How to do banner printing

James Birch

Banner printing is fabulous. You see it everywhere - advertising brunch with bottomless prosecco, paintball and even wedding fairs. 

These are those great big eye catching banners that you see tootling through town, attending a big expo or down the local cafe. 

If you’re in the business for a banner, you need to know the what, why, where, how and when. We can help.

This blog will walk you through the different types of banners, what you need to do for the printing process, what the printing process is and some answers to those questions you’re thinking about.

Which banner should I pick

Good question.

Before we think about which banner is the best for the job, it’s important to be clear on the job. Our banners are designed to match specific uses so think about where you want to hang it up. 

If you want your banner to be outdoors, then it needs to be able to take a thrashing from Mother Nature. We would recommend woven polyester mesh because it allows the wind to pass through it without any fight. 

Mesh banners have tiny little holes woven in to allow wind to just whip right through it, pretty nifty right?

Vinyl banners will also stand the test of time outdoors but if you’re hanging your banner from a bridge where wind is the biggest adversary - go with the mesh.

For indoors, we would suggest the retractable banners because they don’t need wall space. Vinyl banners are a strong choice for sales banners if you have the wall space needed.

When you’re considering which way to go, keep in mind that mesh banners won’t show up intricate designs like a solid vinyl will. The mesh works much better with large bold designs. 

What do you need to do for banner printing?

We will happily do all the hard work for you but you’ve got to pull your weight too.

Your first step, after deciding which banner to use, is to figure out what you message is. 

You’re going to be putting your business out there, up on a high rise or billowing on the motorway then you want to make sure that your message is clear, memorable and spelt correctly!

Remember the important details;

  • Who you are
  • What you do
  • Contact info

Don’t over complicate it and don’t overpopulate your banner. If it’s in an ideal drive by location you want your message to be absorbed in seconds!

Secondly, think about colours. Keep it on brand and focused.

Then pop it over to us and we’ll get it ready for final checks.

Our top tip is to get two other people to double check it on your team. We’ve learnt the hard way that sometimes one set of eyes just isn’t quite enough!

How do Colourgraphics do the banner printing?

You’ve done your homework - you know what you want and you’re clear on your messaging. It’s intentional and adds value...you’ve nailed it!

The next step is handing it over to us.

First we will check the designs to make sure that the end result will give you the same level of clarity you envision. 

We want a design that not only fits the banner like a glove but meets 300dpi resolution so that the banner is vivid and bold.

Next we get the right material. Whether it’s mesh or vinyl, we get just the right quality for your needs. 

We prefer using PVC coated material because it is less likely to crack than PVC laminated 

Once we are satisfied with the quality of starting material we print your design using a large format printer. 

Once your beautiful banner is printed, we take special care in hemming the edges. A lot of printing companies don’t go the extra mile to do this but without this step you don’t get the finish your banner deserves. 

Hemming also reinforces the edges which supports the banner when it is hung. 

Then we add eyelets. Eyelets are the metal rings that you will use to hang your banner up. Eyelets are added to the hemmed area of your banner and creates a fixing point that will stand the test of time!

In conclusion, you know what you need to do and you know what we need to do. We put a lot of time into making sure that your banner is vivid but also that it is durable and is worth your business’ investment.

You can see all our banners here, if you have any special requests or any questions - let us know! We’re always happy to help you get the very best bang for your buck!

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