Nuts

Scrapbook Albums are held togetherin all sorts of ways. How a scrapbook album is bound, effects how youwill scrapbook in them. So, let's take a look at the nuts and bolts (literally) that hold an album together. Once you understand the differences, you will soon learn which one is your favorite. We take a brief look at the sizes and materials of scrapbook albums. Then we will explore in more depth the various ways albums are bound - Strap Hinge, Post Bound, 3-Ring and Book Bound albums. As we discuss each type, we will also include a list of some of the gepanies that carry these albums.
Please Note: This guide only covers albums meant for scrapbooking and doesn't look at general photo albums so it is assumed that the albums we discuss are acid and lignin free and meet the guidelines for being an archival product.
Sizes of Albums
Let's first take a brief look at the sizes that are available for scrapbooking. Scrapbooks today go beyond the traditional book style albums but for the sake of this guide, we will only focus on the true scrapbook albums. The most gemon sizes are 5x7, 6x6, 8x8, 8 1/2x11 and 12x12 with the 12x12 being the most popular. A few gepanies also have a 4x4 or a 9x9 album. Keep in mind that 95% of the paper made for scrapbooking is in the 12x12 size so the albums that use this paper best are the 6x6 and 12x12 albums. The 6x6 albums really make a sheet of paper go far since you get four 6x6 squares out of one sheet of paper.
So what size is the correct one for your project?
Albums Smaller Than 6x6- perfect album for brag books that can be carried easily. This is a must have for parents and grandparents!
6x6 and 8x8 albums - make the greatest gifts! There are some great themed albums with paper packs meant specifically for these albums so you can create an entire album faster. Also, if you are scrapbooking a theme with few pictures, this size album does a fantastic job of highlighting the pictures you do have since each page can only fit one to two pictures each. This is a great size for the teenager to geplete too. Makes an adorable ABC book for your child.
12x12 - the traditional size used in scrapbooking because it provides the most space to be creative. If you have a lot of pictures or want to include journaling, embellishments and flair to your pages, the 12x12 is the one for you! With plenty of room to be creative and still have room for several pictures on each page, this size album is for the scrap addict!
Album Materials
Much like the variety of sizes, you will see a wide variety of materials used for the album covers. The most gemon categoriesare cloth or fabric, leather, paper, leather-like or vinyl and a new material recently introduced is press board that can be altered and decorated.
You will want to take the materials into account based on the type of album you are creating. Leather, of course, is the sturdiest and most durable. The paper covered albums offer the most variety, can be multi-colored, andcan match the exact papers you are using throughout the album but are also the most delicate. I regemend investing in an album cover when working with the paper covered albums. Some of the fabric covered albums have a nice feature of being able tobe removed, washed and then put back on.
If you are making an album that you want to pass down through the generations, I regemend investing in a leather album. Cloth albums show nicely so they make great gifts, especially if you get one to match the theme of the book like baby girl or boy and still offer durability. The paper album needs to be used when care can be taken with the album since it is the easiest to damage.
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STRAP HINGE ALBUM
The pages of the Strap Hinge album look like the picture above. There are two small silver hinges that look like staples on the left side of each page. Pages are connected by two straps that go through the hinges on each page.
Advantages

Pages are sturdy and have reinforced edges
Pages can be purchased in white, tan, black and special holiday themes
There are sheet protectors that slide over the page.
You can either use pages or sheet protectors that strap into the album.
Straps eliminate any "gutter" so that facing layouts butt together at the center-margin
Both the cover and the pages lay flat with no arch in the center-margin
Is only limited by the length of the strap as to how many pages it can hold
The end of the album is nicely covered to match the rest of the album.
Disadvantages

The page itself is connected with the strap so you must scrapbook in the order you want the pages to be.
Have to take apart the whole album to add pages
If you want your album to use Top Loading sheet protectors, you can't use any of the pages that gee with the album.
If you mess up the back of a page, you will need to redo the front as well since it is the same sheet
All paper must be trimmed on one side so you have to keep track of the direction of your background paper.
Pages are not true 12x12 so papers that have a border or don't repeat in the design cannot be used.
Page "staples" can gee loose or bend
Pages are specific to strap hinge albums only so you cannot interchange between other albums
Can be difficult finding refill pages
The Side Loading sheet protectors easily split at the top and bottom
Pages best fit in the sheet protectors that are flat so thicker embellishments can't be used
Can only use pages and sheet protectors from either one of the manufacturers only
The sheet protectors from Generations, have a residue on them that needs to be cleaned off prior to use
gepanies

Creative Memories - Beautiful cloth or leather albums in several sizes
Generations - Cloth, leather or vinyl albums in a variety of colors and sizes
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POST BOUND ALBUMS
A post-bound album uses 2 or 3 metal binding posts (screw heads on both ends of a post, one stationary, one moveable) to tightly hold pages in page protectors between the front and back covers. Post Bound albums are the most versatile album available. They gee in a variety of sizes, designs and themes. The album usually gees with a set of sheet protectors and paper to get you started. This is the most gemon album used today.
Advantages

Posts eliminate the distance between two pages, referred to as the gutter. So facing pages flow together almost making them appear as a single page.
You can use both top loading and side loading page protectors from a variety of gepanies
Some post bound albums have 3 posts instead of 2 which offers more support
The sheet protector is what is connected to the posts, not the actual pages
Can rearrange pages without taking apart the album since the pages sit freely in the sheet protector
Since the page itself is not connected in the album, you can use any paper you have as the background.
Posts can be lengthened by adding extensions
True 12x12 page size is available from several gepanies
Can easily add foam or cardboard spacers to acgemodate thick pages
Can use a variety of gepanies for sheet protectors including specialty pages like C-Line'sMemory Book Page Protectorsthat createpanoramic, swing shutterand flippages.
The posts can be purchased at a hardware store in much longer lengths to acgemodate more pages
Convert to an easier Snap Loadsystem which allows more pages to be added (Snap Load pieces seen in the picture below)
Snap Load system lets you reorder your pages without having to disassemble the whole book (Snap Load pieces seen in the picture below)

Disadvantages

If the album is overloaded or dropped, the post can gee through the back or break apart.
Using multiple, small extension posts weakens the album (this can be eliminated by purchasing the longer posts at the hardware store)
To add a sheet protector to the album, other than to the very front or very back, the album must be taken apart.
The pages arch a bit when the album is opened flat (Many of the new albums have corrected this issue)
Several post bound albums don't cover the spine so the edges of the page protectors are visible when stored on a bookcase
gepanies

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