How to Repair Book Binding with this DIY Kit

Scrub surfaces clean with the book eraser. Hint: You can also use this to erase crayon marks from the wall.

"5 Dirt Easy Steps for adding life to your books by using ChromaLabel’s DIY Book Binding Repair Kit"

Prepping the Book for Repair

Whether you’re applying tape, wings, or corners, it’s important to cleanse the area of any foreign substances. You want to ensure optimum adhesion of the product you’ll be applying. 

Use the book eraser to safely remove grime from the book cover, inside the book cover, book spine or corners. Simply wet the eraser, wring out thoroughly and gently scrub away grime, dirt, tape residue, or anything else that doesn't belong there! (Bonus Points: the book eraser is acid free. Woo-hoo!)

Remember that a clean surface means adhesive products will stick better.

Fixing a Book Spine with Cloth Tape (hardcover)

Using the bone folder to help roll out & apply the tape

Attach the bone folder perpendicular to the end of the tape and roll out enough BookGuard™ Premium Cloth Tape for the length of the book. Use a ruler to define the cutting edge, and carefully cut. We suggest using sharp scissors and placing some tension on the tape while cutting to ensure a cleaner cut. If not done properly, it’s easy to get the scissors caught up in the macho-adhesive tape. (Yes, that’s a technical term) 

Now firmly apply the tape onto the spine and sides of the book. We suggest having at least 1/2” of tape on either side of the spine. Use the bone folder to press the tape onto the spine and into the gusset, then trim off the excess with scissors. Remember: our adhesive is pressure-sensitive, so the more you press it, the better it will adhere over time!

Get a cleaner cut by pulling the tape taught

Use the bone folder to press the tape more firmly 

Fixing Book Corners

There's a package of our BookGuard™ Premium Cloth Book Repair Corners in each kit. These are ideal for torn, damaged, and otherwise very unhappy book corners. So here’s how they work:

Peel from liner, align, apply to outside cover corner

Fold sides in onto the inside book cover corner 

Use wings to fix worn book spine tops & bottoms

Fixing the edges of the Book Spine

Each kit includes a pack of BookGuard™ Premium Cloth Book Wings to mend and reinforce one of the most abused parts of the book: the top and bottom of the spine. So here’s the skinny:

Fixing a Book Spine with Clear Poly Tape (softcover)

Roll out appropriate tape length with bone folder

There’s a roll of 2" roll of Bookguard™ Crystal-Clear Book Binding Tape in each kit we sell. This is better suited for soft cover books, but you can use it on hard covers too. The tape is made of an acid-free, ph-neutral, stretchy, non yellowing or cracking, conformable material called Polyethylene.

Attach the bone folder perpendicular to the end of the tape and roll out enough tape for the length of the book. Use a ruler to define the cutting edge, and carefully cut.

Now firmly apply the tape onto the spine and sides of the book. We suggest having at least 1/2” of tape on either side of the spine. Use the bone folder to press the tape onto the spine and gusset. Remember: our adhesive is pressure-sensitive, so the more you press it, the better it will adhere over time!

Use sharp scissors to cut correct tape length

Use bone folder for better press tape onto spine

Securing the inside cover to the front (facing) page

3/4" clear tape binding inside book cover

Use the included roll of 3/4” wide archival-safe BookGuard™ Polyethylene tape for this step. Follow the same procedure as the other book repair tapes with the bone and ruler.

For this repair, it’s easiest to have an extra set of hands to help. Ask your friend, colleague, or mother to hold the book cover up to the edge of the spine at about a 45-degree angle. Then run your strip of tape down the middle, pressing firmly with the bone to adhere, as before.

Like the book eraser and bone folder, this size of polyethylene tape is exclusive to the kit. 

FINAL TIPS:

Giving the Book Spine a Final Squeeze

• Squeeze the spine with your hands to impose a final, firm amount of pressure on the tape and repair that you’ve just done.
• Tape not adhering like you think it should? Make sure the cover is clean. Make sure you handle the adhesive side of the tape as minimally as possible — oil on your fingers will deaden the adhesive. Make sure both the products and book are at room temperature. Make sure you’ve used the bone or your hands to press the adhesive.
• Handle your books with care! With proper maintenance and storage, books will last indefinitely. Our archival-safe adhesives and products will extend the life of even the cheapest bindings for the next generation and more!

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