Raff Printing Keeps It Together With A Full-Service In House Bindery Operation.

From collating, folding, stapling and gluing to saddle stitching, perfect binding, mechanical binding and more, Raff Printing helps print projects go from concept to completion within a single-point location on Pittsburgh’s historic South side.

Print Binding Services

We Print AND Bind. You Save Time AND Money.

From short-run smaller booklets and presentations to medium-sized manuals and publications to larger books and print runs, Raff Printing has the in-house capability and binding connections you need for the highest quality jobs you’re looking for.

Stapling and gluing. Coil, comb and spiral binding. Saddle stitching, lay flat binding, perfect binding and more. If it can be stapled, glued or bound, chances are Raff Printing has done it – or arranged for it cost effectively – over the course of our last 60+ years in business.

Learn more about fulfillment services here

Print Binding Services

Multiple Bound Product Types From Raff’s In-House Bindery

Bringing it all together cost-effectively and attractively is the reason our bindery department is so busy all the time.

  • Booklets, Presentation Folders & Manuals
  • Double Wire-O, Coil & Comb Binding
  • Lay Flat, Perfect & Case Bound Books
  • Saddle Stitching, Stapling & More

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Print Binding Customer Support FAQs

What does binding mean?

Simply put, binding is the process of holding multi-page projects together along a single side or “spine.” Depending on the intended use of your project, the type of cover you’d like to feature and the number of pages in your booklet or book.

Raff offers a variety of binding options in-house.  We can also sort, package, and ship your finished book materials as you see fit—to one, several, or dozens upon dozens of locations.

What print binding options does Raff offer?

Raff offers multiple types of bindery services in-house, generally recommended to fit the size, purpose, and budget your project demands:

  • Saddle Stitch Binding:
    Saddle stitching uses two large staples (or stitches) to bind a thinner multi-page project together along a folded spine. The most common method of bookbinding, saddle stitching, is available on finished products up to a quarter inch (appx. 64 pages including cover).
  • Square Binding:
    This type of binding is actually a saddle-stitched binding (see above) that is scored and folded. The end result looks like a perfect bind (see below) but is actually saddle stitched.
  • Coil Binding (plastic or double wire):
    Coil Binding or spiral binding is a popular binding method that allows your bound book to open flat and be rotated 360 degrees for note-taking. This binding method is durable and cost-effective for heavily used documents.   Coils are available in multiple colors as well.

    If you want to add a degree of elegance to a spiral bind, consider twin loop or “wire-o” binding, which uses looped metal wires in place of the plastic coil-binding element.
  • Perfect Binding:
    If you’ve held a soft-cover or paperback book, it is likely a perfect binding. Perfect-bound books have an edge that is squared off and glued together before being fitted with a soft cover that can be made with various stocks, colors, and coatings. The square edge of the binding allows for the title or other information to be displayed on the spine

    Perfect-bound books can be up to an inch thick and accommodate hundreds of pages.
  • Case Binding:
    Also known as “hardback” binding, case binding is a perfect bound book that is glued into a hardcover.  This is the only type of binding we do not provide in-house—however, Raff Printing partners with an incredibly experienced case binding vendor should you need a hardback.

How do I choose between the binding options available to me?

Budget, size of pages, number of pages, and anticipated end use of your final multipage printed piece are all unique considerations to be made when choosing your binding option. Consider the options above and then be sure to discuss the benefits of each with your Raff Printing representative.

Can Raff print hardback books? (Case binding)

The only major type of binding we do not provide in-house (but can provide cost-effectively through an excellent partner vendor) is Case Binding—also known as Hardback binding. Similar to perfect binding, pages in a cast binding have a single ground-down edge that is first glued together and then glued a second time inside a hard cover material along a custom-sized spine.

How can we put our remarkable variety of printing presses and experience to work for you?

Contact Raff today to start printing faster, better, easier and more cost effective!

Call Us:
412-431-4044
or:
Toll Free: 1-800-994-4044

 

47 years at Raff. 41 years at Raff. 33 years at Raff... Our people are our heart!

Many Have Been With Raff Printing So Long, We Really Are A Family.

Ron Loreski, Jr.  - Jet Press/Envelope Operator
Ron Loreski, Jr.
Jet Press/Envelope Operator
Years With Raff: 34

"We key on quality. We don’t want garbage going out of the building. You want a product? We’re going to give you that product and then some. We’re into our job—that’s why we’ve been here so long."

Jason Stoker - Shipping Supervisor
Jason Stoker
Shipping Supervisor
Years With Raff: Since Highschool

"I’ve worked here all my life. I knew some people that got me in the door. I started in the bindery shrink-wrapping… now I handle all the UPS, FEDEX, freight shipments and driver coordination."

Image of Harry Bard - Production Manager at Raff Printing
Harry Bard
Production Manager
Years With Raff: 38

Our guys seriously take pride in their work. They want everyone to have an excellent finished product. People stay here for a reason—me? I enjoy work, it’s close to home, and Raff treats me well. What’s not to love?

Dan Butler - Indigo Digital Press Operator
Dan Butler
Indigo Digital Press Operator
Years With Raff: 31

"I know how hard I work, and I see how hard my friends work, and I believe…we’ll put our workmanship up against anybody. Not just in the city or the state or the country, but on the whole planet.”

Ron Loreski, III - Variable Data/Mail Operator
Ron Loreski, III
Variable Data/Mail Operator
Years With Raff: 10

"My dad brought me in after high school and I’ve been here ever since. It’s like a family, really. I’ve been here 10 years and I’m probably the third newest employee! People stick together here."

Tim Hackel - Mail Operator
Tim Hackel
Mail Operator
Years With Raff: 15

"We’re full service. Really. If you come in with a mail piece, print, bind, address and mail, all in house. It all gets done. Done right. Right here.”

Image of Keith Wank - Warehouse Manager at Raff Printing
Keith Wank
Warehouse Manager + More
Years With Raff: 32

I’ve been at Raff Printing for 32+ years. It has been a long and interesting journey — it’s more like working with family rather than fellow employees. I think ultimately that’s the Raff secret.

Mike Stull - Prepress Supervisor
Mike Stull
Prepress Supervisor
Years With Raff: 20

"Everything that comes in? We treat it as if it’s our most important job. We pay attention to make sure it gets done right. We call out file problems to clients and agencies because we care if it looks good."

Image of Josh Ziegler - Bindery Specialist at Raff Printing
Josh Ziegler
Bindery Specialist
Years With Raff: 4

I enjoy working here with the people I work with every day. We’ve got father-and-son teams working here and there, including our ownership. That says something about a place. Raff is just a nice company to work for.