A recent study revealed that people are 70% more likely to remember a brand with print advertising than an online ad. That’s a lot more traffic driven to your business if you’re going about it correctly. You’ll want to start investing in posters, banners, and billboards. Keep reading as we discuss everything you need to know about white print poster paper and how to use it.
In the wide-format industry, there are many types of poster board. Some people might refer to it as foam board, gator board, substrate, or presentation board. This board is typically made of foam with a smooth outer layer, and is used to mount prints to. You will print your chart, advertisement, map, etc. on your preferred poster paper roll, cut the print to size, then mount it to a poster board. Some poster board is already adhesive, but the non-adhesive boards will have to have a mounting adhesive applied before you can affix your print.
When it comes to printing posters, there are several types of poster paper rolls; how do you know which one you need? Below, let’s review some of the options typically available.
There are three main types of poster paper: gloss, matte, and semi-gloss, also referred to as satin paper. Here we will briefly explain which paper is which.
Gloss paper is ideal for high-resolution poster designs and photos you want to mount directly on your wall. It has a high reflectivity which can add significant impact.
These prints are low in their reflective properties and are best used behind a glass or acrylic sheet, which will add the shine that the matte lacks. This paper option is also well suited to high-resolution designs.
Semi-gloss, or satin, paper is ideal for vivid colors and high-resolution designs. It prints onto a smooth finish, like actual gloss paper, but also minimizes reflexivity as matte paper would, whereas satin paper is ideal for images with significant areas of darker colors.
Poster paper rolls are typically sold like the following (for example):
The higher the poundage, the thicker the paper. It might be measure in pounds or in grams per square meter (GSM). Let’s briefly discuss the weights below:
Understanding the different types of paper available to you will help you plan your posters and banners so that you get the most out of your printed product, so take the time to look through the available options from your chosen supplier.
You can bear a few things in mind when creating your poster for print so that your printed product is of the highest quality. Here are some tips to get you started:
First and most importantly, you want to design your poster in the CMYK color space vs. RGB. This is because CMYK will provide a more accurate representation of how your colors will look in the final product, whereas RGB is better suited for screen viewing/digital images.
Typically, you want to use a large resolution for your file, measured in DPI (dots per inch). Low-resolution files will mean a lower quality print with blurring and pixelation, so you want to aim for 300 dpi for a good quality print document.
Your printer will appreciate you sending your files in PDF format with a print resolution of 300 dpi. Unfortunately, JPEGs generally undergo file compression, which loses some of the resolution data needed by a printer, so sending PDF or even TIFF with no compression will result in the best quality print.
Vector images typically run smaller than other formats and are created in specialty programs such as Adobe Illustrator. Therefore, vector images will reduce your file size and provide the sharpest print result.
We get some common questions about white poster paper, so we’ve compiled a shortlist of some of the most commonly asked questions for your convenience.
A large roll of paper can be called wide format paper rolls, large format paper rolls, Designjet paper rolls, etc.
Posters can be printed on a range of materials, from paper to vinyl. The choice as to which one to use depends on your needs. Posters for indoor use can be printed on 170GSM poster paper.
However, if you want your images to appear sharp and your colors to pop, you should use heavier paper.
Costing can vary greatly depending on the supplier and your location. Generally, if you’re looking at 100ft. rolls, your costing could look like this:
When someone asks for a “white paper roll”, they generally mean a standard, plain 20# bond paper. It is an all-purpose paper for personal projects, schools, and businesses. Its simplicity makes it ideal for collages, murals, finger painting, table coverings, games, etc.
Thick poster paper is also called heavy weight bond paper, or heavy weight presentation paper.
With so many types of poster paper on the market, you want to find a trusted supplier so you can ensure your work will come out perfect every time. However, you don’t have to become a paper or ink specialist when you can ask a professional.
If you’re looking for poster paper or advice but don’t know what size or product you’re looking for, talk to an expert today so we can help.
