Loose or detached pages in older used books is not an uncommon problem, however it is a problem that can be fixed. We talk about in this blog how to repair loose pages in a book so that you can repair a used book that you have bought or owned for a long time.
Now here is how to repair loose pages in a book:
Reattaching loose pages
- Getting the right adhesives
You need to get yourself an Acid-free book or binding glue, you cant use any old glue. Remember that acid-based glues can eat up your book’s spine or disintegrate pages before it has even started to dry. Knowing which kind of adhesives you should use is one of the most important things and the beginning of the process
- Set aside the loose pages
Set aside the loose page in the correct order so you don’t glue them back into your book in the wrong order. You don’t want to be reading the end of the story before you have even read the first chapter, right?
- Application of a very thin layer of glue
Apply a thin layer of the glue inside the book’s spine. Use a cocktail stick or lollipop stick to spread the glue evenly over the spine. Use only a thin layer otherwise if the layer is thick, you might have overflow and end up with stiff pages, and might even get pages stuck with one another. Using the right amount of glue is the most crucial part of the process if you don’t use enough it wont work. The glue needs to be able to flow across the spine when compressed, grabbing the very edge of the pages you have re-positioned.
- Set the pages back
Now it’s to put back the pages in the correct order. Firmly press the pages towards the spine so that they set back properly. You might also need to wiggle the pages so that all pages are set evenly. Make sure the pages are in square and the edges of the pages line up with the others. Nothing looks worse that seeing a page sticking out from the rest when the book is closed.
- Closing the book with a rubber band
Now hold the book closed by putting some weight on it. You can use several other books to pile on top of the book. Make a nice pile but make sure it’s balanced enough for your book tower to fall in the middle of the night. Don’t put to much weight on either or the book may be damaged.
- Let it gooo!!! Let it dry!
Let the book dry for 24 hours before you open it up. Yes 24 hours, patience is a virtue. If you’ve done a good job of lining the pages up and used the right amount of glue the book will be as good as new and you can call yourself a book repairing expert!
Book restoring is a big subject and a fascinating one to, why not consider buying some older books in ‘acceptable’ condition and having a go at restoring them? Take a look at our pre-ISBN books for older books that you might want to practice on. We will do some more articles soon on other aspects of restoring used books.
