Printing on metallic board: how and when to use it

What is metallic board?

Metallic board, is board that has a metallic polyester film laminated to it, usually silver. This creates a shiny and semi-reflective surface which looks great left plain, printed over or contrasted against matt materials.

Why use metallic Boards? 

Metallic boards are often used for luxury or promotional packaging as the reflective surfaces are eye-catching and when combined with the right printed design can give the packaging an exclusive feel.

In the same way precious metals in jewellery are a symbol of exclusivity and value, metallic boards in packaging can be a popular branding choice for their high-value connotations. There are several options for using metallics with your packaging:

• Metallic inks

• Metallic foils (hot foil stamping)

• Metallic boards

What can you create with metallic board?

As a premium alternative to more standard paper and board it is ideal for printing anything from exclusive invites through to special edition whiskey cartons. Choosing it over metallic inks and foils gives you added versatility as you can create a variety of premium looks.

You can achieve:

• Finer detail of small text or intricate designs by printing on top of the foil where hot foil stamping may not achieve the same resolution

• Different custom light-catching patterns such as holographic cracked ice (think shiny football stickers) or oil spill (see DPG mailer GIF below)

• Strong visual effects when used in conjunction with contrasting materials as part of a pack

• Reduced lead times in comparison to hot foil stamping by removing the additional post print foiling process (and reduced carbon footprint)

• Added detail by printing, embossing or foiling over the board

• Improved metallic lustre in comparison to printing using metallic inks

Use cases for metallic boards

The tag below is an example of a four colour vignette (achieving the custom iridescent effect) that has been printed onto silver board to achieve an unusual and exclusive look.

Another example of the different effects you can create with metallic board is this promotional drinks packaging. Here the artwork is printed over a large area of the metallic board to leave just enough silver to create an eye-catching effect that suggests rain and water splashes (view case study for more images and video).

As you can see, you can also achieve a mix of vibrant metallic colours from printing over metallic board. Rather than using multiple foils, a similar effect can be achieved by printing translucent inks over the metallic board to achieve different metallic shades in the same process. This can then be embossed to add additional profile and glamour to the packaging.

Metallic boards can also be manufactured with a range of patterns and styles to provide a base effect. This example shows an oil spill effect using a holographic foiled board which reveals a rainbow of colours when it catches the light. In this case it maybe preferable to leave the surface unprinted or with minimal graphics. Lastly, this example shows how using metallic board in conjunction with other materials is a great way to create a contrast and give packaging a high-end luxury feel.

If we have whet your appetite for the kinds of finishes metallic board can offer get in touch with your brief today. Combined with our UV printing capabilities, our experts can deliver you something that truly stands out.