Brad binding is a very cool no-sew binding method, and it looks amazing! It has the advantage that the pages are removable – they can be swapped out, or taken out to decorate then put back in.
The first time I came across this binding was through My Porch Prints YouTube channel. I thought it was genius then proceeded to use it to make some gifts – which I completely forgot to photograph, and now I only have a screenshot (a very bad one too!) from the video tutorial I made for my own channel (scroll down to watch the full tutorial).
The tools you need to make this type of binding are just two – an awl or other pokey device, and brads – of the same size, or you could probably also mix it up too! Obviously, you will need your signatures and your book cover ready. When making your spine, keep in mind that the brad heads take up quite a bit of space, so make sure you calculate for the extra space.
Once you have your signatures and cover made, decide on the number of brads you want to use – create a template with the holes measured and marked and then use it to punch holes in your signatures and spine. When punching the holes through your spine, make sure they are big enough for the brads to fit through! Then slide the brads in to attach the pages and voila! Binding complete.
This was a super short tutorial, but I did make an effort to make a much better detailed one for my channel, and you can watch it here:
I hope you enjoyed this and I would love to see it if you give it a go!
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