A Guide To Book Restoration And Maintenance

By Kathleen Mitchell


Ordinary wear and tear damages books over time. Others are damaged by accidental encounter with water, fire, acid, etc. Book restoration ensures that books are once more in usable condition. For the rare collection, it ensures that books are used many years after. Here are tips that will keep your collection usable and clean regardless of size or materials used.

What kind of repair needs to be done? Damage on books depends on its features and the element that caused this damage. In some, it is the pages that are torn while others have detached spine. You may just need a few pins or stitches to restore one book while another may require glue and tape. In some cases, delicate pages may require reinforcement before gluing. Identifying helps you to prepare for the task.

Collect the tools you need for repair. The tools depend on the kind of work that needs to be done. The most common materials used are a tape, scissors, glue and thread. The glue should be the kind used to bind papers. The thread ties the pages in smaller clusters before gluing them. A rubber band may also be effective in place of the thread. Set up a spacious and well lit work station to facilitate your work.

Repair individual pages and signatures before moving on to the cover or spine. This allows you to address individual tears before they are bound into signatures. Signatures are created using waxed thread to hold smaller sections together. Ensure that the knot on the signature is tight enough in a way that it will not come off as you work on the spine.

Cut and apply the binder tape. The tape should be the length of your spine. The tape is applied holding the spine and another attached to the cover. The sticky surface will be attached to the inner spine section of the cover and the inner cover. Enough pressure must be applied to ensure that the tape holds. A bone folder or Teflon may be used to hold the tape into place.

There is need to keep the text on the cover visible. As such, a clear tape is used. There is need to apply pressure when binding the spine to ensure that the cover holds effectively. Leave an allowance to ease opening and closing. The gutter and spine in general are pressed when gluing to eliminate bubbles that otherwise weaken the bond.

The Teflon or bone folder used to provide pressure is removed ones the glue has effectively held the cover. In some cases, rubber band is used. The binding should be strong enough to allow you hold the book upside down by the cover without tearing. As final touches, clip any loose ends and mend the corners. Anything that can reinforce the spine is added. Your book is now ready for use.

Avoid storing books in basements because the dump conditions damage the papers. Books should be stored upright in such a way that no areas receive uneven pressure. When using them, insert bookmarks to preserve your page and avoid bending at the spine. Plastic and airtight storage make books odorous. The best way to store them is covering with a piece of cloth in an aerated and dry place.




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