Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you just started reading a book and didn’t even complete half of it, and your book pages have already started to fall apart?
Probably Yes,
I do read a lot of books by myself, and this happens to me most of the time. Especially with Hardcover books, that is so frustrating.
So why not repair it and solve it. I have listed out my 10 Best book binding glue to repair your books very easily at home. Which I use by myself a lot.
If you also read a lot of books, then this is a must.
Well, there are a lot of different types of book binding glues out there in the market (adhesive, acid free, PVA, Elmer, etc.) and it totally depends on the type of your books.
Also varies what kind of binding you want.
That’s why we created the category according to the book type, so it’s easy for you to understand which one to get for your type of book.
And If you have any recommendation beyond our list, let us know on the comment section below, we’ll be happy to know your experience as well.
Now, let’s see which glue is best for book binding repairs according to your book type.
Table of Contents
10 Best Glue For Book Binding [Repairing Kits]
Before we give you the list of Best book binding glue for repairing. Let's See,
Why is bookbinding important?
Well, Bookbinding is what keeps the signatures in the text block together.
Without proper binding, it will fall apart easily.
Depending on the book, the different binding will be best. I bought a graphic novel once, and I barely read a few pages before a good bunch of the pages fell out.
And Paperbacks have a different goal from hardcovers. Paperbacks typically use perfect binding, while hardcovers often are case bound. The latter is sewn, while perfect binding uses glue.
That is why we also recommend you to use glue for better usability.
So here we have the list of the 10 best glue for book binding repair & keeping your book safe for longer use.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something, we may earn a little commission at no additional cost to you.
The best thing about this gel is,
It does not only work to fix bookbinding and repairing, you can also use it for many purposes like on wood, paper, leather, ceramic, plastic, metal, etc.
Gorilla Super Glue Gel is universal glue, which means even if you complete your binding process and have left a lot of gels, then you can still use that same gel on other things.
You don’t even bother with other kinds of glues out there unless you need something with a rubbery consistency like barge cement.
The gel keeps it from getting everywhere. Unlike other, superglues, they are very “watery” and run all over the place. This glue goes down where you put it.
Absolutely perfect & by far the best glue for book binding fixing.
Best glue for fixing book bindings
- Compatible Material - Wood, Paper, Leather, Ceramic, Plastic, Metal
- Dries in 10-45 seconds
Personally, This is one of my favorite & best glue for book binding, which I’ve been using for decades.
This glue is actually made for book binding unlike the first glue which I mentioned on the list and the company is also book binding company, so you can easily trust them.
Caveat: As soon as you receive the product, remove the stupid ill-fitting little cap and toss it.
If you don’t, it’ll almost immediately disappear anyway. (You may search high and low for the cap, but you’ll never find it, if my experience is any indication.)
What to use instead?
The cap from an interdental brush really does the job.
The adhesive, by the way, should flow smoothly and be very easy to work with. If you keep it covered, it’ll never dry out.
Depending on the job, you can apply it directly from the nozzle, or with a toothpick, or with a little paintbrush.
Best book binding glue for any type of books.
Best Alternative – Aleene’s 29-2
Best Adhesive For Bookbinding
- Compatible Material - Paper
- Repair the spine and front cover separated from the pages
- Perfect For Big Hardcover Books
Many people use the contact cement that must be applied to both surfaces and let dry before pressing together.
But I prefer this glue.
It does not have an obnoxious odor and soaks into the leather really well.
You still have to apply it to both sides, but it doesn’t have the instant grab that contact cement has, so you can adjust the pieces before it sets up.
Lastly, What you need to know is after applying the glue, you have to tape it in the position you want and leave it on for at least 12 hours. Then peel the tape after, it is fixed.
This is one of the best glue for leather book binding that you could ever find. Especially Suede.
- Bonds fast
- Dries clear
- Easy to apply
- Safe to touch
- Almost odor free
Best glue for leather book binding
- Compatible Material - Leather
- Won’t soak through or stain leathers and suedes
- Not recommended for dry cleaning.
This book binding tape is the result of over a decade of bookbinding research, as the ultimate book repair tool.
This tape is extra strong, it is also extra thin, so after you peel back the yellow backing paper,
The pure whiteness of the tape, and its slightly see through style, will make the tape blend in more naturally with the color of the paper.
It is also have 2 size options, 1.5 inch (ca. 4 cm) and 2 inches (ca. 5 cm) with an extra large role to save big.
You can use this on the inside cover and between the pages of your books to add decades of life to them and save big in the process.
Also comes with a super thin design, you can use this tape for just about anything. Just be aware that once this tape is applied, it will not come off.
