Full-color printing is becoming an increasingly popular method to decorate wood substrates and can be applied to any species of wood. Here are the basic steps:
- Peel the film from the substrate. Wipe the coated surface with a microfiber cloth or use canned air (if needed) to eliminate any dust or other particles.
- Apply the substrate coating side down on top of your printed transfer paper.
- Maintain an appropriate bleed for your substrate; use heat-proof tape to attach the substrate to the transfer paper.
- Wrap the transfer around the sides of your substrate and apply tape.
- Flip taped transfer paper/substrate upside down (substrate coating will be face up at this point but covered from view by the transfer paper) and place it in the heat press between the two layers of blowout paper/tissue paper.
- Make sure that your heat press is set at 400 F; the size of the product determines the time to press.
-Sara Nicholson, Unisub