Taking the spotlight in part two of this eight-part series of essential bookbinding materials is book board. This rigid material comes in a variety of thicknesses and is most commonly used for creating durable hard cover cases for books (aka “casebound books”). In addition, book board can also be used for creating boxes like clamshells and slipcases, that usually accompany special editions, or rare books that require additional needs such as protection from moisture, dust, and light.
In this overview, we’ll look at five common book board options and the key factors to consider when choosing the right board for your projects.
Chipboard
Chipboard is one of the most accessible and affordable book board options currently on the market. It’s a popular choice for beginners and really great for practice books, personal books, and prototypes. Brown and grey chipboard are the two types you’ll most commonly encounter and we’ll explore their individual characteristics below.
- BROWN CHIPBOARD is typically made of 100% recycled materials and its color is a reflection of its composition—a combination of paper fibers, like recycled corrugated boxes, and unbleached natural wood fibers. These components are laminated together and then compressed to form a multi-ply, low-to-medium density particle board. Boards with a lower-density are usually more flexible and easier to cut, however they are also more prone to warping from glue and moisture.
- GREY CHIPBOARD (aka “Greyboard”) is also composed of 100% recycled materials. However, greyboard is manufactured using higher concentrations of ingredients like old newspapers, magazines, and mixed-waste paper pulp. This blend of paper and ink is what gives the board its characteristic grey appearance.
Grey chipboard is also generally denser and more rigid than brown chipboard. Higher-density boards are less flexible due to their more tightly compressed layers, which makes greyboard a great choice for projects that require a bit more warp resistance and durability. Just note that higher-density boards can be more difficult to cut by hand and may require several extra passes with your craft knife when trimming to size.
In terms of archival quality, both brown and grey chipboard are created using recycled materials that are often bonded with urea-formaldehyde (an adhesive for composite wood products) or other resins, which can contribute to the acidification of the chipboard. This essentially means that not all chipboard is considered acid-free.
When a paper product contains acid, it will eventually cause yellowing and deterioration over time. This is where some chipboard brands can fall short if you’re looking to create a book that is considered archival quality or if you’re planning to create a more premium product.
That said, there are chipboard options available that are acid-free and PH neutral, so just be sure to double check product descriptions when sourcing materials.
Davey Red Label Board
Up until recently, Davey Red Label Board (aka “Davey Board”) was a well-known favorite amongst more seasoned bookbinders. Originally manufactured by The Davey Company, this high-density binder’s board was known for its superior quality due to its single-ply wet lap construction, strong flex strength, and overall surface smoothness. Davey Red Label is also acid-free and alkaline buffered, which is ideal when creating books that will stand the test of time.
For many years, Davey Board was widely recognized as one of the top choices for professional-level bookbinding. However, it appears that the product is no longer being manufactured. While some retailers may still have name-brand Davey Board in stock, it’s unlikely they’ll be able to restock once supplies run out. As a result, many bookbinders now rely on another board that offers similar qualities. Which brings me to share the next best option below, Eska Board.
Eska Board
Since Davey Board is no longer being produced and existing supplies are rather limited, Eska Board has emerged as a reliable alternative to take its place. Eska boards are 3-ply, acid-free, and made of 100% recycled materials. This particular brand of board comes in both low and high densities and, according to the manufacturer, promises to “lay flat and stay flat.” I have personally used Eska board in a handful of my own small-scale binding projects and I can attest that it has a wonderfully smooth surface and the low-density options are much easier to cut by hand.
Superior Millboard
My first experience using Superior Millboard (aka “Green Millboard”) was when I attended my first class at the American Academy of Bookbinding. This eco-friendly book board is manufactured by Conservation by Design and is made exclusively from 100% recycled archival quality paper and archival boxboard waste. Green Millboard is high-density, hard-rolled, acid-free, and buffered with calcium carbonate. Its unique color (specifically, “Elephant Green”) is considered to be bleed-proof and also resistant to light.
Superior Millboard is intended for books and boxes that require high archival standards for display and long-term storage. Its quality is also reflected in its price, making it one of the more expensive boards available. For that reason, it’s often best reserved for particularly special projects.
General Bits & Bobs on Book Board
• WHAT THICKNESS OF BOOK BOARD SHOULD YOU USE?
The thickness of board needed for books can vary depending on your intended application. In general, the size and weight of your book will directly correspond to the amount of structural support required. Smaller books typically utilize thinner boards, while larger and/or heavier books require thicker boards to provide adequate strength and stability .
When looking at book board specs, you’ll often see thickness expressed in one or more of these units of measurement:
- Millimeters (mm)
- Points (pt), where 1 pt = 0.001 in
- Calipers, typically expressed in thousandths of an inch (0.000 in)
I personally prefer using a digital caliper to measure board thickness, but you can also use a ruler or a micrometer. If it’s helpful to know, in my own studio, I like to keep the following thicknesses on hand: 1.5 mm, 2 mm, and 2.5 mm. These thicknesses work well for many of the small-to-medium sized bindings I tend to make. Of course, if you’re creating miniature books or very large ones, you may need to use thinner or thicker boards accordingly.
• LOW-DENSITY VS. HIGH-DENSITY
Although density was discussed earlier in this post, it’s worth mentioning again. Lower-density boards tend to be more flexible and easier to cut by hand. However, because their fibers are less compressed, low-density boards can be more susceptible to warping when exposed to glue or moisture.
Higher-density boards, by comparison, are made from more tightly compressed layers. This makes them less susceptible to warping, while also increasing their overall strength and durability. The tradeoff is that high-density boards are usually more expensive and can be more difficult to cut by hand and may require several extra passes with a craft knife (or access to a board cutter or board shear for those who have one available).
• BUYING BOOK BOARD
When searching for book board online, it’s common to find a single product listing described using several terms, including Chipboard, Davey Board, and Millboard. This can be quite confusing because, as you now know from reading this post, they are actually different types of boards. My assumption is that sellers are trying to optimize their listings for the keywords people might type into the search bar, even though those terms aren’t exactly interchangeable.
Another thing I’ve noticed is that many listings claim their board is suitable for bookbinding, yet the specifications rarely mention the grain direction of the board. For me, that’s usually a red flag. Grain direction is one of the most important factors to consider when making books. The golden rule is that the grain of your materials should run parallel to the spine of the book to prevent warping and allow pages to turn easily.
For those reasons, I generally prefer purchasing book board from the following suppliers:
These businesses specialize in bookbinding supplies and they also include grain direction in their product listings. This ensures I can plan my projects with confidence and will be less likely to waste materials and money!
As always thank you for reading along and I hope this post offered some helpful insights on book board. Stay tuned for Part 3 of this series, where we’ll explore the ins and outs of bookbinding thread.
Until next time,
–Allyx