Poster printing typically refers to printing images at very large sizes, usually those that are appropriate for posters or other types of large advertisements. This can often refer to similar types of large printing for specialty items, such as vinyl banners, wall graphics, vinyl window clings, and stretched canvas images. Printing services of this type are usually offered by professional printing companies and businesses, which use printing machines much larger than home or office printers to create images that are impressive in size and detail. Poster printing can be quite expensive, but for businesses looking to make a visual statement, it can be a worthwhile investment.
Also called large format printing, poster printing usually consists of an image being printed onto large paper or similar material. The type of paper used can vary depending on the service offered and the preferences of a customer, though heavy stocks of paper are fairly common as are glossy papers that present a more pristine image. There is also a wide variety of materials that can be used for the process , and these materials are typically offered as secondary services that may be more expensive than standard poster printing.
Printing on vinyl can be quite common and, though it is expensive, it can be used to create a number of different products. Vinyl banners are quite popular, usually including grommets that can be used to hang or otherwise display these banners. This type of printing can also produce vinyl images that can be applied to walls or windows, similar to large stickers. There are a number of businesses that offer images printed on vinyl for this purpose, though someone can also print a custom image if preferred.
An image can also be printed onto a canvas, which can then be stretched onto a wooden frame to create the appearance of a piece of painted artwork. The machines used for this type of printing can be quite large and expensive, so most businesses will not buy these types of printers for casual use. This is why professional printing companies offer these services to other businesses and individuals.
The printers must be able to accept large sheets of paper and vinyl, and print at very high resolutions that can maintain image quality at large sizes. Businesses, however, can benefit a great deal from the use of large posters and banners for advertising. Many poster printing companies utilize websites that allow businesses or individuals to email an image to the company, which is then printed and shipped to the customer.