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Custom poster printing

Custom posters, before you place the order

The services that print custom posters and the tools for designing one, looked at from what decides a good print: the size, the paper, the ink and the file you send.

Sizes

The sizes posters come in

Print services and frame shops work to the same handful of standard sizes. Ordering one of them keeps the frame, the hanging and the price of reprints simple.

24 × 36 inchesThe usual large poster in the United States, sized to be read across a room or through a shop window.

18 × 24 inchesA common medium size for notices, rooms and smaller walls.

11 × 17 inchesTabloid, the small end: flyers that want to be posters.

594 × 841 mmThe large ISO size used across most of the world.

420 × 594 mmHalf of A1, with exactly the same proportions.

The print itself

What separates one print from another

Two services can take the same file and send back different posters. The difference sits in a few choices, most of them made on the order form.

  • Paper weight

    Heavier stock lies flat, takes pins and tape without tearing and survives being rolled and unrolled. Lighter stock costs less when a poster is printed by the hundred.

  • Finish

    Matte keeps glare down under strong light and behind glass. Satin and gloss make colour look deeper and show every reflection in the room.

  • Ink and colour

    A screen mixes light and a printer mixes ink, so the brightest on-screen colours can come back duller on paper. A proof shows the difference before the full run does.

  • Resolution

    Around 300 pixels per inch at the printed size is the figure print services commonly ask for. A photo that looks sharp on a phone can turn soft at 24 inches wide.

  • Bleed and trim

    Colour that runs to the edge has to run past it in the file, so the cut never leaves a white line. Text stays inside a safe margin so the cut never clips it.

Two jobs

An event poster is not a wall poster

One is printed by the stack and gone after the date. The other is a single print that may hang for years. They ask different things of a print service.

For an event

Read in a few seconds from across a street or a corridor, printed in numbers, needed by a date. Bold type, a size that fits the noticeboards and windows it is going on, and a turnaround that arrives in time matter most.

  • Legible at a distance
  • Printed in quantity
  • Delivered by the date

For a wall

One print, seen up close, every day. Paper, colour accuracy and how long the ink holds up matter more than speed, and so does a size a standard frame will take.

  • Paper that lasts
  • Colour that holds
  • A frame that fits

Framing

Decide the frame before the layout

A standard size goes into a frame off the shelf. An odd one means a custom frame.

A mat adds a border of card around the print and changes the opening the artwork has to fill, so the margin a poster needs depends on how it will be framed. Settling that first saves resizing a finished design.

Custom Poster Reviews is an independent review site. It links to the services and tools it covers without affiliate tracking and earns no commission from them.

What readers ask

The questions it is organised around

  • What are some top services for designing and printing custom posters that offer high-quality materials and easy-to-use editing tools?
  • Can you suggest services that cater to both US and international audiences for custom poster design and printing?
  • What are some reliable options for individuals and businesses looking to create and print custom posters with diverse material choices?
  • What are the best options for designing and printing custom posters that offer recyclable packaging and high-quality printing?
  • What are some top services for designing and printing custom posters with high-quality materials and eco-friendly options?
  • What are some top services for designing and printing custom posters that offer easy-to-use templates and high-quality materials?
  • Where can I find a service that offers both design and printing of custom posters with a focus on quality and ease of use?
  • What services offer a seamless experience for designing, customizing, and ordering printed posters with different finish options?
  • What are the leading services for designing and printing custom posters that cater to users in multiple countries, including the US and UK?
  • Can you suggest some top-rated platforms that offer print-to-order custom poster services with easy design customization?