School textbooks can be very expensive – in fact, on some campuses, students can spend more than IDR 16,000,000 per year just to buy books. Why take the risk of ruining this expensive investment? The few thousand dollars you spend on a simple paper cover can save you money in the long run, so don't delay; your book cover today for long-lasting protection.
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Method 1 of 3: Using a Sheet of Paper
Step 1. Take enough paper to cover your book on one large sheet
In this way, we will use a sheet of paper to provide a quick, easy, and affordable cover for our textbook. To start, lay out the paper on a flat surface, then spread out the book and place the cover down on the paper. The paper should be larger than the edge of the book. If not, then your paper is not big enough.
- There are many types of paper that can be used as covers. In general, thicker paper (such as construction paper) will provide the best protection, although decorative paper (such as wrapping paper) gives a more attractive look. (In this article we will discuss how to decorate and strengthen a paper cover.)
- You can also use paper-like materials, such as wallpaper, Tyvek (widely used in wrapping), and masking tape (see article below).
Step 2. Flatten the paper until it is slightly larger than the book
Using a ruler, cut the paper so that it is 5 cm or so away from the long side and about 5-7.5 cm from the short side. This will leave enough space on the cover to stick to the book, but not so big that it's cumbersome to work with.
Step 3. Cut a triangular wedge at the edge of the spine
The "back of the book" is the hard part of the book in the middle of the cover where all the pages are glued together. Make two triangular wedges in the middle of the long edge of your paper cover. These wedges should be parallel to both ends of the spine.
If you don't do this, you will run into problems in the next step when folding the excess paper over the edges of the cover. Physically you will not be able to fold the paper on the pages of the book, so your paper cover will shrivel and eventually tear when you open and close the book
Step 4. Fold the edges
Choose from the front or back cover of your book to start covering. First, fold the long side of your paper against the cover of the book so it's quite tight. Then, fold the four corners so they line up with the edges of the fold you just made. Finally, fold the short edges of your paper into the cover to complete the cover.
Use strips of tape to hold your cover in place as you work on it and to hold the folds of your cover together
Step 5. Close your book and repeat on the other side of the cover
Once you've finished gluing one side of your new cover, close your book to keep it in place, open the other cover, and repeat the folding steps as above. Apply tape every time you finish folding.
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Safe! Your book cover is now complete. Anything you do to the cover after this is completely optional.
- One thing you might want to try is to stick a piece of tape along the spine when the book is closed. Generally, the spine is the part of the cover that wears the fastest, so protecting it with tape can prevent permanent damage.
- Gluing the corners in the same way also helps to reduce the same points of damage. This also has the advantage of making the cover more firmly attached to the book.
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Strong tape such as clear tape or tape is best, although layered Scotch tape and wood tape will also work quite well.
Cover a Textbook Step 6
Step 6. Decorate your cover
Before bringing your textbooks to class, you may want to add some fun to your plain, boring covers. How to make it is up to you – as long as your choice doesn't spoil or leave a mark on your book, it's a good choice. Below are some ideas that can be done; please be creative with your own ideas.
- Drawings and doodles (be careful not to use pens or markers that could seep into your cover)
- Decal
- Masking tape design
- Negative space design (for example, cutting off some of the cover with decorative shapes)
- Scraps from magazines, advertisements, etc. Just cut and paste.
Step 7. Name Your Book
Name your book on the "front" and "back" of the book. Make each cover different, like a different color, embellishment, or whatever else you can do. If you're in a hurry, it's very easy to get your books mixed up in your locker, backpack, or home.
- Include a way to contact you if your book is lost, such as your school name, phone number or email. If you leave your book somewhere, your chances of getting it back to you or to your school are pretty good if the good person who found it knows how to return it.
- Make sure you don't include sensitive identifying information such as addresses or student card numbers.
Method 2 of 3: Using Paper Bags
Step 1. Get Kraft paper
The material to be used is thick brown paper called Kraft paper. This is the material from the paper bag you usually get from the supermarket. Kraft paper is available in rolls at any store that sells package wrapping materials, and is easier to work with. However, of course the paper is not free.
Make sure your pocket is big enough to cover both sides of your book before starting
Step 2. Cut the bag into one large sheet
Start by cutting the bottom of the bag along the crease and removing any handles if your bag has one. Make a vertical cut in one corner of the pocket. Your pocket should now look like a rectangular sheet of paper.
