Wire-O Books FAQ

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What are the advantages of Wire-O Binding?

There are several characteristics of the Wire-O binding method that make it very suitable for many different applications.

The structure of the coil allows the book to open flat and stay open, which is ideal for manuals, guides, or recipe books. The book can also be opened 360 degrees without “losing” the cover, ideal for a book that needs to be held in one hand or placed into a book holder. In either case, there is no spine to break and the pages will not be curled or folded over, increasing the longevity of the book.

As the coil comes in several sizes, this binding method can easily accommodate a large range of page counts, from 8 to 400 inside pages, plus the cover. The binding can also be placed either on the top or on the left edge, allowing for flexibility in the use of the piece.

Wire-O binding is a more professional and sturdy finish than plastic coil binding and it comes in many colours.

Finally, Wire-O is ideal for books that require section tabs. However, due to the variability in the number and positioning of the tabs, this is only available through a custom quote request.

What wire colours are available?

Currently, White and Black are the two colour options that can be ordered through the site. Other options can be specified via custom quote requests, such as metallic finishes in gold, silver or copper, or solid colours like blue, green, red, etc.

How much margin should I leave for Wire-O Binding?

As indicated below, the binding must be taken into account when designing the file for a Wire-O Bound Book. On the top, bottom, and non-spine edges, the margin should be a minimum of 0.25”. On the binding edge,  0.27” of margin for the binding plus 0.25” of safety will ensure both that nothing gets cut off, and that the content looks centred.

Even though it will actually be slightly off centre, the reader will judge from the edge of the bindery punches rather than the actual spine edge of the sheet. Therefore it is always important to include the margin for binding in any margin calculations, in case more margin than the recommended minimum is desired. If, for example, a 0.5” margin is required, then the spine margin would be 0.5” plus the 0.27” for the binding, for a total of 0.77”, but only on the binding side. On the other three edges, the margin would be 0.5”.

The other aspect of binding that needs to be taken into account is the fact that the spine edge alternates on the “even” and “odd” pages. This is independent of any actual page numbers that are added to the artwork, as the numbers can vary based on whether the cover is included, whether there’s a table of contents, if there is a section at the beginning that is numbered separately, etc.

Suppose the front cover is designated as “page 1”, the inside front cover would be “page 2”, etc. This would mean that for a conventional book that is read from left to right, all of the odd pages starting with the front cover would have the spine on the left-hand side, and all the even pages starting with the inside front cover would have the spine on the right-hand side.

What is the size and position of the punches for Wire-O Binding?

  1. The Wire-O hole punch is a 3:1 (3 to 1), which means every inch there will be 3 holes.
  2. The punched hole will be a square shape of 0.1875” (4.572mm). 
  3. The spacing between each hole is also the same 0.1875” (4.572mm)
  4. The distance from the edge of the sheet to the furthest edge of the hole is 0.27” (6.858mm)
  5. The distance from the edge of the hole closest to the edge of the sheet is 0.09” (2.286mm)

See the image and figure below.

Is there a possibility of making a waterproof book?

Yes, we can print waterproof books using synthetic paper.

Can you do a non-standard size for the coil-bound books? 

Yes, we can accommodate custom sizes. For this, you need to choose the next larger size on the product page. After you submit your file you will receive a confirmation email. Reply back to that email with your new custom size required for printing.

How can I calculate the complete dimensions including the Wire-O Coil for an 8.5”x11” Wire-O Coil bound book?

Please add 0.5” to the width. With the coil it will be 9” wide x 11.125”.

Does the book size on the website refer to opened or closed-book size?

The size refers to a single page size, so that is the size of a closed book.

Is there a way I can order a proof version of the book, so I know what it feels like?

The hard copy proof can be ordered by selecting it from the Proof Group dropdown list.

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