Just realized the difference between PVA and wheat paste after 6 months of binding

I switched from PVA to wheat paste for my spine linings and the books feel way more flexible now, but I've heard some binders say PVA lasts longer. Has anyone else noticed a big change in durability over a year or two of shelf life?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_brian4d ago

PVA won't outlast wheat paste if the wheat is cooked right and you're not adding too much water. Grainier paste that's too thin will definitely fail way before PVA.

drew_hart44d ago

Wait, hold up - are you seriously saying some binders are claiming PVA actually lasts longer than wheat paste on the shelf? That's wild to me because I've always heard it the other way, that wheat paste has been used for centuries and holds up just fine if you mix it right. I've got books from three years back that I used wheat paste on and they're still solid as a rock, no cracking or anything.