What is Wire-o-binding? Wire-o-binding is a continuous series of looped wire, usually extending the spine length of a book looped through holes. The holes are usually rectangular although they are sometimes circular.
Wire-o-binding is one of four styles of binding called “mechanical binding” which also includes cerlox (Americans call it comb), spiral wire and plasticoil. Of these four binding methods the wire-o-binding method is by far the most popular.
Pictures below are numbered 1 to 9 in the order of binding cost. Number 1 is the most popular and cheapest to produce. Numbers 9 and 10 are entirely different styles. Number 9 is a stand up “flip” easel style and number 10 which is bound with a “looped wire” inserted into the wire-o-binding is meant to be hung on a wall.
Wire-o-bound books can be as thin as two sheets up to 1 1/2” thick. The wire-o-binding comes in up to forty colours. There are two different punch hole spacings. From the thinnest up to 5/8” have three holes per inch. From 11/16” to 1 1/2” there are 2 holes per inch. In the design stage the different hole spacings can be important for graphic designers to know.
Features
- Smooth
- Binding is round
- Binding is usually shiny
Benefits
- Perfect alignment when the book is opened from side to side
- Wire-o “ends of wire” can only be seen inside of book cover
- When the books are open the opening (or gutter) is quite narrow