Vinyl Printing 101: How to Print on Vinyl Paper at Home

Key Takeaways

• Vinyl printmaking is known for transferring high-quality images from the computer to the sheet with high accuracy and vibrant colors.
• Professionally printing on vinyl (through vinyl printer)can be expensive. So, for small work or some personal use, you can print on vinyl with your home printer.
• It can be found in various industries and places thanks to its quality, durability, and flexibility to fit everywhere.

Visuals are a significant part of our lives. Taking this observation into consideration, various industries have made things more appealing and captivating with the help of visuals and graphics. The printing of visuals has made them ubiquitous. Be it advertisements, education, businesses, or even government, all of them use graphics to make things clearer.

Diving deeper, all these visual printings get a step ahead with the advanced technology of vinyl printing. Thanks to all the innovations in technology, ideas of 3D printers or digital imaging are now a reality. 

Similarly, one of the most practiced and innovative printing technologies is vinyl printing. Vinyl printmaking is a highly celebrated method of printing, as it has a bright and charismatic output of graphics and colors. Getting more into the details of this topic, we will discuss some major points associated with it.

What is Vinyl Printing?

Vinyl printing also referred to as vinyl graphics, is a modern-day advanced technique of transferring images from a computer to a sheet. This technique is special as it is specifically made to give out high-quality results in terms of colors, clarity, vibrancy, and overall look. Even the laborious task of compressing intricate graphics into accessible formats has been simplified, thanks to tools like a GIF compressor. These are also meant to be more durable than regular prints, as they are intended to be used in both indoor and outdoor settings.

The main markets for which these prints are used are to make custom decors, stickers, banners, artists, and anything else that requires high-graphic images. But all these features come at a cost. Since the equipment and materials needed are highly specific and specialized, printing vinyl is a bit more expensive and can fall heavy on your pockets.

Speaking of materials and equipment, printable vinyl paper is something that is unique and rare to see. Just like vinyl, there are various other types of elements like photo paper and art paper, used for various other purposes. Taking this into account, let us tell you how this technology works and what are the complexities of printing on vinyl paper.

How to Print on Vinyl?

The process is done in various stages. From planning and identifying the print to printing, there are lots of creative stages that a person has to cross prior to getting a final product. The steps of how to print on vinyl are listed below, through which you will get an idea of what stages are involved in the whole process.

Note: Not all inkjet printers are capable of supporting print on vinyl sheets. As they are comparatively thicker than the regular ones, they can cause paper jams and various other issues. For this, you need to make sure that your printer has a simple and straight pathway.

Step 1: Decide What You Want to Print

Your imagination works the most. Create a blueprint in your mind and plan it on your computer. Make sure that the design and margins are all in place. If your prints are color-sensitive, make sure that you use an inkjet printer to get colored output.

Step 2: Arrange the Vinyl Sheet

The second step is to arrange the sheets on which you will transfer your imagination and creativity. These sheets are easy to find and can be located at any store, whether online or offline. As mentioned before, there are two types of vinyl sheets available in the market, so pick wisely with respect to the needs of your prints. 

You also receive a protection layer or spray to laminate your print with, for its longevity and increase its durability. Moreover, this spray or additional layer will grant your prints the ability to be water-resistant, which means even the water will not make the colors dull.

Step 3: Cut Them Out!

The only thing that is finally left to do is to cut them out. Even at this stage, you have 2 options to go for. One is a bit expensive, and the second one just depends on your blade skills. 

There are various cutter machines available by the brands that also manufacture printers. For instance, Brother, Canon, Epson, and so on have launched their dedicated series of cutters that can efficiently cut all the prints in that shape and size you desire with high precision. 

If not by the machine, you can do this work with your own hands. Let your hands glide on the paper with an Exacto knife or a regular paper cutter. In addition, you can also use a pair of scissors. However, they are always best suited for big cut-outs that have fewer curves and details. Scissors don’t work well there.

This was it to learn how to print on vinyl. As you can see, printing vinyl at home is not a difficult task, but it does not provide the same quality as compared to professional vinyl printers. 

Materials and Equipment Required for Vinyl Printing

Vinyl graphics is something that is not very easy and common to see. Therefore, the equipment required is also difficult to find. But what if there is a way to get prints on your vinyl papers at your home?

It is true that professional vinyl printmaking is an expensive process, but you can do it at your home too, just with the regular inkjet or laser printers that you own. Obviously, somewhere you have to compromise with the quality of the result, but for the cost that it estimates, there is nothing wrong with going for this option. 

An Inkjet or Laser Printer

If you want to get color prints, consider using or arranging an inkjet or ink tank printer. However, a laser printer will bring you more sharpness and detailing, but it will be only good for black-and-white prints. 

In inkjet printers, Canon’s PIXMA series is popular among professionals as they are considered the best option for inkjet or ink tank printers. Canon PIXMA TS9520 can be a good option for you in this series.

