Finishing
Print finishing
Finishing is the difference between a job that is printed and a job that is produced. It decides how the surface behaves in the hand, where the eye lands, and what shape the piece ends up.
Four processes
What we apply, and what each one does
All four are handled in-house at the Colombo workshop alongside the printing, so a job does not have to be sent out to a separate finishing house between stages.
- 01
Foiling
Metallic foil pressed into the sheet with heat and a die — reflective in a way ink cannot be.
- 02
Spot UV
High-gloss varnish on selected areas only, set against a matt surface for contrast you can feel.
- 03
Lamination
A film bonded over the printed sheet in gloss or matt. Protection first, appearance second.
- 04
Die cutting
A steel rule forme cuts the sheet to shape — carton structures, windows, rounded corners.
Combinations
Finishes work against each other, not alongside
A gloss varnish over a gloss laminate has very little to contrast with, so it barely reads. The same varnish on a matt laminate is the effect everyone is actually asking for when they ask for Spot UV. Foil behaves the same way: it reads as metal because the surface around it does not.
That is why the sequence matters. Lamination is bonded to the printed sheet first. Spot UV and foil are applied over it. Die cutting comes last, once the surface is finished, so the cut edge stays clean.
If you are not sure which combination suits the job, describe the piece and how it will be used — that is usually enough for us to narrow it to one or two sensible options.
Finishing questions
Can different finishing techniques be combined on one job?
Routinely. Matt lamination with Spot UV over it is the most common pairing, and foil is often added to the same piece. The order matters — lamination goes on first, then Spot UV or foil on top of it — so all of it has to be specified before the sheet is printed.
How do I choose the right finish?
Start with what the piece has to survive rather than how it should look. Printed pieces that are handled frequently usually benefit from lamination. Once that is settled, foil and Spot UV are decisions about where you want attention to land — usually one element, not the whole layout.
Does finishing have to be decided before printing?
Yes. Foiling and Spot UV both need their own die or plate made from your artwork, and the sheet has to be laid out to allow for them. Adding a finish after a job has printed usually means reprinting it.
Can you finish work printed somewhere else?
Tell us what the job is, the quantity and the stock it is printed on, and we will tell you what can be done with it. Send a sample sheet if you have one — the surface it is printed on affects what will bond to it.
Not sure which finish the job needs?
Describe the piece, the quantity and how it will be handled. We will tell you which finishes are worth the money on that job and which are not.
- Call
- +94 76 620 0995
- Not sure what to specify?
- Use the specification helper