Paper For Large Format Printing

If you're looking to run a large advertising campaign then you'll no doubt be thinking about the type of ad, poster, or scrapbook you will be printing. Firstly, in order to be able to carry out any form of large printing you'll need access to a large format printer.

Once you have access to a printer that's been designed especially for large printing you'll then need to decide which type of paper will be the most suitable for the job in hand.

There are many different forms of large format paper available, they include, plain paper, coated paper, glossy paper and matte paper. They are all suitable for different jobs and serve different purposes.

Plain paper is probably the most well used form of large format paper and is typically used for routine printing projects. The good thing about most forms of plain paper is that its thin and therefore very absorbent so it's able to dry relatively quickly. So, if you're perhaps looking to print something that is 'graphic heavy' this type of paper may not be the most suitable as it may warp.

If you are looking to print something that is 'graphic heavy' then you may which to opt for a coated paper as this is thicker and the material is more absorbent. Coated paper is lined with a material such as 'fine clay dust' which absorbs more of the ink, another benefit of using this type of paper is that it prevents the ink from spreading or bleeding. To make sure that coated paper stays bright white it is often bleached.

If you want your product to have a classy finish then you may want to opt for a paper with a glossy print which ensures that your poster has a 'shiny' finish. More often than not glossy paper is used to print photos as it gives them a polished look.

You could also opt for a matte paper which has a 'dull finish'. Unlike glossy paper, matte paper enables people to easily read the writing. Matte paper also dries quickly as it's able to easily absorb the ink.

Finally, if you didn't want such a 'dull finish' you could opt for a paper that has a semi-gloss/semi-matte finish. This form of paper can be used for a wide range of different purposes and is useful for mixed-media documents. More often than not it is used to print official documents.

Lucy is an online marketer currently researching large format paper and plotter paper