Legal Graphics
Our high quality printing is perfect for legal graphics and trial exhibits. Our exceptional high resolution color output and superior accuracy can produce stunning trial graphics where even the smallest details are razor sharp. Combined with our wide variety of printing materials and quality finishing services, such as lamination and mounting, we are able to offer the highest quality available, while meeting your toughest deadlines and budgets. We have many options for legal graphics that are fade resistant, waterproof and scratch resistant so they will survive a fair amount of abuse, while being economical enough for short term use.
This page describes our services for legal graphics and trial exhibits. For other applications for our large format digital printing services, look through the main menu above under printing services.
If you would like to get prices on printing and our other products and services, you can use our Price Calculator from the Quick Links menu on the left, or click the Calculate Price button next to each item in the Printing Materials tab. The calculator is basically the same as the first part of the order process, so if you're thinking about ordering, you may want to use the Order Form to get pricing information, since that way you will have the option to continue on and actually complete the order.
The information below shows the variety of materials we offer for legal graphics and trial exhibits, our recommendations for the best materials to use in different situations, answers to common questions, and explains how to place an order.
- Printing Materials
- Our Recommendations
- FAQ
- How to Order
Below are the most popular materials we offer for legal graphics and trial exhibits. Look at the Our Recommendations tab for suggestions on the best materials for different situations.
Blue Back Poster Paper – 6.5 Mil
The blue backing on this economical media makes it highly opaque, while the satin finish provides brilliant, true-to-life color quality. Specially designed for outdoor billboards, poster printing and kiosks, it features water and scratch resistant durability and is also easily foldable without risk of scratching or rupturing. Available in widths up to 54".
Approx. longevity of 6 months to 1 year outdoors, and up to 20 years indoors.
Indoor/Outdoor Poster Paper - 10 mil
This heavy weight latex-saturated wet strength paper is tear resistant, water proof, fade resistant, and scuff and scratch resistant, making it an excellent choice for indoor and outdoor poster size prints and billboards. This paper can also be applied with standard wallpaper paste for an inexpensive short term wallpaper solution. Available in widths up to 54"
Approx. longevity of 6 months outdoors, and up to 20 years indoors.
Synthetic Satin Photo Paper - 7 mil
This synthetic paper is tear proof, water proof, fade resistant, and scuff and scratch resistant, making it an excellent choice for indoor and outdoor color poster printing without the need for lamination. It doesn't have quite the print quality of our high end photo papers, but is otherwise a great product that is also environmentally friendly. Available in widths up to 54".
Approx. longevity of 2 years outdoors and up to 25 years indoors.
Satin Photo Paper - 7mil
This photo paper has a luster finish that falls between a gloss and a semi-gloss paper. Great for short term use such as digital poster prints and indoor signs. Can be laminated and mounted on a variety of substrates such as posterboard, Sintra, or Gatorfoam. For indoor use with dye inks. Available in widths up to 50".
Approx. 1-5 year indoor longevity.
Kodak Premium Photo Gloss - 10mil
This high gloss paper has a heavy weight and is great for short term poster prints and indoor signs where a gloss finish is desirable, and glare from lights is not an issue. Can be laminated and mounted on a variety of substrates such as posterboard, Sintra, or Gatorfoam. Available in widths up to 50".
For indoor use with dye inks. Approx. 1-3 year indoor longevity.
Image Pro Satin - 11 mil
This satin version of the popular Image Pro Gloss creates lower glare photo-quality images that are smear and moisture resistant with superior longevity and an elegant E-surface finish. Excellent for indoor and outdoor signage, poster size prints, photo enlargements and economical art prints. Can be laminated for extra durability. Available in widths up to 60".
Expected longevity in excess of 100 years indoors and 2 years outdoors with lamination.
Textured Adhesive Vinyl - 5 mil
The textured finish of this permanent adhesive backed vinyl provides extra protection from scuffing, scratches and fingerprints, making it an ideal choice for unlaminated retail signage and mounted posters. An excellent choice for both interior display and outdoor use. Can be used on any smooth surface such as posterboard, corex, foamcore, gatorfoam, sintra, and Alumalite. Available in widths up to 50".
