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hardcover books in row hardcover books in row hardcover book and dust jacket
hardcover book and dust jacket

Hardcover Book Printing

How to print a hardcover book

A hardcover book has timeless, classic appeal. Printing a hardcover book (known in the book printing industry as “case binding” or a “case bound book”) ensures your work will last years and is a durable alternative to a paperback book.

This book printing method is perfect for fiction, children’s books, business books, cookbooks, and more. Choose hardcover printing when creating books that require durability, elegance, or a premium presentation. Family history books become heirlooms when printed as a hardcover book.

At 48 Hour Books, we print hardcover books with meticulous care, including hand finishing from our bindery experts. What’s more, we produce high quality hardcover books in only 5 business days, so you receive your books fast, and our world-class service is unmatched.

Contact us to get started with your hardcover book

Talk to a printing specialist
Hardcover and Paperback Books

Hardcover book printing process

At 48 Hour Books, the hardcover book printing process is simple:

  1. Choose your paper and cover options
  2. Upload your files
  3. Receive, review, and approve your proofs
  4. We print your hardcover book on our state-of-the-art digital printers
  5. We add your chosen customizations, like Diamond 3D Foil and dust jackets
  6. You receive your beautiful, hardcover books!

Our customers rave about the high quality of our hardcover books and the super fast turnaround times, plus volume discounts and truly outstanding customer service.

Hardcover and Paperback Books

You don’t need to be an expert and you don’t have to do it by yourself — 48 Hour Books is here to help you throughout the self-publishing process.

Learn how to print a hardcover book

When you print a hardcover book with 48 Hour Books, we help you every step of the way.

To print a hardcover book, you’ll select the case binding option when beginning your order with 48 Hour Books. It’s the first step in the hardcover book printing process. The case binding option can be customized with a variety of beautiful choices, from cover type to foil stamping and more.

Hardcover cover options

100lb Coated Paper Hardcover

Full-color, 100lb paper stock
(glossy or matte)

3 Leather Hardcover Books

Leather covers
in 5 color options

Pearl Linen Hardcover

Pearl Linen fabric covers
in 7 color options

Hardcover add-on options

Choose your add-ons depending on your cover choice: cloth, paper, leather, or leatherette.

Diamond 3D Foil in Gold

Diamond 3D Foil
(100lb stock, leatherette, and dust jackets)

Diamond 3D Clear Spot Gloss

Diamond 3D Clear Gloss
(100lb stock and dust jackets)

Hardcover with Diamond 3D Textured Dust Jacket

Diamond 3D Texture
(100lb stock and dust jackets)

Goil Foil Stamping on Brown Leather Hardcover

Hot foil stamping
(Leather and fabric)

Hardcover book with dust jacket

Dust jackets
(Available for all hardcovers)

Hardcover Book Printing FAQs

Q What’s the difference between hardcover books and paperbacks?

With so many options available for binding a book, our customers often wonder, “What’s the difference between hardcovers and paperbacks?”

A hardcover book uses the case binding method, in which trimmed blocks of pages are gathered and glued together, then cased in with a stiff cardboard cover.

Paperback books, also known as softcover or perfect bound books, may also be trimmed and glued, but they use a “perfect bound” binding method. Perfect bound books use a soft, flexible cover that wraps around the pages and is glued in place to the spine of the book.

Q When is hardcover better?

While a perfect bound, softcover book is the right option when you’re looking for an economical alternative, nothing beats a hardcover book for durability and elegance. Choose a hardcover book if you need to ensure a premium presentation. Hardcover books are the right choice if you want:

  • Long-lasting wear resistance
  • Abundance of style options
  • Heirloom quality
  • Unique appearance that stands out
  • Timeless appeal
  • High page count
Q What are my other book printing options?

Perfect binding is the style of binding used for softcover or paperback books. Softcover books are a great choice for workbooks, activity books, fiction, and other book genres, and they can be customized with special effects like Diamond 3D Foil.

Spiral coil binding, or coil bound books are available in soft covers only. They are bound using a plastic coil that loops through the pages, allowing them to turn easily and the book itself to lay perfectly flat.

A saddle-stitched book is created by trimming and gathering pages, then stapled down the center to attach the pages to each other to a soft, flexible cover (such as paper stock). Saddle-stitched books are typically short, slim, and small — just 36 pages or less, and no bigger than 7” x 9”. Saddle-stitched books are a great option for manuals, programs, pamphlets, and magazines.

Q Can I see what my book would look like?

If you’d like to see sample of your hardcover book before ordering a large quantity, you can! For a one-time charge, we can print a retail-ready copy of your book, so you can see the quality of the final product for yourself before we complete the full run, or full print order. This is called a printed proof, and can be requested when you place your order for at least 10 books.

Hardcover books printed in the USA

"I cannot say enough wonderful things about 48 Hour Books!!! I ordered 100 hardcover books and got 25 free, which is a nice feeling."

- Michael Wagner, Texas

"I am so pleased with your service! The staff was very helpful and the books look so professional. I received them first thing in the morning on the very day they said. I will be using your services again and again. For a self publisher, 48 Hour Books is a god-send."

- Lynnette Hammond, Pennsylvania

"I don't know what to say! The books are gorgeous. We are thrilled. I practically hugged the UPS guy!"

- Colleen G., New Jersey

Read more reviews
Leather hardcover book and jacket
Leather hardcover book

Hardcover book pricing

At 48 Hour Books, per-book pricing varies depending on several factors:

  • Size (or trim) of the book
  • Number of pages
  • Decorative elements
  • Foil treatments
  • Cover style
  • Quantity of books

Our hardcover books begin at $10 per book plus printing and shipping costs. We offer volume discounts, too: Order 100 books or more and get 25 books free!

To see exactly how much it would cost to print your book, use our simple price calculator to adjust your specifications and price out your book.

Your Hardcover Book Printing Partner

Self-publishing a book can be an intense process. Let us help you! From our free resources to personalized tips and advice, plus one-on-one customer service and the fastest printing in the book industry, 48 Hour Books is here to make printing your next book a breeze.

Contact our specialists and start your project today.

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Get 25 free books when you order 100 or more.

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