Endsheets (AKA Endpapers) are paper sheets that are used to finish the insides of covers in hardcover (hardback) books.
Hardcover books typically have covers made from thick paperboard that is then wrapped with a printed and finished (usually laminated) cover of it’s own. The edges of the printed cover are folded around the top, bottom, right and left edges of the paperboard and glued down. To finish and seal the inside covers, Endpapers are placed and glued. (See image above.)
Benefits of Endsheets
Endsheets complete a seal that protects the book’s cover and binding, increasing the potential lifespan of the book.
Endsheets cover the unfinished stiff paperboard from which the cover is constructed. This paperboard is usually a rough-textured brown or grey. Endsheets are commonly white, or colors that harmonize with the book cover’s design and color scheme, enhancing the overall attractiveness of the book. Endsheets can be printed with designs, photos or copy that further enhance the visual appeal of the book. (See image below.) Textured or lightly patterned paper may also be used for endsheets.
Endsheet paper is usually of heavier weight than that of the book’s interior pages and may have a different finish texture or level of shine.
Endsheets: Two or Four pages
With a four-page endsheet, the two sheets span the width of the book and are glued to the front-inside-cover and the first leaf of the bound book and the last leaf of the bound book and the back-inside-cover.
With a two-page endsheets, one sheet (half the width of the book minus width of spine) is glued to the inside-front-cover and another to the inside-back-cover only, not to the first and last pages. The two-page option is more economical and is often chosen for a short-run project.
If you have any questions about a book project, give us a call at 330-597-8560. We can help!
