Chloe Zhang
Covering paper, books, and notebooks with plastic is a great way to protect them and extend their life. In the printing industry, paper coated in a thin film of plastic is referred to as C1S (Coated, 1 Side). To cover a book with plastic, you can use contact paper, which works like a sticker and adheres to the book, or non-adhesive plastic wrap, which needs to be taped down. The thickness of plastic film is measured in mils, and the majority of plastic book covers range from 1-2 mils in thickness.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Extending the life of a book, protecting it from wear and tear |
| Materials | Clear plastic, contact paper, non-adhesive plastic wrap, tape |
| Tools | Scissors, ruler, pencil |
| Steps | Cut plastic to size, peel backing from contact paper, place book on paper, press book onto paper, smooth out air bubbles, cut corners of contact paper |
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What You'll Learn
Cut the plastic to size
When covering a book with plastic, it is important to cut the plastic to the correct size. The first step is to measure the width of your book from the right edge to the left edge. You can use a ruler to do this. Then, cut your plastic so that its width is triple that of the book. This will ensure that you have enough plastic to wrap around the book and create a neat finish. It is recommended to use long, sharp scissors to cut the plastic, as this will allow you to make long, gliding cuts. If your plastic has pre-printed grids, you can follow one of these lines for a straighter cut.
When cutting the plastic length, make sure you leave enough room for the plastic to fold over the book cover. You should cut the plastic 2 inches (5.1 cm) from the side of the book. This cut does not need to be perfectly straight, but it is important to be accurate with your measurements.
Once you have cut the plastic to the correct width and length, you will need to cut off the corners of the plastic at an angle. The line you cut should intersect with the actual corner of the book cover, resulting in a triangle-shaped piece of plastic. This will ensure that the plastic fits neatly around the corners of the book.
It is important to work with the plastic slowly and carefully, as contact paper can be very sticky and difficult to work with if you make a mistake.
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Peel the backing paper
Covering a book in plastic is a great way to extend its life. Contact paper is a popular choice for covering books with plastic. It works like a sticker and adheres to the book. To use contact paper, start by cutting the paper to the desired size. Most contact paper comes with pre-printed grids, which can be used to measure and cut the paper to the correct size.
Once the paper is cut to size, it's time to peel the backing paper. Starting at the corner, slowly peel the sticky contact paper away from its backing. Be careful not to peel off too much at once, as this will make it difficult to work with and it may stick to itself. Expose about 1-2 inches (2.5-5.1 cm) of the sticky contact paper, and fold the backing paper over. Use your finger to secure the fold by running it along the crease while pressing down.
After peeling and folding the backing paper, you will use the exposed sticky contact paper to adhere to the book cover. Line up the book where the backing paper and contact paper meet, and press the book cover onto the contact paper. Use a plastic ruler or card to press out any air bubbles for a neater look.
By following these steps, you can effectively peel the backing paper from contact paper when covering a book with plastic.
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Stick the plastic to the paper
Covering a book in plastic is a good way to extend its life. You can use contact paper, which works like a sticker and adheres to the book, or non-adhesive plastic wrap, which needs to be taped down.
To use contact paper, start by cutting the paper to the correct size. You will need enough to cover your book, plus a little extra to fold over the edges. Cut the contact paper so it's three times the width of your book, and make sure the height is also sufficient to cover the book.
Peel the backing off the contact paper, exposing the sticky side. Be careful not to peel off too much at once, as the contact paper may stick to itself or the table. Start peeling from one of the side corners, exposing about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of the sticky plastic. Fold the backing paper over, then slide your finger along the crease to secure the fold.
Place the book on the contact paper, with the text block touching the sticky plastic. Line up the book where the backing paper and contact paper meet, then press the book cover onto the contact paper. Smooth out any air bubbles using your fingers, a plastic card, or a ruler.
Finally, pull away the rest of the backing paper while pressing the contact paper down onto the book cover. Cut off the two corners of the contact paper at an angle, so that the line you cut intersects with the corner of the book cover.
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Smooth out air bubbles
Covering paper with plastic can be a great way to protect it, but air bubbles can form, ruining the smooth finish. There are several ways to smooth out these air bubbles, depending on the materials used and the size of the bubbles.
For small bubbles, you can use your thumb to press down on the bubble for a few seconds, allowing the air to dissipate. This method is especially effective for vinyl stickers or decals. If you are working with a paper sticker, you can use a quick blast of hot air from a hairdryer to heat up the adhesive. Then, gently lift the corner of the sticker and smooth out the paper to remove the bubble before repositioning it.
For larger bubbles, you can use a combination of puncturing and slicing. Carefully puncture the bubble with a sharp object like a pin, thumb tack, razor blade, or X-acto knife, then use your finger, a squeegee, or the edge of a credit card to push the air out and smooth the surface. You can also slice a thin cut along the edge of a bubble with a razor blade to release the air. Be careful not to slice or puncture the surface underneath the plastic or sticker.
Alternatively, you can apply a few seconds of heat to large air bubbles with a hairdryer. Hold the hairdryer a few inches from the surface and turn it on low. Wait a few seconds for the bubble to flatten, and if it doesn't flatten on its own, use a squeegee or a credit card to gently work the bubble towards the edge of the softened plastic or sticker.
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Cut the corners
To cover paper with plastic, you will need to cut the corners of the plastic at an angle. This is an important step in the process of covering a book with plastic, which is a great way to extend the life of your books.
To cut the corners, you will need to first measure and cut the contact paper to the correct size. The contact paper should be three times the width of your book. Use sharp scissors to cut along the grid lines of the contact paper for a straighter cut.
Once you have the correct size, you will need to peel the backing off the contact paper and stick it to the book cover. Cut the corners of the contact paper at an angle, so that the line you cut intersects with the corner of the book cover. This will result in a triangle-shaped piece of contact paper being removed.
You can use a plastic card or a ruler to help you cut the corners accurately and to press out any air bubbles that may be trapped between the contact paper and the book cover. This will give your book cover a neater, more professional look.
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Frequently asked questions
Use contact paper, which works like a sticker and adheres to the book. You can also use non-adhesive plastic wrap, but you will need to tape it down.
Cut the contact paper so it's three times the width of your book. Peel the contact paper backing while pressing down with a ruler, then press the sticky contact paper into the cover of the book. Cut off the two corners of the contact paper at an angle, then use your fingers or a plastic card/ruler to press out any air bubbles.
The thickness of plastic film is measured in mils. The majority of plastic book covers range from 1-2 mils in thickness, but you can purchase sheets of thicker plastic if you’re expecting extreme wear and tear on your book.
Coated paper, or coated cover stock, is paper coated in a thin film of plastic. In the printing industry, it's referred to as "C1S" (Coated, 1 Side).
