FAQ | Denver Bookbinding Company (2024)

Do you offer pickup and delivery?

Schools and libraries may call to arrange pick-up and delivery. This service isn’t available for individual customers.

Do you have a maximum order?

Please contact us, as a short run can be anywhere from 50 to 1,000 books. Larger runs take a bit more time to produce depending upon what is needed.

What do I need to know about paper if I’m printing my own book?

We recommend an acid-free paper that is a text weight. Cover weight is too thick to use for printing and binding a book. The normal paper used from your personal computer is a 20/50-pound text, but you can print up to 100-pound text weight. 24 Bond Ledger is equivalent to 50-pound offset. Please read the package for the weight and type of paper.

What print files are accepted for downloading?

We only accept print-ready PDF files. We do not print larger than 8.5 x 11 inches. Position your text as a mirrored image on the front and back of the sheet. If you hold it up to the light, the margins should be even on all 4 sides of the text.

Size typically doesn’t matter, as many poem books are printed 5 x 11 inches to allow the prose to look unique. We can advise you how to achieve the final look, though we do not have graphic designers on staff. We do not proofread your book project nor reformat your files.

What type of paper stock does the bindery use?

We will print on a 28/70-pound, acid-free Hammermill brand paper. It has a smooth finish and takes color well. If you want a heavier stock, then we can print on an 80/31-pound or 100/39-pound text weight. It is best to look at the papers before making a decision on heavier paper stock.

What is paper grain and why it is important?

Paper is made of fibers. When paper is made, the fibers can run either up and down (long grain) or side to side (short grain). When printing a book, the grain needs to run long to the binding edge of the book, so that the pages can lay as flat as possible when the book is opened and read. When the paper is printed across the grain, the pages do not lay flat and may create a difficult to read the book. Check out ourPaper Basicspage.

What do I need to know about margins if I’m printing my own book?

To decide what margins to use, you may first want to go to a bookstore, library or just look around your house and take a look at different margins to see what you like. There are no right or wrong margins. We see them from ½ ” to 1 ½”. Please note that we recommend leaving at least 3/8” beyond what our trim will take off. We will take off a finishing trim of 1/8″ from the top, front and bottom after binding for a crisp look. Additionally, sewing takes up about 1/4″ from the binding edge.

What are my choices for color?

We have15 basic colorsin a canvas-based product that is very strong with a shiny finish. It is good to refer to the colors first, and then we can communicate using similar colors in other materials.

• Linen cloth has a non-gloss finish and comes in a wide variety of colors.
• Imitation leather comes in the more conservative colors and is an upcharge because it has a grain pattern applied to it.
• Bonded leather is 80 percent leather and 20 percent latex filler.
• Natural leather is from animal hides and varies on color choices, though black, brown, wine, and red are always in stock. It may have color variations and imperfections.
• Laminated graphic covers are a good choice on larger runs of 50 or more. We can provide a template to assist in the placement of the artwork. Contact Us for more information.

Does the bindery have any ideas for one of a kind gifts or special occasions?

• Birthday gifts: A favorite book rebound or a Bible that needs some extra life added to it. Printed emails that have been saved are also appreciated as a special memory.
• Valentine’s Day gifts: Poetry is always a favorite here. Even if just some photos with a few words you can do it in the pages of a book
• Retirement gifts: We do many books filled with letters of appreciation for that favorite teacher, boss or co-worker every year. Or, for a joke, just ablank bookentitled “Everything I know about <their profession here> by <their name here>.
• Graduation gifts: Be it from grade school or high school, have those special pages of their work that you’ve been saving all these years bound into a nice book to hold them forever. Get them out of boxes and on the shelves! For the college graduate, bind together the correspondence (emails & letters) between you and them for the first years away from home.
• Christmas gifts: Ourblank books<are popular here for jokes, journals or personalized diaries for a young person. Orrebindthat favorite Christmas book you read every year to your children, now for your grandchildren to enjoy! Gather favorite family recipes and make your own family cookbook – you’ll have everyone taken care of with one gift!
• Baby or Wedding gifts: Custom photo albums can be constructed from any cover material you would like to provide. So, for a new baby, you could pick from a number of baby patterns at your local fabric store. For a unique wedding album, if you’re connected to the wedding, you could get extra fabric from the attendants’ dresses or even the wedding dress itself! We also have customers who do create blank books or journals for every occasion.
• Bookbinding kits
• T-shirts
• Gift certificates
• Work aprons

How do I send an order in?

When you send in an order, you can ship using USPS (US Postal Service) UPS or FedEx to:

Denver Bookbinding Company Inc
1401 W. 47th Ave.
Denver, CO 80211

DO NOT SEND MEDIA MAILbecause you take the chance of rough handling by the post office and there is a chance it may become lost. Priority mail is a better choice and if your item is valuable, additional insurance is not expensive. UPS and FedEx automatically insure their packages at $100.00 for each package.

We do require at least a 50% deposit to start an order and the balance before it’s shipped to you. We accept checks or money orders, MasterCard, VISA, and online payment viaPayPal.

Depending upon your item, the binding time may take 3-8 weeks. Rush orders within a 48-hour turnaround are available – please call for cost and availability. We currently ship via UPS, and you can request ground and up to Next Day Air. There are upcharges on expedited orders.

If I am in the area, can I drop my order off?

Sure! We love to see our customers and have helpful service representatives on-site. You do not need to make an appointment but can just stop in. It’s probably even better if you live in the area, as you can then see all the options available to you. Sometimes it helps to be able to feel the actual materials and get ideas from our knowledgeable staff.

Our hours are:
By Appointment Only
Monday-Thursday – 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Fridays – 9:00 AM to noon
Select Saturdays
By e-mail appointment only
dbbc@denverbook.com

Extended holiday weekends and inclement weather may impact these hours.

Where can I see samples of past work?

We bind many kinds of projects, and a sampling of these can be viewed on ourPast Workpage.

How do I get to your location?

We are located at 1401 W. 47th Ave Denver, CO 80211, close to the I-25 and I-70 interchange (View Map in Google)

Do you have a minimum order?

We will bind one book, whether it is a Bible, thesis or your child’s latest literary work.

What form of payment do you accept?

We accept MasterCard, VISA, and PayPal, personal checks, and cash.

Can you restore my old book or Bible?

Yes, but we need to see what you have to work with as there are multiple factors in pricing the handwork necessary. Books printed before 1840 were printed on 100 percent cotton paper. After 1840, paper mills started to introduce wood pulp into the mix, which has acid in it. This is one of the questions we need to know when pricing your old book or Bible. We want to determine if the pages are strong enough to be resewn by hand if needed.

How long does it take to get a book bound?

It really depends on the item you have. Rush orders are available for an additional charge. Normal bind time is 4- 8 weeks depending on what the job entails. There are 40 different steps in the process.

How do I find out what this may cost me?

Pricing is based on quantity, type of binding, and multiple factors when pricing restorations and leatherwork. Fill out ourestimate form for pricing.

Why do you have a tortoise as part of your logo?

The tortoise is our spirit guide and represents longevity. It always moves in a forward motion and with 90 years behind us, we have endured through various business cycles. The tortoise is peaceful and tenacious. It is held in high esteem in various Chinese, Japanese and Hindi cultures, as well the Cheyenne and Mohawk Indian tribes in North America.