Backlit Graphics

Kodak Reverse Print Backlit Film - 5 mil

This reverse backlit printing film gives natural protection from scratches, smudges and front-side moisture since it's printed on the back side for viewing from the front. It's printed with dye inks for great color, but as a result, it has a short life span so it's mainly used for short term promotional graphics. The back side can be laminated for even greater durability. Available in widths up to 50".
Approx. longevity of 1-2 years indoors.

 

Front Print Backlit Film - 7 mil

This polyester film features a state of the art opacifying layer that diffuses light throughout the printed image so that it is evenly lit and produces a wide color gamut with good saturation. It can be laminated for greater durability and scratch resistance, as well as to increase the stiffness. Available in widths up to 60"

Approx. longevity of 5 to 10 years indoors.

 

Premium Waterproof Backlit Film - 8.5 mil

This heavy weight backlit graphic media was designed as an economical alternative to Duratrans prints. It produces vivid colors, is waterproof and offers a matte finish which doesn't require lamination, although laminates should be used for greater durability in harsh environments, or to add greater longevity when necessary. Available in widths up to 60".

Approx. longevity of 2 years outdoors when laminated, and 5 years indoors.

 

Backlit Polyester Film - 8mil

This front printed backlit film has a gloss finish for excellent color depth and is designed for high quality graphic arts applications in backlit-boxes with high contrast. It's printed with solvent inks, so it's waterproof and suitable for areas with high humidity and condensation. Like our other products, it can be laminated for increased durability and stiffness. Available in widths up to 60". Approx. longevity of 2 years outdoors and 5 years indoors.

 

Translucent Adhesive Vinyl - 6 mil

This high-quality translucent calendared adhesive-back vinyl is designed for backlit printing applications such as backlit graphics, sign faces for backlit lightbox signs, or for trade show backlit graphic displays. It images nicely and has a removable adhesive for a variety of applications. It is waterproof both laminated and unlaminated, although lamination is recommended for protection against abrasion and chemical deterioration. Available in widths up to 60". Approx. longevity of 2-5 years outdoors, and 5-10 years indoors.

 

Clear Adhesive Vinyl - 2 mil

This clear cast adhesive-back vinyl is designed for a variety of applications. It can be used for vehicle and fleet graphics, outdoor backlit displays and other applications where a clear base material is needed. It is durable both laminated and unlaminated, although lamination is recommended for protection against abrasion and chemical deterioration. Available in widths up to 54". Approx. longevity of 2-5 years outdoors, and 5-10 years indoors.

 

Backlit Banner Vinyl - 14 oz

This flame resistant glossy backlit banner vinyl offers tremendous image quality and color depth in a durable material that is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. A true translucent vinyl, it can be used in lightboxes or free hanging since it has the strength of a scrim reinforced banner. Available in widths up to 98".

Approx. longevity of 5 years indoors and 2 years outdoor.

 

Vinyl Laminate - 4 Mil

This pressure sensitive laminate is available in gloss, luster or matte finishes, with the matte finish being the most popular as it has a sand texture like polycarbonate that diffuses glare without muting the colors of the print. Laminates offers surface protection and can change the finish of your print to suit the display environment. When a high-gloss finish is desired, and glare is not a concern, gloss is the appropriate choice. Keep in mind that a gloss finish will show flaws, scratches and fingerprints more than any other laminate. Luster and matte offer the same protection without these disadvantages.

Cast Vinyl Laminate - 2 Mil

This laminate offers protection against water, abrasion, chemicals and UV exposure. Since it is thicker, it offers better physical protection than Fluorex or AccuShield, and is extremely flexible, which makes it the protection of choice for vehicle graphics. Available in a gloss, matte or textured satin finish.

Polycarbonate Laminate - 5 and 10 Mil

These pressure sensitive laminates, also know as Lexan, are the most durable available. They resist scratches, abrasion and chemicals, and their textured velvet finish hides fingerprints and diffuses glare. They also provide a unique optical technology that prevents the laminate from making the print darker or dulling the color.

Permanent Adhesive

While not technically a laminate, this pressure sensitive adhesive applied to the back turns any print into a decal, complete with peel-off release liner. We can apply the adhesive and either send the print rolled for mounting to the surface of your choice, or mount the print for you to a variety of substrates. See the Mounting Materials section below for more information.

Repositionable Optically Clear Adhesive

This adhesive can be used on the face of a graphic to turn it into a window graphic or to second surface mount backlit films. It can be removed and re-applied as long as the adhesive is kept clean. Like a post-it note, once the adhesive picks up debris, it won't stick well. Once applied, the adhesive will become more aggressive over time, so it can also be used for permanent installations.

