Lamination and UV Coating for Covers and Card Decks
Choose the finish that fits how your product should look, feel, and be used.
The finish on your cover is one of the first things your customer sees and feels. A gloss finish makes color pop, matte reads as calm and understated, and soft-touch feels velvety and luxurious in the hand.
For most products, a finish is a design choice rather than a requirement. Our printed cover stock is coated, so it does not scuff without lamination. Choose a finish for the look and feel you want. The exception is a printed hardcover, which is always laminated as part of how the cover is made.
Film finish
Lamination
A thin film applied to the printed cover with heat and pressure.
- Gloss, matte, or soft-touch, all the same price
- Hardcovers, board covers, and printed softcovers
- Minimum order of 25
Liquid finish
UV Coating
A liquid coating cured instantly with ultraviolet light.
- Gloss or matte
- Printed softcovers and card decks
- Minimum order of 25
A cover takes one finish or the other. Lamination and UV coating cannot be combined.
Lamination Finishes
Vibrant
Gloss
Bright, polished, and reflective, so color looks rich and saturated. Gloss is the easiest finish to wipe clean and works with dry erase markers, which makes it a strong choice for reusable covers and products that will be handled often.
Understated
Matte
A soft, non-reflective finish with a calm, refined look. Matte is easy to read under any light and is our default finish on printed hardcovers.
Velvety
Soft-Touch
A smooth, velvety texture that makes a journal or planner feel luxurious the moment it is picked up. Soft-touch cannot be wiped clean, so choose gloss for products that will be cleaned or disinfected.
Where Lamination Is Available
- Printed hardcovers: always laminated. Choose gloss, matte, or soft-touch.
- Board covers: optional. Most board covers are produced without lamination, and gloss, matte, or soft-touch can be added.
- Printed softcovers: optional, on orders of 25 or more.
Lamination is not available on print on demand orders, faux leather and linen covers, 12 pt linen covers, or 14 pt poly paper covers. Faux leather and linen are finished with foil stamping, debossing, or embossing instead.
10 Mil Laminated Covers
A 10 mil laminated cover is a cover construction, not a finish added on top. Your printed sheet is sealed between layers of heavy laminate film, creating a smooth, very rigid cover that is close to the thickness of a 3-ply board cover.
10 mil covers are a popular choice for planners and journals, especially academic planners, and they come with rounded corners at no extra cost. They work with wire-o, metal spiral, and disc binding. Learn more about 10 mil laminated covers.
UV Coating
UV coating is a liquid finish applied to the printed surface and cured instantly with ultraviolet light. It is available in gloss or matte, with a minimum order of 25. Because UV coating is a liquid finish, it adds no plastic film to your cover.
- Printed softcovers: 12 pt, 16 pt, and 18 pt covers, on one or both sides.
- Card decks: gloss or matte UV gives cards a smooth finish that handles and shuffles well. UV is added when you request it.
UV coating is not available on print on demand orders, hardcovers, board covers, 10 mil covers, faux leather and linen covers, 12 pt linen covers, or 14 pt poly paper covers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between lamination and UV coating?
Lamination is a thin film applied to the printed cover with heat and pressure, in gloss, matte, or soft-touch. UV coating is a liquid finish cured with ultraviolet light, in gloss or matte. Lamination is available on hardcovers, board covers, and printed softcovers. UV coating is available on printed softcovers and card decks.
Do I need lamination to protect my cover?
Usually not. Our printed cover stock is coated, so it does not scuff without a finish. Choose lamination or UV coating for the look and feel you want. The exception is a printed hardcover, which is always laminated.
Can I add lamination or UV coating to a print on demand order?
No. Lamination and UV coating both have a minimum of 25, so neither is available on print on demand orders.
Can I have both lamination and UV coating?
No. A cover takes one or the other. Lamination and UV coating cannot be combined on the same cover.
Which finish is best if my product needs to be wiped clean?
Choose gloss lamination. Soft-touch lamination has a velvety texture that cannot be wiped clean, so it is not a good choice for products that will be cleaned or disinfected.
Do gloss, matte, and soft-touch lamination cost the same?
Yes. All three lamination finishes are the same price, so you can choose the one you like best.
Can card decks be coated?
Yes. Orders of 25 or more decks can be finished with gloss or matte UV coating when you request it.
Ready to Choose Your Finish?
Whatever stage you are at, here is where to start.
