Rounded Corners
Don’t Be a Square
Rounded corners bring a soft and modern touch to your book, while also helping prevent it from wear and tear, enhancing both the look and longevity of your title.
How Are They Created?
Rounded corners can be applied to various parts of a book, including the text block only, the text block and end sheets, or the text block, endsheets, and hardcover. The process uses a specialized corner-rounding machine and once set to the proper radii (1/4″ or 3/8″) the components are aligned and fed into the cutter. If all parts of a book are to be rounded, the hardcover rounding is done in-line on the casemaker.
Why Add Rounded Corners?
One of the hallmarks of rounded corners is the durability factor. Sharp corners are the first to show damage as they are prone to bending, fraying, and delaminating, especially on softcover books or titles that are handled frequently. Rounded corners reduce these stress points by distributing impact more evenly. Rounded corners also create a smooth, contemporary look that complements a wide range of cover designs.
Helpful Hints
- Friesens offers two standard corner radii: 1/4″ and 3/8″, with 3/8″ as the default. A different radius can be chosen; however custom tooling may be required (at an additional cost).
- For books smaller than 4.75″ or larger than 15.75″, corners may be rounded one at a time to maintain precision, which could add extra time to the production schedule.
- If spraying a book with rounded corners, the designer will need to take that into account when completing the final design.