Gloss UV
Creates a high-shine surface that can make images and colors appear more vivid and saturated.
UV Coating
Change the surface of your print with gloss, protection, and specialty effects.
UV coating applies a liquid coating to printed material and cures it with ultraviolet light. Depending on the coating, it can add high gloss, reduce shine, help protect the printed surface, or create specialty texture and effects.
Use UV coating on postcards, business cards, brochures, covers, mailers, packaging pieces, and other printed materials. Tell us what the piece is, how it will be used, and the finish you want or simply send what you have.
Produced in Plano
Gloss + Dull + Flood UV
Coating + Print Finishing
Local + Nationwide Shipping
Quick Answer
What is UV coating in printing?
UV coating is a liquid coating applied to printed material and cured with ultraviolet light. The cured surface can change the sheen, feel, and surface protection of the finished piece.
Flood UV covers most or all of the printed surface. Spot UV is different: it applies gloss only to selected areas such as a logo, image, pattern, or text.
Coating Options
Choose the surface based on what the finished piece needs.
UV coating is not just one high-gloss finish. Different coatings can change the sheen, texture, appearance, and performance of the printed surface.
Dull UV
Creates a coated surface with less shine than a traditional high-gloss UV finish.
Flood UV
Applies the selected coating across most or all of the printed surface.
Matte & lustre
Creates a softer, lower-glare surface when full gloss is not the desired look.
Textured UV
Adds tactile surface character to compatible printed pieces when the project calls for texture.
Scented coating
Can add scent to specialty promotional pieces or mailers when the project and coating support the effect.
Common Uses
Use the coating to support the piece—not just to make it shiny.
High gloss can work especially well for image-heavy pieces, while lower-shine finishes may make more sense when readability, handling, or a softer appearance matters more.
Postcards & mailers
Add a coated surface to pieces that move through handling, sorting, and mailing.
Business cards
Add gloss, dull, matte, or another compatible coating to change the finished surface.
Brochures & covers
Add surface protection or change the sheen on covers, brochures, and presentation materials.
Image-heavy print
Gloss coating can increase shine and visual contrast on photography and colorful graphics.
Packaging pieces
Apply a coated finish to sleeves, inserts, covers, bands, and other packaging components.
Specialty print
Use texture, scent, or other specialty coating effects when the project supports them.
Compare Finishes
UV coating, Spot UV, and lamination are not the same thing.
All three change the printed surface, but they use different production methods and create different results.
| Finish | How It Works | When It Makes Sense |
|---|---|---|
| UV Coating | A liquid coating is applied across most or all of the printed surface and cured with UV light. | When the piece needs an overall change in gloss, sheen, feel, or surface protection. |
| Spot UV | Gloss is applied only to selected areas such as logos, images, typography, or patterns. | When the goal is visual contrast between glossy and non-glossy areas. |
| Lamination | A separate film is bonded to the printed surface. | When the piece needs a film-based finish such as soft touch, matte, gloss, or another specialty film. |
Coating Considerations
The stock, artwork, and what happens next all matter.
The right UV coating depends on the paper, existing surface, ink coverage, desired sheen, handling, mailing requirements, and any additional finishing.
A glossy postcard and a text-heavy brochure may need very different surfaces. If you do not know the coating name, tell us what you want the finished piece to look and feel like.
- Paper stock and existing surface
- Ink coverage and printed artwork
- Desired gloss, sheen, texture, or specialty effect
- Reading and writing requirements
- Mailing, handling, and end use
- Folding, cutting, packing, or other finishing
How It Works
From printed sheet to finished coated surface.
Send the size, quantity, stock, artwork, coating type if known, deadline, and any other finishing the job requires.
Tell us about the piece.
Send the size, quantity, stock, artwork, desired finish, and deadline.
We check the stock and finish.
We review the paper, ink coverage, coating, final use, and other finishing.
We coat and cure it.
The coating is applied to the printed surface and cured with ultraviolet light.
We finish, pack & deliver.
Finished pieces can move into trimming, folding, mailing, packing, fulfillment, delivery, or shipping.
What to Send
You do not need to know the exact coating first.
Send whatever you already know about the piece and describe how you want the finished surface to look, feel, or perform.
Piece
Postcard, business card, brochure, cover, mailer, package, or other printed item.
Quantity
How many finished pieces you need produced.
Stock
Paper type, thickness, existing coating, or surface if already known.
Artwork
Print-ready artwork, approved file, existing piece, or sample if available.
Finish
Gloss, dull, matte, lustre, flood, texture, scent, or another effect if already known.
Deadline
When the finished pieces need to be ready, mailed, shipped, or delivered.
Connected Services
The coating is one part of the complete finishing plan.
Printing, coating, lamination, cutting, mailing, and other finishing should be planned around the final use of the piece.
FAQs
UV coating questions.
What is UV coating?
UV coating is a liquid coating applied to printed material and cured with ultraviolet light. It can change the sheen, feel, and surface performance of the finished piece.
What is the difference between UV coating and Spot UV?
Flood UV coating covers most or all of a printed surface. Spot UV applies gloss only to selected areas such as a logo, pattern, image, or text.
What is gloss UV coating good for?
Gloss UV creates a high-shine surface and is often used on image-heavy postcards, cards, brochures, covers, and packaging pieces.
What is dull UV coating?
Dull UV creates a coated surface with less shine than high-gloss UV.
Can UV coating help protect postcards in the mail?
A suitable UV coating can add surface protection to postcards and mailers that go through handling and mailing.
Is high-gloss UV good for every printed piece?
No. High gloss can work well for image-heavy pieces, but reflected light may make long, text-heavy content less comfortable to read. A lower-shine finish may be a better fit.
What paper stocks can Voom UV coat?
Compatibility depends on the paper, thickness, existing coating, ink coverage, and production requirements. Send the stock if you already know it and we can review the fit.
Can Voom print and coat the same job?
Yes. Voom can print the piece, apply the coating, coordinate compatible finishing, and prepare the job for mailing, delivery, fulfillment, or shipping.
What should I send for a UV coating quote?
Send the piece, quantity, stock, artwork, coating or desired effect if known, other finishing, mailing needs, and deadline.
Does Voom offer UV coating in Plano and Dallas-Fort Worth?
Yes. Voom provides UV coating and print finishing from its Plano production facility for businesses throughout Dallas-Fort Worth, with pickup, local delivery, mailing, fulfillment, and nationwide shipping available.
Gloss · Dull · Flood · Specialty
Tell us what you want the finished surface to do.
Send the piece, quantity, stock, artwork, deadline, and the look or feel you want. If you do not know which UV coating makes sense yet, that is fine. We’ll help work through the coating and finishing options.