First time using PVA instead of wheat paste and wow what a difference

Swapped to PVA for a rebind of an old 1950s novel last weekend and the pages lay so much flatter than my wheat paste ever did. Has anyone else found PVA more forgiving for spine rounding or am I just late to the party?

2 comments

2 Comments

elizabethf8522d ago

Oh man I was totally in the opposite camp for years. I swore by wheat paste because I thought PVA was too modern and would ruin the feel of old books. But last month I did a 1940s mystery with PVA and the spine rounding was so much smoother, no cracking or weird stiffness like I'd get with wheat paste. The pages actually sit flat now instead of that annoying poofy look. I still use wheat paste for certain things like really delicate paper where I need reversibility but for everyday hardcovers I'm completely converted.

rowanbennett22d ago

@elizabethf85 that "poofy look" you mentioned is exactly what bugged me about wheat paste for years. I read somewhere that PVA has a different chemical makeup that lets the spine flex more naturally during drying, which would explain that smooth flat result you're getting. Makes sense to keep wheat paste for delicate jobs where you might need to undo it later though.