Wide Format Printing

Poster Printing
Poster printing sizes vary from A2 to A0 with many options in-between. 10-20 poster prints in the A2, matt paper format can cost about $12 each.
Canvas Printing
The cheapest prints on canvas cost $30 for the rolled, unframed square canvas poster 20cm by 20cm and $45 for the ready to hang canvas printing.
Banner Printing
Banner printing cost is not uniform among printing operators. The A-Frame clip style posters sell for around $250 each. The premium pull-up banners made up of polypropylene can cost $150-$190 per banner printing.
Giclee Print
Giclee prints are much more expensive than the four colour offset lithography. For the lithographic reprint you can pay $5 when you order 1000 of them. You can expect to pay $50 each for the same Giclee prints.
Art Print
10-20 art prints in the A2, matt paper format cost about $12 each; Poly Prop version of the same product is about $16 each; Banner type can sell for $200-$400 per art print.

Wide Format Printing

Wide format printing provides an irreplaceable service for a serious marketing and art works. Large advertising banners, re-prints, digitally enhanced photographs and large notices are all around us. And, the large format printing services ensure that these banners continue to surround our lives for years to come.

Wide format printing uses wide format printers and vector plotters. However, the wide format printers are the most popular. The width of the paper suitable for wide format printers varies between 17 and 100 inches. Theoretically the length is unlimited but 30 meters is an accepted constraint.

Wide format printing usually uses rolls of paper. This can cause the ink to stick to the adjacent sections. However, many large format printing services employ dryers to avoid the problem. Alternatively, they can use separate sheets for smaller paper formats. Screenprinting also allows for wide format printing. However, wide format printers are more economical for the task.

Wide Format Printing Guide

If you require a print larger than A3 format then most likely you are entering the world of large format printing services. Wide format printing jobs are priced individually. This is in contrast to other orders (business cards, flyers, pamphlets, etc) which are produced in bulk. The material for wide format also may differ from other prints.

There are vinyl signs, pull up banners, indoor posters, architectural colour prints and artists canvases - all require large format printing services. This means that both the printer, the substrate and the ink will substantially add to the cost of the service.

As with other printing services, the cost of wide format printing is based on:

The size of the print
The type of the substrate (vinyl, paper, canvas)
The density of the paper
The coating (needed for outdoor posters)

Prices of Wide Format Printing

The cost of large format printing services is not uniform among printing operators. Some may charge per meter others per project. For pull-up banners (2m by 0.8m) made up of polypropylene you pay about $150 a piece. This includes the stand and the installation. The same pull-up banner made of the laminated flatbase design costs around $200 more. The high cost of the outdoor banners is justified because of the weather coating.

The printed vinyl stickers and signs are cheaper. This is probably the only wide format printing material which is sold in bulk. 100 stickers (70mm by 210mm) cost $150. The same sticker in the quantity of 500 sell for $700. The individual "self apply signage" (0.4m X 0.6m) cost around $90 each.

The price for A2 full colour indoor posters is $35. A1, B1 and A0 cost $55, $75 and $85 respectively. The laminated version of the same posters are about $10 more expensive. The foamcore, block mounting and tear proof will further add to the price. The same applies to more expensive substrates such as the artists canvas.