If you own a Large format printer or an Epson pro photo machine (sorry Canon users) you may have noticed that your device has a special feed path for art and poster board, but what is poster board and why would you want to use it?
Photo boards come in a variety of finishes, much like standard photo papers with Gloss, Semi-gloss (Satin/Lustre) and Matt finishes being the most common options. The main difference between a photo paper and a poster board is in the thickness of the media. A photo paper is generally available only in weights up to 400gsm whereas a poster board can be up to 1.3mm thick (equates to over 900gsm) and consists of a stiff board that has been laminated in an ink receiving layer.
Poster Board Applications
Board can be used in almost any of the same instances that you might choose to print using photo paper. The coatings on the media reflect those found on photo papers, which means that you can use gloss and satin boards to replicate your photographs with double-sided matte boards being great for both images and even point of sale display work.
The key advantage is in the post-processing (or lack thereof) required when using a board. Poster board is wall-ready meaning that you can simply print your artwork and then stick straight to a wall for display. If you prefer to frame your work, then you can simply put the board in a suitably sized frame without the need to mount it as you would with a standard photo paper, saving both time and money without compromising output quality.
In the case of double-sided matte board, you can as the name suggests print onto both sides. This makes them ideal for producing point of sale items that will fit into a table stand. The thickness of the media ensures that it will remain upright and the finish will ensure a bold and vibrant finish.
How to Print Board
If you own a photo large format machine such as those available from Epson, Canon and HP you will be able to use poster board via the manual sheet feed option in your driver.
If you own a desktop photo printer from Epson (SC-P series only) then you can use the front feed to print directly to poster board. You can simply use the load media option on the device itself and follow the instructions to load a board in the front feeder. It’s as simple as then selecting poster board as your chosen media in the driver menu when you wish to print and away you go.
You can find a selection of our new James Cropper poster boards available from our site in gloss, satin and double-sided matte finishes. If you have any questions at all about poster boards or media in general, please give us a call!
