Fix a Loose Cover on a Modern Book
This is a quick way to fix a loose cover of a book. The techniques won’t apply to older books to a certain extent although the theory behind it is the same. This should not take you longer than about a half hour. This is a for a modern book bound with adhesive that can be reactivated with heat. One hinge has become detached with the end-sheet still intact.
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- This particular book: Stars Without Number by Kevin Crawford. The cover material is a plasticized paper over boards. It appears to be a perfect binding, but whatever it is the pages are not falling out. The end-sheets are intact.
- Goals: Re-connect the cover to the text-block at the hinge. Save the end-sheets intact if possible
- Step by Step Instructions
- 20 Minutes of Video!
- Tools and Materials List
PERPETUAL CAVEAT: Never repair valuable and/or scarce books. When in doubt only do preservation treatments and consult an accredited professional.
Step by Step Instructions
The steps follow the videos from lifting the pastedown to reattaching the end-sheets. PLUS there are TWO MISTAKES I make and I show how to fix them. There are 19 steps. The hardest thing about this book repair is attaching the hinge so the end-sheet fits on the text-block.
Tools and Materials
If you have the Save Your Books’ Basic Book Repair Kit you have some of what you need already. See Course 1-202 for levels of tools needed for different archival book repairs. A specific list is in the curriculum.
