Dust Jackets for Old Book Covers

After accumulating stacks of old books (especially during grade school years), a lot of us don’t know what to do with them. But a great way to repurpose them as decor starts by covering their covers with dust jackets.

Books have become a way to decorate for some time now. For example, some people like keeping them in sight but place them backward onto shelves so as to not change the room’s color palette. In other words, instead of the spine, the pages are in view.

In our post today, we’ll show you some ideas on making your own dust covers to give your books a new look so you can use them as decor accessories.

1. Dust jacket with kraft paper

You’ll need kraft paper to make this super simple yet modern dust jacket. This material gives you a lot of freedom with decor because it allows for all kinds of details with paint, markers or even glitter.

Materials

• Pencil.
• Scissors.
• Letter stamps.
• Washi tape.
• 30 cm or longer ruler.
• Kraft paper.

Steps

• Spread out the kraft paper and place a book that you want to cover in the center. Measure out the book, marking out the lines to cut with a pencil.
• Cut the paper to fit the book’s dimensions. We recommend leaving a little extra space from the line; it’s always better to have too much paper than too little.
• Fit the new dust jacket onto your book and use the washi tape to secure it well to the book’s inside cover.
• If you’re planning on stamping on the book’s original title, you’ll need to order the stamps accordingly. After, dip them in ink and stamp them on, one by one, onto the book’s spine.
• If you’re covering a textbook or a novel that you don’t want anymore, you can stamp on new titles, words like “serendipity”, “affection”, “love”, “happiness” or inspirational phrases. It’s up to your creativity.
• You can also outline the stamped letters with a fine-tipped metallic marker (silver, gold, copper) or even one that’s just white or black.

2. Dust jackets with maps

This craft is perfect for making something out of those maps that you’ve been collecting over the years on your travels.

Materials

• Ruler.
• Pencil.
• Scissors.
• Paper maps.
• Stick glue.

Steps

• Spread out your maps onto a table. If they’re wrinkled, you should stack several heavy books on top of the maps for 1 whole day to smooth them out.
• Take the measurements for your book and cut the map accordingly. Leave some space next to the outline; it’s better to have left over paper than not enough.
• Glue the map onto the border of the inside book cover and you’re done.

3. Printed dust jackets

These days, a lot of books come with an extra dust jacket for better protection. However, you can also use them to cover up older book covers. But make sure to use a dust jacket that’s similar in size to your book to ensure a good fit.

Materials

• Dust jacket from another book.
• Optional: glue stick or washi tape.

Steps

• Remove the dust jacket from the original book and place it onto the book you wish to cover.
• Secure it with a little glue or washi tape.

Other materials

To make dust jackets for your books, you can also use newspapers, wrapping paper, flimsy cardboard, fabric or even foam sheets. You can also try using different materials, such as lining a book with paper and adding some ribbon to another.

In any case, we recommend keeping the designs simple.