When you’re deciding which binding style is best for your project, it’s helpful to consider the most important factors for the end user. For example, will the book need to lay flat for tabletop use? Will users appreciate the ability to hold it with one hand? From a design standpoint, would a variety of cover choices allow for creative freedom?

Wire-O™  binding is the one style that possesses all of these qualities, making it the ideal choice for many projects. Here are a few of the advantages that Wire-O may be able to bring to your book projects:

Layflat capabilities — Many projects - including cookbooks, software manuals and calendars - benefit from Wire-O’s ability to lay flat as a board on either a table top or wall. Wire-O-bound books can also fold 360 degrees to allow single-hand use.

Crossovers — Plastic spiral and spiral wire binding may lay flat, but they “step up” when opened, making them unsuitable for projects with crossover images or text. Wire-O binding doesn’t have this problem.

Cover options — Perhaps the best feature of Wire-O binding are the several available cover options, including standard two-piece covers; semi-concealed; fully-concealed and wraparound styles. At Eckhart & Co., we offer even more Wire-O cover options, including cased-in covers that give your projects a truly unique and sophisticated look.

Helpful Planning and Design Tips

Punching Margins — When designing a project for Wire-O binding, always plan for proper punching margins. For projects that require 3:1 binding (three holes per inch), leave 3/8” to 1/2” from the binding edge to the edge of the punched hole. If your books require 2:1 binding, allow for a punching margin of approximately 1/2" to 5/8”. 

Proper Packaging — Wire-O binding elements can wreak havoc on book covers during transport if proper packaging measures aren’t taken. One packaging solution is stagger-stacking, which reverses the location of the binding elements to allow for flatter packing and reduced friction. One more tip: Some thicker wire may leave a gray mark on lighter-color covers, so design your books accordingly!

Back Issues:

• April 2004  Turn Your Mechanically Bound Book Into a Display Piece

• March 2004  Large Diameter Spiral Wire Binding

• February 2004  Perfect Binding

• January 2004  Our Capabilities

• December 2003  Turned Edge Advantages

• November 2003  Semi-Concealed Wire-O

• October 2003  The Advantages of UV Coating

• September 2003  Mechanical Binding Inserts

• August 2003  The Advantages of Prototypes

• July 2003  Calendars

• June 2003  Index Tabbing

• May 2003  Plastic Comb Binding

• April 2003  Mechanical Binding Options

• March 2003  News From BookTech

• February 2003  Plastic Spiral Binding

• January 2003  Serving Our Customers

• December 2002  Wire-O Covers

• November, 2002 Spiral Wire Production

• October, 2002 Wire-O Binding

• September, 2002 Mechanical Binding Basics

• August, 2002 Cased-In Wire-O