white printing
Specification
| Product Material | Paper and paperboard |
|---|---|
| Binding | Sewing binding or perfect binding |
| Size | A4, A5, B5, 6 x 9 in, 8.5 x 11 in, 5.5 x 8.5 in or customised |
| Colour | CMYK, Pantone, black and white |
| Cover Material | 157gsm glossy art paper plus 2mm grey board plus end paper, or custom |
| Board Thickness | 1.5mm, 2mm or 3mm grey board coated with paper |
| End Paper | 120gsm, 140gsm, 150gsm or 160gsm offset paper or fancy paper |
| Text Paper | 105gsm, 128gsm, 157gsm, 200gsm or 250gsm art paper |
| Page Spread | Opens 180 degrees across the spread |
| Tolerance | +2mm |
| Artwork Format | PDF, AI, CDR, EPS at 300dpi |
| Printing | Offset printing |
Materials and Manufacturing Process
Materials
- Grey board
- Glossy art paper
- Offset paper
- Fancy paper
- Coated art paper
Manufacturing Process
- Artwork preflight and pagination
- Offset printing of text and cover
- Case making with grey board
- Thread sewing of the text block
- Casing-in and pressing
- Hand inspection
- Packing
How This Job Is Checked
- Artwork preflighted for design discrepancies before imposition and pagination
- PDF proof issued for approval, with a hard copy digital proof available on request
- Press colour checked against the approved proof through the run
- Finished books checked by hand for hinge strength, square trim within the +2mm tolerance and colour match
- Photographs of the finished books sent for approval before shipment
What You Can Change
- Trim size from the standard list or any dimension you supply
- Grey board stepped between 1.5mm, 2mm and 3mm to suit weight and durability
- End papers upgraded from offset to fancy paper
- Text paper weight selected from 105gsm up to 250gsm
- Sewing binding for a 180 degree spread, or perfect binding to reduce cost
- Colour set as CMYK, Pantone or black and white
Compared With the Alternatives
| Alternative | How This Compares |
|---|---|
| Perfect bound softcover book | Casebinding protects the block and opens flat across a spread, while a softcover ships lighter and costs less per copy |
| Perfect bound hardcover | Sewn hardback survives repeated opening and lies flat, but glue-only perfect binding is faster and cheaper on long runs |
| Spiral bound photo book | Spiral opens completely flat and is cheap to bind, though it has no printable spine and reads as a workbook rather than a keepsake |
Getting the Best Result
- Supply artwork as PDF, AI, CDR or EPS at 300dpi with fonts outlined
- Keep critical type clear of the trim edge, as the stated tolerance is +2mm
- Choose 3mm board for heavy reference and photo volumes and 1.5mm where shipping weight drives the cost
- Specify sewing binding if images run across the spread
- Pick a heavier text paper of 200gsm or 250gsm for photo reproduction and 105gsm or 128gsm for text-led titles
- Allow for the end paper choice in the page count when you paginate the file
Other Products in This Group
Hardback Book Printing Casebound 3mm Strong Grey Board FAQ
How thick is the cover board?
Grey board at 1.5mm, 2mm or 3mm, coated with paper. 3mm gives the stiffest cover for heavily handled titles.
What is the trim tolerance?
+2mm. Keep critical type and page numbers clear of that margin when you lay out the file.
Will the book open flat?
Sewing binding allows the pages to spread 180 degrees across the gutter, which is why it is used for picture and photo books.
What sizes can you print?
A4, A5, B5, 6 x 9 in, 8.5 x 11 in and 5.5 x 8.5 in as standard, or any customised size.
What artwork format do you need?
PDF, AI, CDR or EPS at 300dpi, with fonts saved as outlines.
What text paper weights are available?
105gsm, 128gsm, 157gsm, 200gsm and 250gsm art paper. Heavier stocks suit photographic reproduction.
How long does shipping take?
Express or air freight runs 3-4 working days and sea freight 15-18 days, quoted separately from production.
Quote Hardback Book Printing Casebound 3mm Strong Grey Board
Send the quantity, size and finish. Digital samples run in 1-2 working days and custom sample cost is refunded once the bulk order is confirmed.