What is print finishing? Your ultimate guide on the top 7 print finishing techniques

There is much more to creating printed products than simply hitting ‘print’ on your computer. With so many magazines, brochures, flyers, and the likes saturating the market, it is more important than ever to produce unique designs. To assist you in this challenge, let us take a look at how print finishing can transform your creating printing products items. 

What is print finishing? 

Put simply, print finishing is the process of cutting, folding, coloring, or changing the tactile surface of your printed items using specialized techniques and processes. Printed materials are raised, reshaped, smoothed out, and protected using a range of print finishing equipment that can truly give your items a unique edge. Now, here are top 7 print finishing techniques you can choose from. 

• Varnishing 

Varnishes are most commonly used for magazines and brochures to give them that signature glossy look. However, there is much more to get from varnishing than just gloss. There are several types of varnish – silk, gloss, matte, UV, and textured being just a few. These varnishes can be applied by hand, or by an ink-sealing printer. 

• Laminating 

When we think of print finishing, laminating is probably the one that most people are familiar with. Available in gloss or matte finishes, lamination improves the hardiness, appearance, and durability of a printed product. High quality lamination can also ensure that important documents or posters are resistant to water. 

• Thermography 

This is a cost effective finish that produces a raised design on your printed products, perfect for packaging and wedding invitations. In this process, you can choose from different thermographic powders depending on the finish you desire, such as metallic, glitter, or even fluorescent coloured powders. 

• Embossing 

Embossing is another way of creating a 3D effect, raising important aspects of your design. However, whereas thermography is a complete standalone finish, embossing is more frequently used alongside a range of other techniques. 

• Debossing 

Otherwise known as letterpress, debossing is essentially the opposite of embossing. Instead of the final product being raised, the design is mirrored and etched onto a raised block template, which is then covered in ink and pressed onto the paper. You may recognise this as the origins of the printing press. The modern debossing technique is credited as being invented by Johannes Gutenberg in 1436, although variations have been around since the 9th century. 

• Die-cutting 

Die-cutting allows you to simply and effectively change the shape of your printed products, innovating away from the standard paper sizes. Dies can be designed to be as simple or intricate as you desire, depending on your needs. Die-cutting is especially effective for creating bespoke, unique business cards that set you apart from your competitors. 

• Foil Stamping 

Heated metal dies can be used to stamp metallic materials or foils onto your printed products. There are many foils that you can choose from, including the classic gold and silver, or pigmented, holographic, or even security tags. Foil stamping is most eye-catching when used in conjunction with a 3D print finish, such as embossing. 

So, now you know the top 7 print finishing techniques, and why they can be essential to your printing process, let your creative juices flow and get designing.