The most common mistake people make with a broken book is reaching for PVA glue or, worse, a glue stick. Some spine damage can be stabilised at home with the right materials and a light touch. Some damage will be made significantly worse by amateur intervention. Knowing the difference is the first useful thing.

Types of spine damage

Spine damage falls into a few categories. A loose hinge is when the cover is starting to detach from the text block but has not come away completely. A detached board is when the cover has come off entirely. A broken spine is when the covering material over the spine has cracked or torn. A failed text block is when the pages themselves are coming loose from the sewing. Each of these requires a different approach.

What you can do at home

A loose hinge on a paperback or a lightly used hardback can sometimes be stabilised with a thin application of PVA glue worked into the hinge with a thin palette knife or a strip of paper. Close the book, wrap it in wax paper, and press it under a heavy flat object for twenty-four hours. This works if the hinge is only slightly loose and the spine lining is still intact. It will not work if the board is fully detached or if the text block is loose.

What you should not attempt at home

Do not use superglue on books. It is brittle, it does not flex, and it will cause more damage than it prevents. Do not use masking tape or sellotape on a spine: both leave residue that is very difficult to remove and will stain the paper over time. Do not attempt to resew a text block unless you have done it before. The signatures need to be in the correct order and the thread tension needs to be consistent, or the book will not close properly.

When to bring it to a bookbinder

Bring it in if the text block is loose, if the spine lining has crumbled, if the boards are fully detached, or if the book has sentimental or monetary value. A professional assessment costs very little and will tell you whether the book is worth repairing and what the repair will involve. We charge £15 for an assessment at Spine & Signature, which is deducted from the repair cost if you go ahead.

The books worth saving

Not every broken book is worth a professional repair. A mass-market paperback that cost £8 is probably not. A family Bible, a first edition, a hand-annotated textbook, a book that belonged to someone who is no longer alive: these are worth looking at. The value is not always monetary. We have repaired books that were structurally simple but mattered enormously to the person who brought them in, and that is reason enough.

If you are not sure whether your book is worth repairing, bring it in. We will look at it honestly and tell you what we think. No obligation to go further.