How to Protect Hardcover Book Corners

Use tape that does not have a high acid content. Acids can degrade the book corners and cause even more damage. Find a tape that is used for archiving. Scrapbooking tape is specifically made without acids.

Cut the tape into small sections that are long enough to cover the corner and wrap around the other side. For most hardcover books, this will be about four inches.

Put one piece of tape at one book corner and press down firmly enough to keep bubbles from forming. The end of the corner should be about halfway across the horizontal side of the tape.

Make a few cuts in the tape to make it fold more smoothly around the corner. Make two slits, each at a 90 degree angle that points toward the center. The slits should go almost all the way to the corner but leave a few millimeters between the cuts and the corner.

Fold the middle part of the tape flat against the inside of the book. Follow this by folding each of the side tabs carefully. Press each part of the tape in turn, making sure each side is firmly attached and does not have bubbles trapped underneath it.

Protect the other three corners by wrapping them the same way.