Understanding the Basics of Poster Ordering
The most common thickness:
Cover - 100#, 80# and 130#
Text - 80#, 100#
(Note that the # is pronounced βpoundβ or otherwise written as βlbsβ)
Cover weight is thicker than text.
Text weight is thin, like a poster that you would get at Walmart, FYE or FiveBelow.
The higher the number, the thicker weight the paper is, so 130# cover weight would be very thick and durable, for example.
Something like 60# would be very thin/fragile.
Understanding Finishes:
The most common finishes for digital posters are as follows
Gloss
Uncoated
Matte
It is very important to note that matte and uncoated finishes are TWO DIFFERENT finish types.
Matte has somewhat of a shine on it still, while uncoated is as dull as possible - with as little finish as possible.
If you would like to see or feel ANY weights or finishes we have plenty of examples in purchasing for you to check out, do not hesitate to come in and chat with us. We are here to help you!
Screen Printed Posters
Screen-printed posters never have a finish on them. They are always just printed directly onto the raw paper.
Screen-printed posters can be different stock colors such as white, black, etc.
We can also make foil screen printed posters (holo, rainbow, foil[gold, red, silver]). There is of course an upcharge on these specialty foils, so please make sure that you are quoted on these always.
There is also an option for glow-in-the-dark.
Please note that there are some situations where printing on darker paper (black) where the lighter colored inks may need a double hit, this is an upcharge.
Production Time(s)
Screen printed posters take much longer to produce than digital posters. It is typically around 3-4 weeks plus transit for screen printed posters, so please make sure that you and your client are aware of the timeline before placing any orders.
Artwork for screen printed posters have to be separated out by colors before going to the manufacturer, if we do not have that at the time of the order being placed - this can delay the production time.
Please reach out to us for any other questions that you may have!