The wide-format printing industry is a large part of the printing industry (no pun intended) and is sometimes referred to as wide-format printing. It's a competitive market! Learn more about large-format printing & the types of materials available for your projects.

Coroplast

Coroplast is a corrugated plastic. Coroplast is available in different thicknesses. The most common are 4 mm, 6 mm and 8 mm.

Coroplast is generally used for signage such as yard signs, Aboard (Easel) structure signs and hanging signs for real estate, contractors and construction sites. It's suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, as it's robust, lightweight and waterproof. The surface is also easy to clean.

Vinyl & Banner

Vinyl is a tough, flexible material made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin and mesh. There are many types of vinyl you can use to print anything from banners to wall decals. The weight, texture, denier (thread thickness) and weave density differ according to the type of vinyl.

Some of the most common types of vinyl for banner printing are :

Vinyl 13oz:

This type of vinyl is often used for standard indoor or outdoor vinyl banners. It can have a matte or gloss finish. The matte finish is particularly good for reducing glare.

Adhesive vinyl:

Adhesive can be permanent or removable. Always test its adhesive/removable properties before applying it to a large surface.

Perforated vinyl:

This type of vinyl has tiny holes that let light through. It's perfect for window graphics, as it lets passers-by see your message without significantly impacting your store's lighting.

Vinyl Mesh:

This type of vinyl is air-permeable, making it ideal for windy outdoor spaces, construction sites, fences and screens. It is usually printed with a backing that is peeled off before use.

Foamcore or foam board

Foamcore board is surprisingly light for its bulky size. They work very well indoors as signs or trade show displays, but we don't recommend them for outdoor use as they can also be easily damaged. A common foam board on which large-format printers print is a 4 mm (approx. 0.16 ") foam core.

Styrene

Styrene is a lightweight but durable plastic. Some of the most common styrene materials are thin enough to be flexible (like the popular 20 pts styrene), so they can be rolled for storage or transport, but don't bend them or they'll crack. They are waterproof and highly scratch-resistant.

Sintra

Sintra is made from PVC and is waterproof like styrene, but the surface of sintra boards is a little easier to scratch. It is, however, still a popular choice for smaller outdoor signage. You can also cut and mark Sintra easily.

3 mm is one of the most common thicknesses of printed sintra. At this thickness, it cannot be rolled, but its lightness makes it easy to transport.

Magnet

Large-format printing produces car magnets that transform an unbranded vehicle into a moving advertisement. Magnets are measured in mils (1 mil = 0.001″), with 30 mil as one of the most common thicknesses.

Make sure a magnet stays securely on a vehicle by adding rounded corners. This helps it cling better to the car. 

Canvas or Canvas

Canvas is a strong, coarse fabric often associated with art. Canvas is easy to store and transport, as it can be rolled or folded slightly. It comes in different weights, thicknesses and textures, depending on the weaving materials used.

Some customers may want to wrap their canvas around a frame. In this case, you should leave about 1 inch for wrapping.

Do you have a large-format printing project you'd like to discuss with us? Write to us at info@texprim.ca and we'll be happy to help you make it happen.