The following are our most frequently asked questions, if you don't find your answer here, feel free to call or email your question to This E-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it :

• Do you have a minimum order?
• What do I need to know about papers if I'm printing my own book?
• What do I need to know about margins if I'm printing my own book?
• What are my choices for covers?
• How do I find out prices?
• Do you have ideas for special one of a kind gifts?
• How do I send an order in?
• If I live in the area, can I drop my order off?
• How do I get to your location?
• Do you offer pickup and delivery?
• How long does it take to get a book bound?
• What form of payment do you accept?

Do you have a minimum order?
No minimum, you can print some poetry out on your computer and send the sheets in to have just one book bound! You can take Mom's (or Dad's) favorite cookbook that's falling apart, dirty and unsightly and send it in for a brand new cover (or we can make a copy of the old cover to bring it back to life). Just one book, that's one of the things we're great at that people just don't realize they can do! One photo album, 10 family history books, 500 textbooks rebound, a years worth of a craft magazines bound into one or two books in order to save all those projects, a special memory book of letters for that one of a kind retiring teacher, if you can think it up we can bind it up!

What do I need to know about paper if I'm printing my own book?
It's a little different if you're doing one book or a quantity of books, so below is the answer for two scenarios, the first for binding one book, the second for binding 50 or more books:

One Book: The good news is that we can sew just flat sheets. Some people think you have to go through a traditional printing of what's called "folded signatures" done by printers. But, that's not the case, we can bind any stack of papers! If the paper is too thick, your pages won't turn very well, so just 20-28# copy paper works great! Card stock is a bad idea as the pages won't turn at all (unless you have it scored).

So, if you print a poetry or memory book on your computer for a special Birthday gift, you can send in the sheets like they are and we can bind it. There is a "grain" for paper, to you this means that your book will lay much nicer if you bind it as it is when printed normally or "vertical". However, if you decide to print "landscape" or the long way, your grain will now be what we call "cross-grain" and your book will have to be oversewn for it to hold well. In addition, the pages won't lay very nice, but stand up like little soldiers. You've probably read books in the past where you have to hold the pages down as you read. This is a result of a "cross-grain" problem. If you want a smaller book, it's advised that you print vertical and then just have us cut the pages down. It takes more paper, but your book will be much the happier for it!

50+ Books: If you decide to have us do the printing, we'll go over all your choices with you, so this is mostly for those having things printed elsewhere, or for printers needing to know what's required. The first and most important to us is actually the "grain" of the paper. The best visual I can think of is wooden fences that are put up (around here for snow, other places at temporary events). They are made of long thin slats of wood and each is attached to the next with wire. They come rolled up in a big roll. Paper is the same way. There is one way that it rolls "nice" and the other way it fights and is stiff.

The proper way for binding is for the grain to be parallel to the binding edge. In other words, so it can roll out nice, not stiff.If the printer is using a press, they use big rolls of paper that come with the grain as it would for the roll of fencing, parallel to the roll. Then, depending upon the size of your book, they usually will run it to waste as little paper as possible. If the printer is using copy paper on high speed copiers, then the grain starts "long". So, on the 8 1/2" x 11" size, if bound on the long edge, grain is correct. People often decide to get twice as many per page by printing "2 up" and then cutting the paper in half for a 5 1/2" x 8 1/2" book. In that case, you're grain will be wrong unless you're binding on the short edge for an oblong book.

If the grain is "cross grain", meaning the wrong way, we can still sew the book but there is an extra charge as it would have to be oversewn. It also won't lay as nice. I'm sure you've had books where you open them up and all the pages stand up like little soldiers, so when reading you just hold them down. And you've also probably had paperbacks that had pages falling out by the time you were done (oversewing prevents them from falling apart). Both of those are samples of cross grain problems.

The pages need to come collated and ready to bind. They can be just loose sheets or folded signatures. If you want the book smaller than what you have, we can do a pre-trim to the size before it's bound for an extra charge, which we do leaving room for the extra 1/8" mentioned above. The type of paper isn't really important to us, just so it's not anything close to card stock, which would be much too thick for a book as the pages won't turn. If you're doing two sided, you'll probably want offset paper which doesn't bleed through as much. The printer should be able to guide you in that respect. Just normal copy paper really does just fine if it's printed one sided (and probably the least expensive also!) For a family history, you may want to consider acid free paper so it will last through all your future generations.

What do I need to know about margins if I'm printing my own book?
To decide what margins to use, you may first want to go to a bookstore, library or just look around your house and take a look at different margins to see what you like. There is no right or wrong margins. We see them from ¼" to 1 ½". You do need to know that we do a finishing trim of 1/8" from the top, front and bottom after binding to give your book a nice crisp look. Also, the sewing takes up about 1/8" from the binding edge (1/4" if oversewn is needed). We recommend that you leave at least ¼" beyond what our trim will take.

What are my choices for covers?
We have a number of standard choices for covers, however, if you don't find what you're looking for, we can probably still do it if you'll just explain your thoughts! A common choice is book cloth, buckram, linens, imitation leathers & coated papers which are available in a rainbow of colors. They are then hot foil stamped with your title or artwork in your choice of foil color, the most common being gold, black or white. For that special book, you can choose from a number of beautiful Leathers in stock. We can also use your own art to produce a full color cover which is laminated and applied for the hard cover (as you would see a gardening book that shows the gardens on the cover). We also do ¾ and ½ bindings. The ¾ binding is where your corners and spine are in a different color. The ½ binding is where the spine is in a different color. You can also add raised bands or "hubs" to the spine for a more traditional look.

