What Kind Of Printer Do You Need For Foiling?

Well, if you want to know which type of printer is best suited for foiling, we'd like to tell you that laser printers are the best match for this job. And, you should also know that inkjet printers are mostly incompatible with the foiling process.

But, that's not all. In order to find the best type and model of the printer for foiling, you have to know the ins and outs of exactly how foiling is done. Also, you'll have to have a sound idea of how a printer contributes to this process.

Luckily, we have arranged all the info for you in this very discussion. So, just skim through and get a comprehensive answer to the commonly asked question, "What kind of printer do you need for foiling?".

So, without further ado, let's get started!!!

What Kind Of Printer Do You Need For Foiling?

First off, for foiling, you should always use a premium quality printer that has the ability to perfectly print on thick papers and as well as on A3 sheets.

Furthermore, the printers also need to have the capability to retain high-definition patterns and designs on paper as well.

On top of that, you'd also need to make sure that the printer you're using for foiling has a high-performance rate. Meaning, the printer should at least be able to print 32 sheets per minute (for better efficiency in bulk foiling).

In this regard, we think laser printers are the best performer for the foiling process. Although there are other ways of adding foil to a chosen design or pattern, using a laser printer to print a particular design and then adding foil to it is the best way to go. Now you might ask, "Why is that?".

Well, in order for the foil to permanently attach to the papers or cardstocks, you'll need to print a particular design or image with a specific type of ink that reacts with the foil in extreme heat.

And, because a laser printers' ink perfectly reacts with the foil, we think using laser printers is ideal for foiling.

Now, it's completely unsuitable to use an inkjet printer for foiling because inkjet printers print on the paper by throwing inks from a nozzle.

That's why inkjet printed designs leave room for error. Also, their ink can get distorted under heat. What's more, this type of ink doesn’t react with the foil in heat (unlike the case in the laser printer).

How To Use A Laser Printer For Foiling?

To put it in simple words, foiling is the process of using heat to transfer colored inks from a foil paper to an actual paper.

In this process, we'll generally have to use 3 items or tools: a laser printer, a laminator, and some foils.

Now, for your convenience, we have laid down the steps of foiling in a segmented manner. Go ahead and take a look at them.

1. In the first step, you'll need to have a specific pattern or design saved on your computer.
2. Then, you'll have to print your saved design or pattern on paper with a laser printer.
3. Once the printing is complete, you have to lay some foil papers on the printed design. Here, make sure that the colored surface of the foil paper is faced downwards.
4. Now, you have to put a piece of blank paper on top of the foils. As a result, it will create a package of 3 layers of paper. The printed design will be the bottom layer, the foil will be in the middle and a blank sheet of paper will be on the top.
5. At this point, you have to put the 3-layered package into a laminator.
6. As the laminator sucks in the papers, it will apply heat to them. As a result, the heat will make the foil react to the printed design. Therefore, the foil ink will be permanently set on the printed design.

And, there you go. The foil printing process is done.

FAQs

In this section, we have covered a few of the most asked questions regarding the foiling process.

1. Is foil print permanent?

No, they are not. The foiling print done on papers can get scratched off with minimal effort. This is why foil printing is only used to make temporary covers, flashy announcement words, etc.

2. Are foil prints washable?

No, they are not entirely washable. If you print foil on any plastic surface, it will most likely retain its foil ink for about 2 to 3 washes. After that, any more wash will probably wash off the ink.

3. How to remove foil from a fabric or paper surface?

To remove the foil ink from a piece of fabric, you can just use ordinary detergents and wash the ink off.

And, you can't remove foil out of a paper. It's because foil inks permanently attach to the paper surface. So, removing the fire will most likely damage the paper surface.

Conclusion

At last, the bottom line is that you need a laser printer for foiling because its inks can easily react to the foil under heat. On the flip side, the ink from other types of printers cannot react to the foils.

Also, unlike inkjet or other types of printers, the laser printed designs or patterns don't get distorted under heat. So, these aspects make laser printers the most suitable type of printer for foiling.