Hole Patterns: Why Your Pages Do Not Fit the Binder

Hole patterns are one of those areas where everything looks similar and nothing is compatible. Knowing the vocabulary saves buying the wrong consumable.

Ring binder patterns

Two-hole

80 mm apart, the standard for lever-arch and two-ring binders in much of the world. Simple, and the pattern most general-purpose punches produce.

Three-hole

The standard for letter-size ring binders in the United States, spaced 4.25 inches apart. A three-hole punched page does not fit a two-ring binder and vice versa.

Four-hole

Used for A4 four-ring binders. Note that a four-hole page usually fits a two-ring binder as well, because the outer pair matches the 80 mm spacing.

Comb binding: the 19-ring pattern

Rectangular holes, 19 of them across a letter or A4 sheet, at a 9/16 inch pitch. This is a single standard and comb machines almost universally punch it, which is one reason comb binding is the most interchangeable method.

For A4 specifically, 21 holes is also seen. A 19-hole comb will bind a 21-hole punched sheet with two unused holes, but the reverse does not work.

Coil binding: pitch is everything

Coil uses round holes, and the spacing between them is called the pitch.

• 4:1 pitch — four holes per inch. The most common for plastic coil.
• 5:1 pitch — five holes per inch. Finer, used with smaller coils.
• 3:1 pitch — three holes per inch. Standard for twin-loop wire.

A 4:1 coil will not thread through 3:1 punched holes. This is the single most common consumable mismatch, and it is not adjustable — the machine punches one pitch.

If you buy a coil machine, note its pitch and buy coil to match. If you already have a stock of coil, check its pitch before buying a machine.

Twin-loop wire

Usually 3:1 pitch for documents up to about 120 sheets, and 2:1 pitch above that. Again not interchangeable, and wire closers are sized to the pitch as well.

Disengageable pins

The feature that solves most pattern problems. A machine with individually disengageable punch pins lets you turn off the pins that would fall off the edge of a non-standard sheet, so you get full holes across the whole width rather than a half-hole at one end.

If you work with mixed paper sizes, this is worth more than extra punch capacity.

Matching covers to pages

Pre-punched covers are sold by pattern. A pre-punched cover in the wrong pattern is unusable, and it is easy to buy the wrong one because the packaging looks identical.

Safest approach: buy unpunched covers and punch them on the same machine as the pages. It takes an extra minute and it guarantees alignment.

A quick identification method

If you have a bound document and do not know its pattern:

• Rectangular holes, about 19 across a letter sheet: comb, 19-ring.
• Round holes, count them across one inch: that is your pitch.
• Oval holes: usually twin-loop wire.
• Two or three large round holes near the edge: ring binder.

Before you order consumables

Write your machine’s pattern and pitch on a label and stick it to the machine. It is the single most useful thing you can do for whoever orders supplies next.

Our Punches & Binding Supplies listings state the pattern and pitch for every item. Send us a photo of an existing document if you are not sure what you have.