Best Alternative — Gaffer Power Tape
Best tape for book spine repair
- Material - Paper
- Color Available - White, Black, Gray
- The ultimate book repair tool
That product doesn’t need an introduction.
I use it to glue fabric to wooden frames after I embroider it. It works great and is not messy at all, but it’s thick and doesn’t spread great, which produces some waste trying to have to go where it needs to go.
It will also work very well for binding your books.
Rather than buying new books to replace them, you can use this glue to put the pages together, and it works like a charm!
But make sure to put very little amount from edge to edge, sometimes spreading it with a toothpick, before you put the pages back.
They stick together immediately, but you can let it sit overnight.
Highly recommend this glue for anyone with young babies and toddlers who like to chew, tear, and peel board books.
Best glue for book covers
- Compatible Material - Paper, Fabric
- Let it dry for more than 24 hours
- Permanent as any other Fabric glue
Just like it says, this glue is totally acid-free, so you don’t have to worry about those things.
The one great thing about this Brodart glue is, It is perfect for big books like Bible which mostly used to have a hardcover, and if you read the bible every day,
Then there is a big chance that your books might fall apart from time to time.
That’s where this glue comes into place. This probably saved can save hundreds of dollars in not having to replace damaged books if you are a librarian.
The repair is flexible and long-lasting.
Bind-Art can also be used on bindings. You can use special waxed paper at work, but at home, you can use regular waxed paper, and keep a small kit with toothpicks and waxed paper next to the adhesive.
Absolutely recommended for hardcover books.
Best acid free book binding glue
- Compatible Material - Paper
- Just right for paperback repair.
- Perfect for hardcover books
Now, unlike the other type of glue on this list, this is wood glue for book binding.
If you are looking to repair your books using wood glue then, from my side, this is the best option out there as compared to the elmer’s and other glue out there on their market.
Not only does it outperform the other glues, but it’s also the only wood glue that you can keep in your unheated garage or anywhere during cold temps without any issues.
The only problem was the tip is kind of funny, and you might face a little trouble while opening i.
Great value for your money, go get one if you want to fix wood material things.
Best wood glue for book binding
- Compatible Material - Wood
- Requires only 20-30 minutes of clamp time, fully cured in 24 hours.
It is pricey glue as compared to the other glue on the list, but this is one of the best glue for book binding, It just works great.
First, for the most, It does not have a lot of moisture, so the paper dries faster.
You just have to keep your old bottle, because there is no nozzle on this one.
Using the right paintbrush is key to preventing any loose brush hair/fiber from mixing into the glue during the application.
The glue might look like the old fashion Elmer’s glue we used to use in elementary school, so might be skeptical.
BUT, It can bind Bible together and hold very well.
The one caveat is that this product should not be purchased in the dead of winter when there is a chance it could freeze during transport because apparently, it will.
Best pva glue for book binding
- Compatible Material - Paper
- Ideal for bookbinding, paper projects, as well as mounting artwork.
This is one of the best glue for book binding repair by Elmer.
If you don’t know, they are in this industry for more than 65 years now, so you can imagine how good they are.
Cleanup is as advertised. It’ll hold small metal things like paper clips to wood, but otherwise works well mostly on porous surfaces.
It is absolutely perfect to glue up a book cover that had come loose. No doubt good for other uses as well, but it excelled at your bookbinding project for sure.
The only thing I did not like is that it only comes in a 4-ounce bottle, and it does not have a large gallon refill.
Best elmer's book binding glue
- Compatible Material - Wood, Fabric
- Versatile craft glue
Unlike the other glue on the list, this comes with the 4 type of tips, which is great for different purpose on how much drop you want to put in.
This work as a great glue for book binding repair.
You can use this for different type of paper works as well. It has moisture so takes a tiny bit of time to dry, so don’t expect unreasonable miracles right away.
It won’t warp your paper, and the best part?It DOESN’T PUCKER UP YOUR VELLUM!!! I even use it to adhere fabric to paper, and it WORKS!
Highly recommend for book binding and other paper works.
One of the best adhesive for bookbinding
- Compatible Material - Paper
- Comes With 4 Tips
- Quick dry
Final Verdict
At this point, you already got the list of best book binding glue to repair your books.
And I hope you will be able to save some bucks while doing it by yourself.
Because most bookbinders charge by the hour, usually $50 minimum. Depending on what you want to be done — repack versus full binding — you’re talking from two to four or five hours of work.
So great job to you!!
If you have any questions about repairing your books, you can slap your questions in the comment section below, we'll be happy to help you around.