Chip board commonly called binder or grey board is the hard backing board that is wrapped by the cover material.
Chipboard is used to create hard covers and comes pre-cut to standard sizes. Custom sizes are possible but require a heavy-duty guillotine cutter.
1. Thickness, Style & Cost
Chipboard comes in many types and thicknesses. FastbindUSA offers a cost-effective recycled hard board with cross-ply layers that resist warping. You are not required to use any specific style, brand, or thickness — the Fastbind Casemaker will work with virtually any board material, so choose what suits your project and budget.
2. Spine Material
Use the same board material as your cover panels for the spine. Simply cut the spine piece to the width of your book block plus 1–2mm. For all Fastbind Perfect Binder models, you can choose thinner material for your spine, so if your not sure which to use, give us call.
3. Premium Look & Feel
Without lamination, the board texture can show through printed material. Lamination gives the cover a clean, professional finish and is always recommended for custom printed covers.
Important lamination tips:
- Always use the thinnest laminate possible — less than 2mil is recommended
- Thicker laminate can interfere with the finished book and may cause the interior to separate. This is very important when making a custom printed hard cover, so call us, we can help!
- A thinner laminate and/or a wider spine guide gap on the case making machine can help prevent this issue..
Chip Board / Hard Board Sizing
Each board is pre-sized to match the final dimensions of a standard
hardcover book. For custom sizes, simply trim the sheets to fit. The cut dimensions
are based on a formula that factors in:
- Finished trim size of your book block
(interior pages). - The gap size you have set on your case maker.
- The overhang on the 3 open sides you want.
The starting formula for board cuts is:
Hight +.25” (add .25 to the height of your book block).
Width-.30” (subtract .30” from the width of your book block).
Make your sample or protype book, evaluate the spacing of the overhang(s)
and adjust the formula to get the spacing you want for a symmetrical look on all 3 sides.
The listed board size on our menu corresponds to the expected finished
book size. Because of the overhang on the three open sides, the board is
pre-cut to fit the final book size without any additional cutting needed.
Actual board dimensions as delivered:
Listed Size/Actual Board Size
- 8.5 × 11 LP / 8.3" X 11.25"
- 11 × 8.5 LL / 8.75" X 10.8"
