After the completion of the printing process, many manufacturers choose to enhance their products by applying paper coating or coating finishes to them. They can protect the printing or be applied before to ensure a better printing quality. The type of coating should be considered in the process of planning the products, as some varnishes or foils do not allow to be printed on.
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Definition: Paper coating
Paper coating is the process of applying a product to the surface of a printed medium, either to add utility or aesthetics to the item. Coating can make a paper more resistant or physically appealing to the customer, and it is mostly used in the industrial environment.
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Lamination
Lamination is a procedure where a sheet of paper is enclosed in two sheets of plastic foil, making it waterproof and very resistant to damage and dirt. The process heats the plastic foil, enclosing the paper as the edges melt together around it. However, some prints might not be suitable for lamination, for example those printed with fluorescent ink, as it does not stick to the paper very well, making it prone to smudging, as well as any heat-sensitive printing inks.
Varnish
Varnish comes in numerous variants and forms, such as glitter, scented, or glow-in-the-dark, apart from the standard shiny and matte.
UV coating
UV coating is a type of varnish cured by UV light, protecting the medium from radiation effects. The materials used for UV coating are often harmful to the environment.
Aqueous coating
Aqueous coating is a water-based varnish, which is more environmentally friendly while still protecting the varnished surface of the print.
Scratch-off printing is a type of varnish that can get scratched off and is used to hide information underneath.
Relief paint
Relief paint, also called relief lacquer or outline paint, is a kind of varnish that adds an elevated surface onto the medium, creating patterns or textures.
Textured paint
Textured paint does, in comparison to relief paint, not only imitate a texture, it contains the texture. For example, resembling a stone wall by mixing sand grains into the varnish.
Glitter paint
Glitter paint is varnish mixed with glitter, creating a vibrant and sometimes slightly textured surface.
Scented varnish
For scented varnish, the paint is mixed with a fragrance that is released after rubbing the surface. For this type of varnish, an undercoat is needed.
Soft-touch varnish
Soft-touch coating is very scratch resistant and gives the surface a smooth, velvety finish that appears luxurious and intriguing.
Paper coating vs. coating finish
The difference between paper coating and coating finish is that paper coating is added before the printing process, while coating finish is applied afterward.
Paper coating
This means that the first layer evens out the paper and prevents the ink from seeping into or through the paper. Sometimes, paper coating also helps the ink to stick to the paper properly, for example fluorescent ink, which has non-adhesive qualities. These types of printing ink need a special bottom layer on the paper to prevent seeping, but at the same time ensure that the ink sticks to the paper properly.
Coating finish
The second layer fixes the printed text or image and secures it safely. Some varnishes can be used for both paper coating and finishes, while others, like UV coating, can only be used as a finish, as prints will not stick to the varnished surface. While sometime necessary, most times, coating finish is simply a design option to enhance the aesthetics of a print, such as book covers or product packaging.
However, usually, the term paper coating is used for both of them as an umbrella term, as many private customers do not know the difference, and the terms can easily be confused.
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FAQs
Paper coating is the process of adding a layer of different material on top of the paper to get a specific effect or characteristic, such as resistance.
Paper coating is a layer of material that is applied directly onto the paper before the printing process, while the coating finish is applied after printing to secure the image or text onto the page. However, oftentimes, paper coating is used as a term for both of them.
Yes, lamination also counts as paper coating, although it would rather be defined as a coating finish, since the foil is applied after the printing process.