How do I find out prices?
Just send an email with a description of your project including as much information as to what you're looking for to This E-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  or give us a call at 608-221-4443, press "1" for general questions and pricing.  You can also look through the different order forms at our "How to Order" page as pricing is listed within each form.

Do you have ideas for special, "one of a kind" gifts?
Birthday gifts: Letters from friends & family in deluxe leather binding telling that special loved one about memories and stories that each person has about them. Have us bind a poetry book about each year of their life or how they've affected yours. Find their favorite book and leather bind it with their name or inscription imprinted in gold on the cover. Have Mom's favorite cook book rebound so the pages are once again held together. We also have blank books and journals available that you can personalize with your own title! A product called "Create Young Authors" book kit that has pages and materials to allow any child to author their own book. It even includes the cost to have it professionally bound!

Valentines Day gifts: Poetry is always a favorite here. Even if just some photos with a few words of love and appreciation for your Valentine. Bound in red with a personalized note. Or, if you're ready to pop the question, why not do it in the pages of a book with the ring hidden at the back by a picture of you on bended knee. It will be a book she'll never forget!

Retirement gifts: We do many books filled with letters of appreciation for that favorite teacher, boss or co-worker every year. Or, for a joke, just a blank book entitled "Every thing I know about <their profession here> by <their name here>.

Graduation gifts: Be it from grade school or high school have those special pages of their work that you've been saving all these years bound into a nice book to hold them forever. Get them out of boxes and on the shelves! For the college graduate, bind together the correspondence (emails & letters) between you and them for the first years away from home.

Christmas gifts: Our blank books are popular here for jokes, journals or personalized diaries for a young person. Or rebind that favorite Christmas book you read every year to your children, now for your grandchildren to enjoy! Gather favorite family recipes and make your own family cookbook - you'll have everyone taken care of with one gift!

Baby or Wedding gifts: Custom photo albums can be constructed from any cover material you would like to provide. So, for a new baby, you could pick from a number of baby patterns at your local fabric store. For a unique wedding album, if you're connected to the wedding, you could get extra fabric from the attendants' dresses or even the wedding dress itself! We also have customers who do up blank books or journals for every occasion.

How do I send an order in?
If you're interested in sending an order, you just need to send it to:

Grimm Book Bindery 6880 Gisholt Drive Madison, WI 53713

You may use one of our order forms located on the "How to Order" page or you
can just enclose a letter with instructions on what you want done. Try to be as specific as possible and make sure to include your email address or a day time phone number so we can contact you with questions. For shipping to us, use what you're used to, most items arrive via UPS, Priority Mail or Federal Express. You may also want to insure the package (which is very inexpensive, usually just .30-.40¢ per $100 of insurance). Our thought is that if it's insured, they'll probably take better care of it and then you're covered in case of loss. For treasured items, our experience has found Federal Express Air to be the most dependable.

We do require 50% down to start an order and the balance before it's shipped out. We accept checks or money orders, MasterCard and VISA. Giving a credit card number with the expiration date is usually easiest as there's less back and forth with invoicing, etc. But if you prefer checks, that's fine too. Depending upon your item, the binding time may be 1-6 weeks. If you need something faster or by a definite date there are a number of ways to have your item on a guaranteed date up to 24 hour turnaround, just ask. We currently ship via Federal Express Ground service, but many expedited or air options are also available upon request.

If I live in the area, can I drop my order off?
Sure! We love to see our customers. We have helpful customer service representatives to assist you with your order from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday- Friday and even on the first Saturday of the Month from 9:00 am until noon when it's not a holiday weekend (For 2009 we're open the following Saturdays: Feb. 7, Mar. 7, Apr. 4, May 2, June 6, Aug. 1, Oct. 3, Nov. 7 and Dec. 5) . You do not need to make an appointment, but can just stop in. It's probably even advised if you live in the area as you can then see all the options available to you, to be able to feel the actual materials and get ideas from our knowledgeable staff.

How do I get to your location?
We are located to the EAST of the Monona Wal-Mart Supercenter. Take Highway 12/18, which is also called the Beltline Highway to the South Towne Drive exit (which is the 3rd exit West of I90/94). Go South on South Towne Drive. Within a block or so, you´ll enter a "Roundabout". Go ¾ of the way around and then veer off to the right (which is Industrial Drive). Visually, you´re taking a left on Industrial; it just has to be done by going around the circle. Follow Industrial Drive down a few blocks, it will then curve to the left (and becomes "Gisholt Dr.") follow the curve and you´ll find us on the Right just past Quality Pumps – Wal-Mart will be across the street from us. Our building is yellow and says Grimm Book Bindery in big red letters (beyond our many large pine trees!)

Do you offer pickup and delivery?
We offer pickup and delivery to the Madison area each Friday. We also have a 4 week schedule set up for various areas in Wisconsin and Illinois. If you need a pickup, you just need to call or email at least one day prior to the pickup date.

How long does it take to get a book bound?
If needed, we can turnaround single book orders within a day, sometimes within hours depending upon your need (at an extra charge). Other items, depending upon their nature can take anywhere from 1 to 6 weeks, it's hard to pinpoint it without knowing what work will actually be needed on your item. Feel free to call or email with a description of your item.

What form of payment do you accept?
We accept MasterCard, VISA and American Express. Giving a credit card number with the expiration date is usually easiest as there's less back and forth. But if you prefer checks or money orders, that's fine too.  And of course, cash is always welcome.

If you have further questions, feel free to call 608-221-4443 or email This E-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .