It’s not just what you print that matters – it’s how you print. Learn about our print finishing options here and what’s best for your project.
Lamination
Lamination refers to applying a plastic coating to a finished printed page. Laminates not only add appealing properties to the look and feel of your print work, but they also extend their lifespan.
Please be aware all laminations and finishes can affect the final appearance of printed colors. But each offers protection from damage such as marking, ink transferral, smudging, creasing, fading, wrinkling, abrasion and tearing.
Matte Lamination
Matte lamination is our most popular print finish. Usually paired with satin paper, matt lamination mutes colors and provides a natural, subtle finish.
This lamination offers lower levels of contrast compared to gloss lamination. But matte lamination is a particularly satisfying option for Catalogs, Poster, and Flyers as this lamination provides a smooth quality.
Gloss Lamination
Often associated with glossy magazines, which are ordinarily perfect bound with satin inner pages, gloss lamination offers a shiny finish with high contrast levels. Attention-grabbing with a noticeable sheen, this lamination also easily repels surface dirt, dust and fingerprints.
If you select gloss paper with gloss lamination, this combination will brighten colors and offer an even more intense shine. This combination is the perfect choice for your next Magazine or Brochures.
Soft-Touch Lamination
Soft-touch lamination, as the name suggests, is soft to the touch. Favored for its velvety, almost moleskin leather-like feel, it has a matte finish and is ideal for products that will be handled often, like Poster Cards. The pleasant, tactile sensation makes a great first impression and can be applied to other popular items like Coffee table Books and Novels.
UV Varnish
For a smooth finish, we apply a UV Varnish to printed pages. This shiny liquid is applied to the surface and set with ultraviolet light. While not as hardwearing as lamination, the radiation hardens the varnish to seal the prints to preserve and protect them.
We offer two options for UV varnish:
- UV Gloss: a high gloss finish, visually similar to gloss laminate.
- UV Matt: it dulls the colors – but provides a flat, satin-like finish.
Spot UV
Spot UV – also known as Gloss UV – is a high gloss finish applied to specific design features on your prints for a captivating contrast of surface textures.
For the best results, we recommend selecting a matte laminate and then adding a Spot UV finish to draw attention to the areas you want to highlight. Many use this finish on brand names and logos to make particular design features more noticeable.
For a premium look and feel, consider our 3D UV option. 3D UV is like Spot UV, but the ink for 3D UV is thicker. The thickness means it will be slightly raised from the surface and offers a contrasting texture to the rest of your print work.
No Finish
You may not want to add a finish to your prints, whether it be for practical or artistic reasons.
If you want your prints to be recyclable, we advise you don’t apply a laminate. Paper is shredded when recycled, and the plastic coating from lamination can be a contaminant.
Selecting uncoated paper can help you achieve a rustic, eco-friendly look. The paper stock will retain an earthy, natural texture when left unfinished. But please be aware that your prints may be more susceptible to rubbing, tearing, and marking.
IMPORTANT:
We do not offer lamination for uncoated, natural, or recycled papers because these paper stocks are very absorbent when we apply ink. Plus, if we add a laminate on top of uncoated paper without a lot of ink coverage, it will peel off. Some favour the more natural appearance and feel of these paper stocks anyway, so adding a laminate would remove these properties.
Again, besides uncoated, natural, or recycled papers, we strongly recommend that you add a laminate. Ordering prints without lamination could mean your prints may be more at risk of ink or paper damage. If your prints arrive damaged in transit as a result of not being laminated, we may not be able to offer a reprint or refund. But please contact us if you have any concerns with your prints via email, phone or the Messages tab in your order – we’re always here to help!
