A lot of friends, family and acquaintances ask have asked me, “How long does it actually take to make a book?” I hear the emphasis on the word “actually” as if bookbinders are either over- or under-inflating the time involved to construct a handmade book. Is this truly the case?

The heart of the question

I truly believe the question comes from a place of awe and intrigue, not a place of accusation or interrogation. Some people ask because they’re curious about making a book themselves. Others have such an immense respect for books they assume it must take weeks or months to make just one. Today, I hope to shed some light on what it really takes to create a beautifully bound book by hand.

Experiment guidelines

For this experiment, I tracked every step involved in making one of my signature case bindings. The book we’re following today is a gorgeous case binding covered in one of my favorite fabrics with a strong, waterproof black buckram spine, lined white pages, blue endsheets, white pre-sewn silk end bands and a yellow ribbon marker.

case binding with black buckram spine blue and black flowers fabric covers

This post is not a descriptive “step-by-step” on how to make a book. So, I’ve listed the entire process in table format with the number of minutes (rounded up to the nearest 5 minutes) required for each task. I did include a brief explanation for clarity, but it’s not super detailed. At the very end, I added up the minutes and converted into hours for the sake of simplicity.

Tracking tasks and time

TaskDescription# of Minutes
Prepare fabricWash, dry & iron fabric (does not include wash/dry machine time)20
Back fabricCut fabric to size, prepare wheat paste, cut & apply Unryu to cloth, press with rubber brayer, remove excess air. Clean up. Does not include dry time30
Print lined paper36 sheets of 12×18 paper. Includes time it takes me to monitor for errors, turn 36 sheets of paper & send through machine again (does not include actual machine printing time or the time it took me to create the original template in the first place)15
Cut lined paperTrim out two signatures & foredges (36 sheets at 3 cuts/sheet = 108 cuts)25
Fold lined paperFolding & scoring 72 sheets20
Create & press signatures7 sheets per signature = 10 total signatures, press under weight alternating for an even press15
Jogging signaturesCreates a tight spine for each signature with very little space10
Sawing signaturesInstead of piercing all of the holes for each signature, I use a small tooth Japanese saw to cut the holes. Measure & mark 6 cuts, each sawed 1.5mm deep15
Preparing endsheetsSelecting, folding, measuring & cutting end sheets to size15
Sewing prepSelect & measure thread & linen tapes, apply wax to thread, thread needle, set up sewing frame with tapes & keys20
SewingSewing with link stitch method and linen tapes, trimming thread & trimming tapes once complete85
Tip in endsheetsTipping in end sheets onto the text block with PVA10
Apply first layer of PVAWeigh down text block, apply layer of PVA. Does not include air dry time15
Apply second layer of PVADoes not include air dry time5
Apply pre-sewn end bandsCut end bands to size, apply with PVA. Does not include dry time.10
Apply yellow ribbon markerCut ribbon to size, singe edges. Does not include dry time.10
Apply mullMeasure & cut mull for spine reinforcement. Apply & trim mull. Does not include dry time.15
Trim foredgeSet text block to correct height, apply safety boards, trim 1/8″ away from foredge using a handheld plough, cleanup30
Measure spine thicknessUsing a scrap of paper, measure exact spine thickness & covert for bookboard cuts.5
Prep book clothRemove book cloth from glass with a razor, clean up, cut away rough edges to create 90 degree corners, measure for case (two covers), cut covers into two pieces30
Prep buckramMeasure and cut black buckram from roll, prep buckram with spine measurements15
Trim bookboardCut covers and 1 spine from 15×12 sheet of 0.80 davey board using Olfa knife and steel ruler, ensuring square edges25
Glue spine to buckramUsing PVA, define hinges using teflon bone folder, place under weight. Does not include press/dry time10
Glue boardsApply PVA and glue each cover to black buckram, place under weight. Smooth glue with bonefolder. Does not include dry time15
Glue book cloth to buckram & boardsMeasure start point for book cloth on each cover, apply book cloth to boards using PVA, smooth with bonefolder apply weight. Does not include press & dry time15
Measure & cut cornersUsing a jig, measure, mark & cut corners using scissors5
Fold head & tailApply PVA to head and tail book cloth & buckram, fold using bonefolder, smooth & remove excess glue20
Fold short edges & turn cornersApply PVA to short edges, fold using bonefolder, smooth & remove excess glue. Carefully turn each corner using bone folder, remove excess glue. Place under weight & press with newspaper. Does not include dry time25
Measure case to text blockMeasure & mark case to text block5
Case in text blockSit text block into case, apply PVA to each end sheet & seat in place properly. Define hinges. Apply newsprint & wax paper to protect text block. Wrap in newsprint. Press overnight with dowels. Does not include overnight press time35
MiscellaneousCutting wax paper and newsprint to size, washing brushes, design planning, arranging for press with dowels, checking on print & other processes, making distilled water25
595 Minutes (9.91 Hours)

Results

As a skilled bookbinder with many years of practice, using time-saving tools like steel rulers, corner jigs, squares & a guillotine paper cutter, it takes almost 10 hours of my time to create one book. This does not include the time it takes to press & dry.

When I add in the press & dry time (est. 88 hours), the total time to produce one book increases to 97.91 hours, or just over 4 days.

Everyone is different

I feel it’s important to mention the following: if I made a mistake during a task, I stopped the timer. I did this to track the time it takes to make a book if there were no errors or problems.

Of course, we all know this is not the case. Every book has its own challenges, even if you’ve made a dozen of them in the past. These metrics provide a base for estimates, but are by no means the same for everyone.

Binding style & ingredients

My bookbinding style is very traditional, so it might take me longer than someone else to complete the same work. I’m meticulous about the process and source only the finest archival-quality ingredients. I even make my own distilled water to avoid using acidic tap water and prefer to buy endpapers and fly leaves from fellow makers & creators. Sourcing these items takes time.

Handmade books are special

It’s no secret that I’m obsessed with high quality, handmade goods. There is no substitute for beautiful craftsmanship and I love the challenge of finding eco-friendly, ethically-sourced ingredients. That’s why it’s important to share the process clearly and honestly so everyone can see just what’s involved in making a book by hand.

Resources

What do you think? Did this post surprise you? Was it not surprising in any way? Pop over to InstagramFacebook or YouTube and share your thoughts with me!

ALL my best,

Misty