Permanent Optically Clear Adhesive

This adhesive can be used on the face of a graphic to second surface mount backlit films, or mount outdoor backlits to the face of the acrylic. The adhesive is very aggressive, so it must be applied correctly the first time, and it's not designed to be removed so it's not recommended for window installations, where the repositionable adhesive is preferred.

Acrylic

Also called Plexiglas, this clear plastic sheeting is great for mounting backlit graphics, either on the surface, or face first the back side, called second surface mounting. It comes in many weights, but only the 1/4" thickness is on our price list, but all other weights are available. Lexan or polycarbonate is also available when greater impact resistance is needed. Call for pricing.

Normal turnaround time is 4-5 days. During the order process you will be asked if you have a specific due date, and if you do, we will adjust your shipping method, if necessary, to get your order to you on time. If you need your order even quicker, we also have a rush service. If you authorize rush charges, we can get your order shipped the same day or the next day. Rush charges are typically 50% of your order up to a maximum of $75. If we're able to meet your deadline without bumping other jobs, we won't actually charge the rush charge, but you must authorize the rush to guarantee delivery.

We recommend that bitmap images such as digital photos be 150dpi at the actual print size in order to look good from close range. We use special software to enlarge smaller images to their full print size, but the larger the original file, the better the results will be. If you're images are smaller than we recommend, which is common for larger prints, it's important to consider viewing distance as well. A print that shows a lack of resolution due to enlargement up close, might look just fine from arms length. We've printed images at 16 feet wide from 8 megapixel cameras that look very good from five feet away, so where a print will be displayed and how close you expect it to be viewed from are important to consider when deciding how large a print can be made. When in doubt, send us your file and we'll examine it and let you know how large we think it can go and still look good.

That depends on the specific material you choose. We can print at our highest quality up to 64" wide, and at our standard quality up to 98" wide, but different materials are available in different sizes. Look through the descriptions of the materials in the Printing Materials tab to find how big each material can be printed.

There are two reasons one of these things can happen. One if the fault of the printing company, and one is the fault of the display. Many companies are not able or willing to create color profiles for any of their printing materials. Instead they use profiles that are supplied with the printer for every material, choosing a profile that sounds the closest to what they are actually printing on and hoping for the best. This doesn't work particularly well, but it's possible to sneak by most customers who aren't very demanding with this type of technique. With backlit graphics, this doesn't work and is the main reason for backlit graphics to be washed out or too dark, and will also cause the colors to be off as well. We create color profiles for all our medias, including our backlit materials, so we can get accurate color from every one of them.

Backlit graphics do have an extra degree of difficulty because not all light boxes produce the same amount, or same color of illumination. When we create our color profiles, we assume the industry standard for illumination. If you're display puts out more light than is standard, it can make your graphics look too light, and if your display is too dim, the graphics will look dark. Also, lamps come in many different color temperatures so if your lamps are warmer or cooler than the standard 5000k temperature, your graphics will look warmer or cooler as well. We can compensate for these variances if you have a situation where color accuracy is critical, but it can involve some back and forth with color correction and proofs to get the color adjusted for a particular display, so it's obviously not recommend if precise color in a specific lightbox isn't needed.

Yes, we have several materials that can be second surface mounted. We prefer to have the graphic on the face of the acrylic with a laminate over the face for protection, but if you have a situation where second surface mounting is required, we can do that as well. We have two optically clear mounting adhesives that allow any of our backlit films to be second surface mounted, and we can also use clear adhesive vinyl reverse printed and backed with a translucent vinyl for a the same effect in a more flexible material.

Plexi or Plexiglass is a trade name for acrylic, and Lexan is a trade name for polycarbonate. Acrylic and polycarbonate are very similar in many ways, but polycarbonate, used as bullet proof glass, is very impact resistant. It will still break, just like acrylic, with the right type of stress, but it will handle impacts without shattering so it's used for safety reasons on displays in certain public areas. You should check your local sign ordinances to see if polycarbonate is required before requesting it since it tends to be more expensive than acrylic.

Lamination is recommended for backlit graphics that are going to be handled much. Printing good backlit graphics requires a tremendous amount of ink, and with that amount of ink being printed on any product, the image ends up being more susceptible to scratches and abrasion than with a material that is not printed for backlit display. All of our products will survive careful handling, but with lamination, they become very durable and you no longer have to be concerned about damage to the image during handling.

Outdoor backlit graphics should always be laminated unless they are for temporary use.

For graphics that are to be mounted to an acrylic face, our translucent adhesive vinyl with a cast vinyl laminate would be the longest lasting product we offer. In most situations, this combination should last for 5 years without noticeable fading, although depending on the amount of sunlight it's exposed to, and the amount of time the lights in the display are used, it can last longer. Also, the colors in your graphic can make the eventual fading that occurs more or less noticeable, so certain images will appear to last longer, even though they are fading at the same rate.

