Use our guide to choose the most suitable substrates for digital printing.

As digital printing capabilities advance, so does the range of available substrates for printing. Businesses want different, better, unique. They want their brands to stand out, and now you can deliver on that.

Use these materials to help yourself and your customers move ahead in the game.

  1. Digital Acrylic
  2. Digital Composite Panel
  3. Foamed PVC Sheets
  4. Corrugated Plastic
  5. Foam Boards

Plaskolite OPTIX DA - Digital Acrylic

Create vibrantly colored prints using Plaskolite OPTIX DA - Digital Acrylic and your UV digital flatbed printer.

OptixDA is Specifically designed to provide optimal adhesion of UV curing inks that adhere straight to the surface without adhesion promoters.

Benefits

Plaskolite OPTIX DA delivers all the benefits of continuously processed acrylic sheet in a specially formulated product made for printing.

Just as with OPTIX sheets, OPTIX DA provides superior strength and is available in a variety sizes and thicknesses.

Available colors: clear and white.

Uses

A professional look and feel makes acrylic ideal for:

  • POP Displays
  • Business Signs
  • Construction
  • Promotional Material
  • Nameplates
  • Awards

Dura-Bond Digital Composite Panel

Dura-bond is an aluminum composite panel with a polyethylene core bonded between two custom colored aluminum sheets.

In addition to the many benefits of standard Dura-Bond, Dura-bond Digital features a specially formulated coating that accepts UV paint for better print results.

Benefits

Dura-Bond Digital is lightweight yet highly durable, easy to install, and can be fabricated, formed and bended. Surface coating is corrosion, weather, and UV resistant

Uses

Aluminum composite is often used for indoor and outdoor signs requiring stability, low weight, and a polished look. Great for:

  • Directional and Wayfinding Signage
  • Indoor and Outdoor signage
  • Hanging or wall-mounted signs
  • Channel letter backing
  • Ideal for digital and screen printing

Komatex® Foamed PVC Sheets

KomaTex free-foam PVC sheets exhibit a highly regular, fine-celled foam structure and a good surface strength for printing, painting, and laminating.

It is a high-quality PVC sheet perfect for use in advertising.

The color white is weatherproof and weather resistant, and suitable for outdoor applications.

Benefits

Komatex Foamed PVC Sheets is easy to machine, fabricate, thermoform and die-cut. Great for screen and digital printing, painting, laminating, vinyl lettering and forming applications.

It can be easily worked with common tools, and drilled and screwed without splitting. Large size sheets makes for minimal waste.

  • Similar surface finish on both sides of the sheet
  • Uniformly and finely structured surface
  • Weatherproof and weather resistant (color white)
  • Ideal for punching work
  • Very good for bonding
  • Chemical and corrosion resistant
  • Excellent printing qualities
  • Flame resistant
  • 100% recyclable
  • Low water absorption
  • Good surface strength
  • Lightweight
  • Low thermal conductivity
  • Good for laminating
  • Thermoformable

Uses

PVC plastic sheets are the most common substrate to be printed on.

Komatex PVC is used for a variety of indoor and limited outdoor applications. Popular for:

  • Signage
  • Retail displays / POP
  • Ideal for vinyl letter application
  • Exhibit and trade-show booths
  • Point-of-purchase and 3D displays
  • Photo mounting
  • Dimensional lettering
  • Marine
  • Wood replacement
  • Dimensional letters
  • Laminating

Coro-Flex Corrugated Plastic

Corrugated plastic is a continuously extruded fluted polypropylene copolymer plastic sheet with no lamination.

It is sold in 4mm and 10mm thick.

Benefits

Coro-Flex is a cheap substrate with many uses. It is a great option for temp interior and exterior signage, and can be used permanently and last many years with proper care.

  • Sold in large sheets up to 4'x10'
  • Flutes come in both portrait and landscape orientation as needed
  • Great weather resistance for outdoor use
  • Recyclable
  • Can be printed on both sides
  • Durable and lightweight
  • Multiple mounting options

Uses

  • Popular for lawn signs "Thank you essential workers!"
  • Political signs
  • Open-house Signs
  • Events
  • Trade shows
  • Concerts
  • Stores
  • Billboards
  • Dividers
  • Indoor and outdoor temp signage

UltraBoard Foam Boards

UltraBoard Classic

UltraBoard Classic foam core boards are a most popular and versatile product. It is a lightweight substrate consisting of a polystyrene foam core board between two moisture-resistant rigid sheets of polystyrene.

It is used for interior permanent displays and signs, and favored for its durability.

UltraBoard Mount

UltraBoard Mount is a lightweight structural panel consisting of a rigid polystyrene foam core faced on both sides by poly coated Kraft paper. 

The face laminates have been specially developed to provide a good surface for painting, silk screening, photo mounting and vinyl lay up.

Ultra Mount panels are lightweight but durable and will not warp or bow like other foam boards. The coated surface lets you reposition a print or vinyl lay-up without damaging the paper liner.

Benefits

UltraBoard has a smooth face specially developed to provide an excellent surface for painting, silk screening, photo mounting and vinyl lay-up.

It is available in black and white, with many finishing options.

Its low cost makes it ideal for many uses. UltraBoard can be screen and digitally printed, and accepts paint and pressure-sensitive materials.

UltraBoard is an attractive substrate that can last a long time when framed.

  • Can be cut into any shape
  • Resistant to dents and scratches
  • Pliable for a multitude of shaping methods
  • Waterproof
  • Doesn't warp
  • Durable for long-term use
  • Easily cut with crisp edges
  • Accepts UV ink

Ultraboard is lightweight yet rigid and extremely economical with many usage options.

Uses

  • For stores:
    • Displays
    • Menu Boards
    • Directional Signage
  • For Trade Shows:
    • Overhead Hangings
    • Portable table signage
    • Branded imagery
    • Backdrops
  • Permanent Indoor Signage:
    • Wall Mounts
    • Murals
    • Hanging signs

Make Your Signs Shine

Choose the best substrates for strength, weather resistance and price. Be creative with the many uses for Plaskolite OPTIX DA - Digital Acrylic, Dura-Bond Digital Composite Panel, and Komatex® Foamed PVC Sheets.

Offer your customers the best of Coro-Flex Corrugated Plastic, and UltraBoard Foam Boards.

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Call the Sign Experts at S&F Supplies with all your sign-related questions, and to order. 718-399-3333 or email [email protected].

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