On the other hand, if you want to go for some other brand like HP, the HP Envy 7155 will also work just fine for you.

Ink for Vinyl Printing

In order to print on vinyl, there are two types of inks that you can take in use: solvent-based inks and water-based latex inks. 

• Solvent-based inks: Solvent-based inks can be the best for you since they provide high-quality images in the prints. These inks perform well in all weather conditions and are great for any climate. However, the ink is a bit on the toxic side, which must be used after wearing a mask.
• Water-based inks: Water-based inks on the other hand are a safer option to go for. These inks are famous for holding on tightly to printable vinyl paper and are a great option to go for. 

Once you arrange the ink and printer, it’s time to get some vinyl sheets from the store. 

Vinyl Sheet

There are two types of sheets that you will find in the market.

1. Printable Vinyl Paper
2. Printable Vinyl Sticker Paper

These sheets have their own specialty and are used for different roles. Here is the comparison that will help you differentiate between them and find the right one for all your needs.

Printable Vinyl Sticker Paper	Printable Vinyl Sheet
Sticker paper uses more adhesive at its back to stick to the surface.	These sheets use comparatively less adhesive.
Leaves residual glue if peeled off.	Do not leave any residual at all.
These are durable for both indoor and outdoor settings.	They are best suited for indoors or in protected settings.

Once you have arranged these two pieces of equipment, the last and only thing left is the cutting tool. 

Note: Plan your prints in advance if you are going for a laser printer. As laser printers provide monochromatic prints, make sure your results will adapt to the colors without losing their magic.

A Cutting Tool

For cutting out your vinyl printouts, you can either use a cutter machine offered by the same manufacturers that manufacture printers, or you can show off your skills with the help of an Exacto knife. 

With these simple supplies, you can start with the process anytime you want.

Where are Vinyl Prints Used?

These prints have impressed their audience so much that once they have entered the market, there is no going back. Even with so many materials being introduced that are more durable and somewhat better than vinyl, this product has still managed to be one of the first choices for artists and advertisers to put their work on. 

Discussing their consumer market, there is no specific industry that makes use of it. In the list below, we have listed some major clients that avail of printing services to function their operations.

1. Government Authorities: The government heavily demands vinyl prints as they have to advertise their policies, schemes, plans, campaigns, and whatnot to the common public. They set their posters, banners, and flyers, and stick their advertisements on trains, metros, buses, and almost every public transport. These all arrangements are mostly done on vinyl material.
2. Stores: Just like the government, private bodies like stores and shops also use printable vinyl paper. They put up their banners, boards, hoardings, etc. to promote their deals and offers. These stores and shops contribute their great involvement in their overall sales.
3. Car and Bike Enthusiasts: If you are bored with those lame and boring colors of your vehicle, you can get them wrapped. You probably know already that enthusiasts love to experiment with various looks and modifications on their vehicles. And getting them wrapped is the most basic and foremost modification that they go for. Hence, vinyl seems to be the best modification for enthusiasts.
4. Window Wraps: If you visit some cafés, bars, or restaurants, you might have noticed some stickers on their windows and panels. They are also made of printable vinyl sticker paper. Thanks to its ability to survive in almost every harsh climate, it attracts many customers towards itself. Let it be the sun from peak summers or storms from the winters, it hardly gets bothered by any of them.

So, these users of vinyl and printing on vinyl mentioned above are the major contributors to the growth of the industry. This is just because of the quality and output it has to offer to them. 

Some Interesting Facts About Printing on Vinyl

After making things so much more informative and detailed, let’s make it a bit more fun and relaxed. Here are some interesting facts about vinyl printmaking that you might find amazing.

1. Vector Images for Best Output: Vector images are considered the best option to print on vinyl. Since they are digitally created images, they don’t get blurred, and their quality does not bother when zoomed. Moreover, the corners and details of the image are more precise.
2. They are Multipurpose: Thanks to their durability and strength to survive in any condition, this material is used in various roles. From advertising to stickers, this thing can convey messages as well as make them unique and attractive at the same time.
3. Simple and Easy to Print: It might sound difficult, but the technique to print them is fairly simple and easy. As previously mentioned in this article, you can print colors on them with the printer that you own at your home or office. You can try making your own logo and stickers for your laptop, bike, home appliances, and whatnot.

These interesting facts make vinyl printing so captivating that there is still no other alternative in the market that can replace its dominance. Well, You can also experience its quality and durability by printing some vinyl sheets at your home by following the steps mentioned in this article. 

Endnote 

Concluding today’s discussion, we can say that printing vinyl has become a majorly celebrated and irreplaceable part of print media. From children’s supplies to car and bike wraps for enthusiasts, from advertising agencies to the government, everyone prefers this material to print their products and ideas. 

This makes it a significant material in the market and despite so many innovations and developments, there is nothing in the near future that seems to hold enough capability to replace it

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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