There are a range of print finishing and binding options you can choose from. If you are unsure as to which finish is most appropriate for your particular job please contact Mercury Walch for advice.
Binding
Documents can be bound in a number of ways, depending on the purpose and shelf-life of the document.
| Binding type | Description | Uses | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plastic comb binding |  | Holes punched along head or spine of document. Comb inserted. Clear plastic cover can be inserted. | Medium shelf life. Lecture notes; presentations. Easy to add or remove pages. Various sizes and thicknesses. Can bind up to 350 leaves of paper (80 gsm) |
| Wire binding |  | Holes punched along head or spine of document and wire coil inserted. Clear plastic cover can be inserted for an additional charge. | Permanent. More resilient than comb binding but also more expensive. Opens to lie flat. Can bind up to 120 leaves (80 gsm) |
| Thermal binding |  | Pages are hot glued together in a special machine forming a secure document | Quick, cheap and convenient, suitable for thesis requiring marking. Also can be called 'softbound'. Suitable for up to 320 leaves (80 gsm) |
| Perfect binding |  | Pages glued on edge and placed into a cover (paperback book style) | Permanent. Maximum 500 pages (80 gsm) (250 leaves of paper) |
| Thesis (case) binding |  | Pages are drilled and sewn to produce a secure and long lasting document. Covers are hand-made to suit using Oxford University standard buckram. See swatch for range of colours. | Permanent and archival shelf life. Used for binding final thesis after marking. Recommended maximum 300 leaves of paper. |
Laminating
Laminating protects documents, posters and signs, and gives them a durable finish. Uniprint can laminate up to 1 metre wide in a continuous length.
Padding
Tear off pads with glued sheets generally at head (or spine).
Drilling
Holes can be drilled according to the ring binder to be used – most standard documents are drilled either 2 holes or 4 holes.
Folding
Documents can be folded in a number of ways:
Single fold: A3 to A4 size, A4 to A5 size
Two folds A4 to DL
Stapling
Stapling one or two stitches on side of flat sheets
Saddle stitched booklets
Folded sheets (A4 or A3) are made into a booklet form by stapling on the spine. Please note that pages must be in multiples of 4. Maximum page length is 80 pages, 80 gsm. For example 15 sheets of A4 paper, printed on both sides with 2 x A5 pages, folded and stitched makes a 60-page A5 printed page book.
Shrink wrapping and packing
Printed material can be shrink-wrapped into parcels, normally up to a maximum of 500 sheets per package.