Step 3. Fold your cover as you would with a piece of paper
Once you make your paper bag look like a piece of paper, the rest of your job becomes easy. Just follow the steps above, using a pre-cut paper bag instead of the aforementioned sheet of paper.
- Ignore any creases in the sheet of paper you have cut out of the paper bag; make your own folds.
- Ironing the paper on medium heat can remove crease marks that might confuse you, or result in a neat, smooth paper.
Method 3 of 3: Using Masking Tape
Making a “Sheet” of Tape
Step 1. Spread a piece of tape with the adhesive side facing up
In terms of long-term durability, book covers made entirely of tape are unmatched.
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However, because sticking the tape directly on the textbook can damage the book, before you start, you'll need to make a "sheet" of tape that doesn't have adhesive on either side. It's not as difficult as it sounds, although it is a little time consuming. To start, take a long piece of tape and place it on your work surface face up.
Cover a Textbook Step 11 - Your piece of tape should be 7.5-15 cm longer than your book's height. For the rest of this section, you'll want to use more or less the same piece of tape as the first, but remember that it doesn't have to be exactly the same size.
Step 2. Place a piece of tape on top with the adhesive side down
Take the second piece of tape and place it with the adhesive side down on top of the first layer so that it covers half of the first piece “very carefully”. Press so that there are no wrinkles.
Step 3. Fold the first piece of tape
Take the first piece of tape (the one with the adhesive side facing up) and fold it over the second piece, pressing down to get a neat, even crease. Now this section has become an “edge” of your sheet; You'll continue gluing the pieces of tape in the opposite direction.
Step 4. Flip it over and move on
Place the third piece of tape on the strip with the adhesive side facing up. Make sure you don't leave any gaps where the adhesive sticks – if it sticks to your book cover, it could tear your cover.
You may be able to stack your tape slightly to make sure that no adhesive is visible
Step 5. Continue this pattern until you have one “sheet” larger than your book
Continue turning it over and pasting new pieces. Unknowingly, you'll get a single “sheet” of tape with all the adhesive sides facing down. When the sheet is large enough to allow a few centimeters of space on each side of your book, create a second edge by folding the last piece of tape to cover the adhesive side.
Step 6. Trim your “sheet” into an even rectangle
Unfold your book and place the cover face down on the sheet. Use a ruler to mark straight lines along the edges of the sheet to cut off any uneven ends of the tape. Use scissors, a razor, or an X-ACTO knife to cut along this line.
When you're done, you'll have a sheet that's perfectly rectangular (and still has a few inches of space on each side)
Putting a Cover on a Book
Step 1. Cut a triangular wedge for the spine
Compared to sheet masking, the rest of your job is very easy. Start by spreading out your book and placing the cover on top of the sheet of masking tape. Use a diagonal slice to slice a triangular strip above and below the spine. When you're done, you'll see a gap at the top and bottom of the sheet that runs parallel to the spine.
This is done for the same reason as the cover with paper method above; without this, opening the book puts pressure on the cover next to the spine, causing it to fold awkwardly and eventually break
Step 2. Mark the crease line of your tape cover
Fold the short side of the book cover and mark the crease on the sheet. Repeat the folding-and-marking process on the long side as well.
Step 3. Press these creases
Remove the book from the sheet of tape. Fold the sheet back on the line you just made. Press the folds to make sharp, firm folds. Place a weighted object (such as your book) over each fold for a few minutes to flatten the fold.
Step 4. Glue the cover around your book
When you have made neat, flat folds, place the book back on your sheet and fold the cover around it, folding the long sides first and then folding the short sides in a diagonal crease. Use a thin strip of tape to seal the folds.
Step 5. Optionally, you can decorate your cover
Congratulations – your cover is done and you can decorate it however you like. Although pens and markers won't look very well on dark colored tape, you can still try making designs with a few different colors of tape, and adding sticky embellishments (such as stones). gemstones), and so on.
- As suggested above, “name your book” and “make returning your book easy.”
- You can also try attaching white wooden tape to the front cover and back of the book for labels. It's a good idea to write down the title of each book.
Tips
- One decoration idea is to draw a cover that has a "theme" that fits the book, such as a world map for Geography textbooks, quills and inkwells for English lessons, and so on.
- Keep in mind that you can also purchase book covers at convenience stores (especially during the “back to school” season).
- For best durability, you can try to "laminate" your cover by covering it with clear tape after you've finished drawing it.
