How To-25: "How to Repair a Paperback Book"

from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Do you have a Trade Paperback that has fallen on hard times? Loose pages? Cover come loose from the pages? Here's how to resurrect that book for a few more years of good reading.

Steps

Missing One or Two Pages

1. Open the book to the place where the pages belong.
   
2. Place a thin bead of glue along the crack of the spine.
   
3. Carefully place the page(s) back into place, taking care to align the edges of the page with the edges of adjacent pages.
   
4. Close the book.
   
5. Wipe away any excess glue.
   
6. Place the book under several heavier books to press it while it dries.
   
7. Wait 3 or more hours for the glue to dry before opening the book.
   

Entire Cover Separated From the Pages

1. Open the cover and lay it on a flat surface.
   
2. Use Plastic Glue (see sources below) to wet the spine area.
   
3. Carefully place the page spine edge into the glue.
   
4. Close the covers
   
5. Wipe away any excess glue that squeezes out the end of the spine.
   
6. Rubber band the cover to the books and press it under several heavier books to hold it while the glue dries.
   
7. Leave the book for at least 3 hours to allow it to dry. Overnight is best.
   

One Cover Torn Off

1. Use Tape to re-attach the cover.
   
2. Place the tape parallel to the spine so that half of the tape sticks to the first page of the book.
   
3. Bend and fold the tape back on itself.
   
4. Carefully align the cover to the spine edge.
   
5. Press it onto the sticky half of the tape.
   
6. Follow the instructions in Cover a Paperback Book With Clear Plastic Film to reinforce the spine.
   
   • Alternatively, you could cover the spine edge with heavy duty clear tape. Librarian book repair tape works best, but packing tape would suffice for a year or two. (after a year or so, packing tape will yellow, dry out and cause more problems)
     
   
   

Cover Creased or Tattered

1. First, tack down all loose flaps or tears with plastic glue.
   
2. Cover the book with plastic film once the glue has dried. Follow the instructions in Cover a Paperback Book With Clear Plastic Film or Make a Hard Cover for a Paperback Book to reinforce and/or protect the cover from further damage.
   

Tips

• Patience is a virtue... Don't hurry this! Take your time and do a careful job. Hurrying only increases the likelihood that you will end up with an unsatisfactory result.
  

Things You Will Need

• Helpful supplies to have on hand.
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Cover a Paperback Book With Clear Plastic Film
  
• How to Repair a Book's Binding
  
• How to Make a Hard Cover for a Paperback Book
  

Sources and Citations

• Plastic Glue and Book Repair tape are available from Library Supply companies such as Brodart and DEMCO.
  

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