Promotional Printing: 3 Popular Ways to Add a Glossy Finish

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Enhance your Promotional Printing with a Gloss Finish

Many businesses and organizations use a variety of print materials to promote their offerings and build brand awareness. For example, brochures, flyers, catalogs, magazines, postcards, and posters are all popular formats for delivering marketing messages in print.

To achieve the most visual impact, promotional printing is almost always printed in full color. Full color printing is not only more eye-catching, it holds the reader's attention longer and increases the likelihood the brand and its products/services will elicit a positive response.

To further elevate the effectiveness of promotional printing, a glossy top coat is often applied as a finishing step. The shiny surface created by a gloss coating enhances the depth and intensity of the underlying ink colors, making them appear even more vibrant and visually striking.

In addition to improving the appearance of printed pieces, the smooth surface that results from having a gloss finish helps to repel smudges and grime. It also minimizes any scuffs that might otherwise occur during handling and transport. The added durability helps to extend the useful life of the printing.

The 3 Most Popular Ways to Add a Glossy Finish to Print Materials

The three finishing options most commonly used to add a glossy sheen to print materials are UV Coating, Lamination, and Aqueous Coating.

Below is an overview of these three unique methods to help you decide which one best aligns with your specific print project.

1. UV Coating

UV Coating is a quick drying and hard-wearing clear coat made primarily of polymer resins. It is applied over the printing in liquid form and then dried using Ultraviolet (UV) light. The ultraviolet curing process is how UV coating gets its name.

The exposure to ultraviolet light triggers a photochemical reaction. This leads to the sudden cross linking of molecules within the polymer resin and hardens the coating into a tough, protective film within a matter of milliseconds. Because the drying process is so fast, it allows print projects to move swiftly to the next production phase, such as trimming or bindery.

Gloss UV coatings are popular because they add an ultra-high shine to print materials. The finish is also very slick, almost like glass. Furthermore, a UV coating can be applied as a flood coat over an entire sheet, or it can be applied as a spot coat to highlight specific areas on the sheet. These features make a gloss UV coating particularly useful for marketing materials that require a bold and impressive presentation.

Regarding the durability of a UV coating, it offers excellent resistance against scratches and abrasions. It also resists dirt and stains. Though it is not intended for waterproof applications, it does offer some resistance against light spills.

It should also be pointed out that a gloss UV coating is not well-suited for printed pieces that will need to be written upon, rubber stamped, or overprinted. For example, handwritten appointment cards or the address panels of postcards should not be UV coated.

In addition, the hardness of a UV coating requires that any fold lines will need to be pre-scored. Scoring will help support a clean and sharp fold by reducing the chance of the coating developing a crack along the fold line.

As far as the cost is concerned, UV coatings are less expensive than applying a laminate but a little pricier than an aqueous coating. That said, the benefits a UV coating provides make it a very good value.

2. Lamination

The Lamination process adheres a durable plastic film to the surface of printed materials using a combination of heat, pressure, tension and a bonding agent. The laminate film is most commonly applied to both sides of the printing but is sometimes applied to one side only.

Laminate film is available in several different thicknesses. When applied commercially, the film is fed from large rolls. A roller mechanism ensures maximum adhesion and a perfectly smooth finish.

Like a UV coating, a gloss laminate intensifies the underlying ink colors and provides a high shine and a slick finish. However, laminates are more durable and longer lasting than a UV coating.

Being resistant to stains, rips and creases makes a laminate the best choice for printing that is handled frequently. Also, because a laminate film is made of plastic, it is impervious to liquids. It can also be wiped clean easily.

Depending on the needs of the project, the laminate can either be cut flush with the edges of the printed sheet or it can overhang the printed sheet slightly on all sides to seal the edges. A flush cut edge offers better aesthetics but a sealed edge offers complete protection against moisture and other contaminants.

Just like a UV coating, laminates are not a good fit for printed pieces that will be written upon, stamped, or overprinted. The exceptions are special laminates that allow writing with a damp erase or dry erase marker.

Also, though some thinner laminates are flexible enough to be folded, thicker laminates are too rigid to be folded. As such, thicker laminates are reserved for printed pieces that will remain flat.

Lamination is more expensive than both UV coating and aqueous coating. However, it is also the most durable option for adding a gloss finish to print materials. The long-term durability and polished appearance of lamination is why it remains a popular option.

3. Aqueous Coating

Aqueous Coating is an economical clear coat. As its name indicates, aqueous coating is water-based.

Applied as a liquid flood coat, aqueous coating uses water to disperse polymers onto the printed substrate. As the water evaporates, the polymers form a protective film over the printing.

It should be noted that an aqueous coating can only be applied as a flood coat that covers the entire sheet. Unlike a UV coating, an aqueous coating cannot be applied as a spot coat to specific areas on a sheet.

A gloss aqueous coating adds a nice sheen to printed pieces but it does not produce the high shine of a gloss UV coating or gloss laminate. Also, even though an aqueous coating will provide a layer of scuff and scratch resistance, its overall durability will not be as robust as a gloss UV coating or laminate.

The primary selling point of an aqueous coating is that it provides moderate levels of gloss and durability for a lower price point than a UV coating or laminate. Hence, aqueous is a great option for budget-conscious projects.

In addition to its affordability, an aqueous coating is also more flexible than a UV coating or laminate. This makes aqueous coating the preferred coating method for printed pieces that require creasing or folding.

In summary, UV coating, Lamination, and Aqueous coating each offer unique benefits. UV coating provides an ultra-high shine, Lamination offers the highest durability, and Aqueous coating is the most economical. Any of the three will improve the look and professionalism of your printed materials.

Color Vision can assist with any Printing or Finishing need you may have!

If you would like to learn more about the benefits of adding a gloss finish coat to your custom print project, be sure to get in touch with Color Vision. As a full-service printer, we're always happy to help you select the printing and finishing options that best suit your needs.

Just give us a call at 800-543-6299 to discuss your project. Or, use our easy Quote Request form to send us your project's specifications and we will happy to email a quote to you.

As always, we look forward to assisting with your custom printing and finishing needs!