Changed my mind about using PVA for everything after a chat at the Portland book fair

I was gluing up a text block for a cookbook last week and a binder I met said, "That spine will crack in a year if you don't let it flex." So I switched to a wheat paste mix for the spine and kept the PVA just for the boards. What do you all use for heavy books that get opened a lot?

3 comments

3 Comments

jamesr751mo ago

Portland book fair binder just saved your cookbook from disaster. I used straight PVA on a big family photo album project last year and the spine split clean in half after six months of gentle use. Now I mix a little methyl cellulose into the PVA for spines, gives it that slow flex. Wheat paste is the old school way, that binder knows their stuff.

the_kim1mo ago

Honestly that spine split thing is so real. Straight PVA gets brittle fast on thicker books. Adding a bit of methyl cellulose is the move for sure, makes all the difference.

veraramirez22d ago

Total overreaction. That binder sounds like a purist. Used straight PVA on my dad's old workshop manual five years ago. Thing gets used hard, grease stains and all. Spine is totally fine. People act like PVA turns to glass overnight. It's a modern glue for a reason.