In bookbinding, swell refers to the increased thickness of a textblock along its spine edge after sewing. Swell is a function of the number of sections in the book, the kind of paper used, the style of sewing, and the thickness of the sewing thread. Human factors also influence swell, especially the force with which the bookbinder "bones down", or flattens, each section after sewing.
Bookbinding is the process of physically assembling a book of codex format from an ordered stack of paper sheets that are folded together into sections or sometimes left as a stack of individual sheets. The stack is then bound together along one edge by either sewing with thread through the folds or by a layer of flexible adhesive. Alternative methods of binding that are cheaper but less permanent include loose-leaf rings, individual screw posts or binding posts, twin loop spine coils, plastic spiral coils, and plastic spine combs. For protection, the bound stack is either wrapped in a flexible cover or attached to stiff boards. Finally, an attractive cover is adhered to the boards, including identifying information and decoration. Book artists or specialists in book decoration can also greatly enhance a book's content by creating book-like objects with artistic merit of exceptional quality.
In bookbinding, a section, gathering, or signature refers to a group of sheets, folded in the middle, and bound into the binding together.
Prior to the 15th century, swell in textblocks was accommodated, if at all, by shaping the wooden boards that formed a book's covers. The inner surface of each board would be lightly tapered along the spine edge, so that the removed wood created a space for the thicker paper along the sewn folds. By the 15th century, though, the process of rounding and backing became common, and books were given their characteristic rounded spines and shoulders. This mushroom-like shape compensates for the swell of the book by using the extra thickness to create an extra surface against which the boards of the book can rest.
Flat backs, or books without a curved spines, should ideally have no swell. Books with rounded backs, or curved spines, however, require swell. Too little swell results in insufficient backing, and the book will lack proper shoulders. Too much swell, however, causes the spine to become over-round, and can create a propensity among the middle sections of the book to collapse inwards, falling toward the fore edge.
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