DIY Refillable Notepad with Chicago Screws: Dual-Section Notepad Tutorial

How to Make a DIY Refillable Notepad with Chicago Screws — Dual Section

This DIY refillable notepad with Chicago screws tutorial shows you how to build a dual-section notepad where each section is independently bound with its own pair of Chicago screws. This means you can refill either section separately — swap out the work notepad without touching the personal one, or refill just the grocery list side while keeping the meal planner pages intact.

The dual-section design uses three chipboard covers connected by the screws: a front cover, a middle divider, and a back cover. Each pair of Chicago screws creates an independent binding point, so the two notepad sections function like separate pads within one shared structure. This approach gives you the flexibility of two notepads with the convenience of carrying just one.

In this step-by-step guide, you will learn how to print and cut two sets of notepad pages, build three chipboard covers wrapped in sticker paper, punch holes for both binding points, and assemble the dual-section notepad with four Chicago screws. Customize both sections with different templates using Planify Pro. If you are new to refillable notepads, start with our original refillable notepad tutorial for a simpler single-section version.

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Template

How to Export PDF

For Inserts -> Go to Save/Export -> Single Pages-> Paper -> Select A4 -> Click Generate PDF
For Cover -> Go to Save/Export -> Selected Page -> Paper -> Select A4 -> Click Generate PDF

How to Print PDF

Download the Free Adobe Acrobat Reader program for printing.

Print refillable notepad insserts at 100% scale front side, 70 sheets in total around 150 pages. Print the cover at 125% scale, best quality on white glossy sticker paper

You will need

Materials:

Regular Paper 70gsm or thicker
Chipboard 1.4mm or any thickness
Chicago screws 20mm or any length
White glossy sticker paper

Equipments:

Heavy Duty Paper cutter
Screw driver
Single hole puncher

Instructions:

Print and cut the pages using a heavy duty paper cutter
Hole punch the pages at the top
Prepare following chipboards: 1) 15x11cm 2) 11x2cm 3) 11x2cm
Print the cover page at 125% scale and cut out both pieces.
Use the first piece to wrap the first chipboard
Trim the corners
Fold in all the sides
Cut the second cover piece into smaller parts so they are big enough to wrap around the second and third chipboard
Wrap the seconds and third chipboard
Place white glossy sticker paper on the inside of the chipboards
Hole punch the chipboards
Hole punch the second and third chipboard piece
Get 4 Chicago Screws
Insert them into the first chipboard
Insert the pages
Place the second chipboard cover to close
Screw close the cover
Mark where the second set of inserts should be placed
Use a single hole puncher to punch the holes
Insert the chicago screws
Insert the pages and place the third chipboard to close the notepad
Screw close the chicago screws
You're done!