The Production Side

Put Your Coat On!

May 11, 2010 at 6:44 pm (Paper, Print Industry, Printing) (aqueous, laminate, liquid coatings, print, print buying, print coating, print production, ultraviolet, UV, varnish)

Now that spring is in full swing, chances are you’re organizing your coat closet—cleaning coats to store until they’re needed again, donating those that have served their usefulness. How many coats do you have? One? Two? More than a few? Some serve the sole purpose of protecting you from the bitterness of winter, while others are more fashionable.

Coatings for print can offer the same options—protection and aesthetics. Not only can a coating protect from fingerprints, over use, scratching and the occasional coffee stain, it can also add texture and depth. Today’s coating options may even allow you to simulate other substrates or add a scent to your printed piece. Here’s a quick look at the pros and cons of varnish, aqueous, UV and laminate. Perhaps it will help you to determine which “coat” to wear today . . .

Varnish

Think of varnish as a colorless ink. It’s that old coat you grab without thinking. You know the one. The coat that’s never quite warm enough, but happens to be the most comfortable one in your closet.

Varnish is applied on press, either inline or dry trapped, through an inking unit and is available in a variety of finishes. Varnish can be applied to flood the entire page or added to specific areas. Since a separate varnish plate is used, it will hold dot-for-dot registration.

One down side to varnish is its tendency to yellow the sheet over time, which tends to be more noticeable on silk, dull and matte coated sheets. Varnish also requires a more lengthy dry time. Additionally, the use of spray powders to prevent pages from sticking together before they are completely dried can affect the look and feel of the final product.

Aqueous

Pull out the zebra-print trench coat! Yep. Trendy. Warm. Lookin’ good, too!

Just as the name implies, aqueous is a water-based liquid applied inline through a separate coating tower. It can be applied to the entire page or to specific areas, though spot aqueous may require a special plate to achieve desired results.

Unlike varnish, however, aqueous does not yellow with age and dries quickly. It also offers better protection against fingerprinting and smudging. Aqueous coating is available in gloss, satin and dull finishes, as well as custom finishes (e.g., soft touch, metallic, tinted, pearlescent) and is typically the lowest-cost coating option.

UV (Ultraviolet)

Now we’re talking heavy duty. Wool. Stylish. Add a bright scarf and hat. Make a statement and stay warm!

UV is a liquid coating that is cured instantly using an ultraviolet light. It can be applied inline or dry trapped to the entire page or as a spot. UV coatings are available in gloss, satin, dull, plus a wide range of textured and scented finishes.

While UV coatings offer more protection than varnish or aqueous and cure/dry instantly, they are vulnerable to cracking and fingerprinting. UV coating also tends to accentuate imperfections in the stock it’s applied to.

Laminate

Grab the parka! Yes, film laminates offer the most protection to your printed project.

Classified by thickness (measured in mils, or thousandths of an inch), laminates can be made of polypropylene, polyester or nylon. Since they are applied off line to either one side or both sides of the entire page, laminates require longer lead times, at a higher cost.

While I doubt you’d pair that zebra-print trench coat with a parka, you can mix some coatings. Be sure to discuss your desired results and end-use with your printer. Together you can be fashionable AND protected.

Wait! Before you go struttin’ down the runway, consider connecting to this blog through the RSS feed or email notifications. I’d love it if you came back for more!

PS – Thanks for your patience. It’s good to be back. And, yes, I do own a zebra-print trench coat.

Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rossbelmont/4273178858/

Permalink 5 Comments