Printed drink coasters come in three different materials: absorbent pulpboard, rigid MDF with a cork back, and cork printed directly. They are not variants of one product. Each takes a different print, gives a different colour and suits a different job, so name the material in your enquiry and EZ Print quotes the specification from there.
What are the three types of printed coaster?
“Coaster” covers three different objects. A pulpboard coaster is thick absorbent board, printed and die-cut, used once and thrown away. An MDF coaster is a rigid panel with a printed face and usually a cork back, and it is kept. A cork coaster is the cork itself, printed directly. Coasters are also sold as beer mats.
| Material | What it is | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Pulpboard | Thick absorbent board, printed and die-cut, used once and thrown away | Bars and cafés |
| MDF with a cork back | A rigid panel with a printed face, kept | Corporate gifts and hampers |
| Cork | The cork itself, printed directly | Craft and lifestyle brands |
All three can be square, round or die-cut. Decide between them on how the coaster will be used.
Why does the same artwork print differently on each coaster?
Because each material takes ink in a different way. Pulpboard drinks ink in and dulls it, so colours land lighter than the proof, and there is no fixing that afterwards. MDF is sublimated, so its colour is bright, but the panel must be white-coated for that to work. The same file lands as three different colours across the three materials.
That is why one artwork should not be sent for all three. If a brand colour matters, ask for it to be reviewed against the material you have chosen, and expect a pulpboard coaster to read softer than the same design on MDF. Pantone references can be supplied where a colour has to match.
How are coasters cut to shape?
Coasters are cut square, round or to a custom outline with a steel rule bent to the shape. A shaped outline needs a die made for it; the die is made once for a new shape and kept, so a repeat of the same shape starts from a tool that already exists. A plain square or round shape is the simplest route.
Rule bends to a radius rather than to a point, so every internal corner arrives with a curve in it, and anything narrower than about 2 mm is fragile in the tool and in the finished piece. Supply the cutter as a separate vector path on its own named layer at the finished size. The die-cut shapes guide explains the tooling.
How should coaster artwork be prepared?
Draw the artwork with 3 mm bleed past the cut line, outline all fonts, and supply printed images at 300 dpi at final size in CMYK. PDF/X-4 is preferred. Keep the logo and any contact detail well inside the cut line, and away from the curve of a round or shaped edge, so a small cutting shift does not clip them.
Check the artwork against the material before approving it. The promotional item artwork brief explains how to describe the usable printed area for a gift, and the corporate gift printing page lists the artwork rules for every item. For general file checks, the artwork preparation guide is a short checklist.
Worked example: coasters for a cafe opening and for a client hamper
Hypothetical planning example. Actual production timing, paper availability, and logistics are confirmed individually upon artwork and specification review. A cafe wants branded coasters for its opening week, and a small number of kept coasters to put in client hampers. These are two different materials, so they are specified as two separate lines on one enquiry.
- Line one: 1,000 pulpboard coasters, round, used once and thrown away.
- Line two: 100 MDF coasters with a cork back, round, to be kept.
- Artwork: one logo, drawn separately for each material, with 3 mm bleed, fonts outlined and images at 300 dpi at final size.
- Colour: reviewed against each material; the pulpboard will read lighter than the MDF.
- Needed by: the opening date, stated on the enquiry.
Standard turnaround is 7–14 working days. Express is quoted per job.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between pulpboard, MDF and cork coasters?
A pulpboard coaster is thick absorbent board, printed and die-cut, used once and thrown away. An MDF coaster is a rigid panel with a printed face and usually a cork back, and is kept. A cork coaster is the cork itself, printed directly.
Why does my coaster print look lighter than the proof?
On pulpboard the board drinks the ink in and dulls it, so colours land lighter than the proof and nothing can fix that afterwards. MDF is sublimated and is brighter, which is why one artwork lands as three different colours across the three materials.
What shapes can printed coasters be?
Square, round or die-cut. A shaped outline needs a die made for it, internal corners come back with a curve, and artwork needs 3 mm bleed.
Which coaster is best for a bar or a corporate gift?
Pulpboard suits bars and cafés, MDF suits corporate gifts and hampers, and cork suits craft and lifestyle brands. Say which of the three you want in the enquiry, because they are separate routes and not variants of each other.
How long does coaster printing take?
Standard turnaround is 7–14 working days for every item, first order or repeat. Express is quoted per job.
How do you order coasters from EZ Print?
EZ Print has been trading since 2017 and prints coasters with its other corporate gifts. Tell us the material, the shape, the quantity and the date it is needed, and send the artwork if you have it. Each job is quoted from its specification, and you can request a quote with the material named.
Same-day and urgent printing available. Subject to artwork approval, payment, print type and production availability. Timing confirmed per job.