When you first open the order form, there will be an expanding list of items on the left. If you use the Place Order button, you can skip to the next paragraph, otherwise, choose the Printing for Indoor Use or Printing for Outdoor use option, then choose the specific material you want from the drop down list under the Backlit Materials category. If you haven't already decided on a material, you can choose different items and read their descriptions to help you make a choice. If you need some help in deciding, you can also look in the Our Recommendations tab for some suggestions.

Once you have decided on the material, you will need to indicate if you are sending a file, providing a photo/film to be scanned, or if you need us to design your graphics. If you are sending a photo or film, you will need to indicate in the next step that a file is not needed for your order. If you are sending a digital photo or file, then you must indicate how you are sending the file. You can choose Upload Now and click the Upload button that appears to send your file at this point, which is recommended, you can choose to send your file later or one of the other options.

Once you tell us how you are sending your file, you will be presented with a form to complete. Here you need to tell us what size to print your graphic by entering the width and height in inches. This is the size you want the finished graphic to be, not the size of your file.

Next enter the number of copies you want printed in the quantity field and the price will be calculated. If you are ordering multiple graphics of different files, you should complete these steps for each graphic. To speed up the process, some customers prefer to attach all their graphics of the same size and indicate here the total number of prints they are ordering at this size, rather than complete the info for each file individually. You can do this if you prefer, but the prices shown will not be accurate in that case.

Next you can select from any available finishing options. In general, only finishing options that are appropriate for the type of printing material you have selected will be available. For instance, an adhesive vinyl would not have a mounting adhesive options since that product already has an adhesive backing

Next you can request a proof. A reduced size printed proof is $30 and will be printed on the same material as your final print, but an electronic pdf or jpg proof is free. A pdf proof is good for checking the general layout, proof reading, etc., but if you're concerned about color accuracy or the quality of an image when enlarged to full size, a physical proof is the best option. A reduced size proof of the overall design is good for proofing color, or we can print a section of the graphic at full size so you can see how an image will look when blown up. If we feel the file will print poorly, we will always contact you to discuss your options before printing, but since our expectations and yours may not match, and since custom printed graphics cannot be returned, a proof is your best way to verify what the final print will look like in advance.

The final step before adding your print to the shopping cart is to tell us what you want us to do if your file doesn't fit the dimensions you gave us. The options are to have us size your file to fit the dimensions you provided and crop any excess, or to contact you for instructions. If you're sure that your image actually sizes correctly to your dimensions, it doesn't really matter which option you choose because neither one will be necessary. But, if you're not sure, you should either choose to have us contact you, or tell us to crop the image to fit. We'll do our best to crop your image in way that makes sense, but you should also be sure to request a pdf proof so you can see the results of the cropping.

Once you've complete all the previous steps, click the Add to Cart button to add this print to your shopping cart. On the shopping cart screen you can see all the items you've added to your order, delete any that you don't want, and have another chance to upload your file if you chose Upload Later from the order form. You can also choose Add Another to add another item to your order.

You don't need to log in or create an account to select and add items to your shopping cart, but you will need to do so in order to complete your order. This is so your account history can be maintained for future reference and ordering convenience. Your account information is secure and confidential, and creating an account WILL NOT result in unwanted e-mails from us, or anyone else.

Once you have placed all the items you want in your cart, and are logged in to your account, click the Order Now button. You will be asked to specify either normal turnaround time for your order, or provide a specific due date. If you do specify a due date, you will also be given the option to authorize rush charge for your order. If you need your order completed in less than the normal 3-5 day turnaround, you should authorize rush charges to ensure you get your order on time. Rush charges are 50% of your order total, up to a maximum of $75. If we don't have to bump other jobs to meet your deadline, you won't be charged the rush fee, but if you don't authorize the charges, we'll do what we can to complete your order on time, but won't go so far as to bump other jobs. If you specify a due date, we will adjust the shipping method, if necessary, to ensure your order arrives by the date you specified. In this case, extra shipping charges may apply.

Next you will be asked to select the shipping method, and finally the payment type. You should know that your credit card is not being charged when you submit the form. We are collecting the information for your order, but you will not be charged until we have verified your order to make sure there were no mistakes made. That way, if there are aspects of your order that change, we can adjust the order and the shipping cost, if necessary, before you are charged.

Once you click the Order button, you will receive an order summary via e-mail for your records, and we will receive your order and the process can begin.

As always, if you have any questions or need assistance, please Contact Us and we'll be happy to help you with the process.