The Best Type of Glue to Use to Glue Papers Back Into the Binding of a Book
- The first "book" was a rolled piece of cloth called a scroll. As time passed, "pages" were folded together and placed inside a protective coat. Later, paper pages were bound together with glue made from natural resources such as plants and animals. Germany produced the first vinyl acetate monomer shortly after 1900, which was enhanced up until modern times to create polyvinyl acetate, or PVA.
- Talas Jade PVA glue is used by bookbinders because it is a strong version of standard PVAs, which are similar to store-bought white glues. Talas Jade PVA dries clear, making it the best type of adhesive to glue papers back into the binding of a book. Adding wheat starch paste or methyl cellulose to common PVA adhesives results in a strong glue similar to Talas Jade PVA, and it is a suitable secondary bookbinding option.
- Lay the book open flat to expose the binder crease that will hold the disconnected page. Using a minimal amount of glue is sufficient and prevents excess glue from seeping out of the binding onto other pages. Place glue along the outer edge of the inside of the page and insert it into the crease between the open two pages until it does not go any farther. Using gentle pressure ensures the page reaches the appropriate depth without crinkling the page.
- Inserting loose pages back into a book is a quick process but the final considerations are the most important steps to a successful repair. Use a cotton swap to remove glue that makes its way out from the crease and onto page fronts. Leaving the book open until the glue dries completely prevents pages from sticking together in places where excess glue has formed. Water can wash away some standard PVA adhesives in a dry or wet state so keep liquids far from your work surface.