Longevity of up to 3 years outdoors, 5-25 years indoors.
SignUp - 12 mil
SignUp is a revolutionary product for special events, show-rooms, window graphics, exhibitions, POS aids, film studios and all sorts of temporary communication needs. This product makes posting easy, just stick it directly to any surface, and you can unstick and restick it for perfect positioning and fast, bubble and crease-free installation, indoors or out. UV and weather resistant. Available in widths up to 54".
Outdoor longevity of 1-3 years, indoor longevity of 2-20 years.
Finishing Options
This panel contains information on finishing options for poster printing.
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.
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.
Posterboard
This paper board comes in 22x28 and is an economical mounting material for short term posters that need enough rigidity to stand up in a poster frame or other sign holder. Other sizes are available on a special order basis.
Foamcore
This 3/16 inch thick foam board has a polystyrene core with paper facing. It's great for short term displays or those on a tight budget, but it's too easily dented when handled for long term or abusive environments. Available in black, or white by request.
Gatorfoam
This foam board has a styrofoam polystyrene core with a Luxcell veneer and is available in thicknesses of 3/16 and 1/2 inch. It's much more durable and harder than foamcore making it more suitable in situations where it will be handled frequently, but the corners will still dent with impact so careful handling is recommended. The faces are also archival so it's great for long term display of prints. Available in black, or white by request.
Sintra
This expanded PVC plastic board is available in a variety of thicknesses, but 3mm and 6mm are the most popular for mounting. It's water resistant and fire retardant, making is desirable for display applications. Since it's a solid board, it's more durable than foamcore or gatorfoam, but it's also heavier and not as rigid. It also expands and contracts with temperature changes, up to .05 mil/ft per degree F.
Legal Graphics
For the most durable on long lasting legal graphics, we recommend the Image Pro Satin paper, laminated and mounted on one of our mounting substrates. This combination is the longest lasting and more durable we offer. However, many trial exhibits are not left on display for any length of time, and the extra fade resistance and durability of this combination may be overkill for many situations. Any of the solvent printed materials, such as the Blue Back Poster Paper, Indoor/Outdoor Poster Paper, Textured Adhesive Vinyl and Synthetic Satin Photo Paper, can be used without lamination, although a laminate will protect them from scratches and abrasion, so they are excellent choices when you want to save the cost of lamination. Our favorite is the Textured Adhesive vinyl, because it has the look of a high end, polycarbonate laminated graphic, yet it's one of our least expensive product. When mounted on posterboard or foamcore, it's inexpensive enough to be used as a throw-away graphic, yet it doesn't look cheap. It's waterproof, scratch resistant, fade resistant, and the textured finish diffuses glare, so it's an excellent all around choice.
For mounting materials, we recommend Gatorfoam for a durable, rigid graphic. Foamcore and posterboard can also be used as an economical alternatives, but neither is as durable. Sintra is a PVC plastic that is very durable and the corners won't dent like posterboard or foam boards, but it has some flex in it, especially in the thinner versions, so it's not as rigid as a foam board. Also, if a corner is impacted hard enough, it will break, and it's heavier so that's something to keep in mind of you have many trail exhibits you need to transport.
The SignUp is a unique material that will let you temporarily stick a legal graphic or trial exhibit to a smooth surface. It's like a giant post it note, but the adhesive covers the entire back surface so it can be temporarily attached to virtually any smooth surface without any fear of damage. If you keep the plastic release liner and replace it on the adhesive side, you can remove and reuse this material as often as necessary. A terrific alternative when a rigid graphic is too cumbersome or an easel isn't available.
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.
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.
When you're ready to order, you can use the main menu above or the Place Order buttons next to each item in the Printing Materials tab.
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 option, then choose the specific material you want from the drop down list under the appropriate 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.