Separating the two types of foil blocking

It’s our job to introduce functional and decorative transfer foils, protection films, and PVC coatings to a myriad of different items. We have done this for many years, and have satisfied countless clients along the way. Today, people consider ours the greatest foiling services available. Consequently, this is a reputation we intend to keep by maintaining quality.

The printed objects you see that come with a shiny foil design have generally undergone either cold or hot foil blocking. They may seem similar, but there are differences that separate the two. What we’re going to do is discuss the specifics.

Hot foil blocking

Starting with hot, this method conveys foil designs onto substrates. A block, also known as a hot die, has the necessary design. Pressure as well as heat is used to imprint the design onto your board, paper or other substrate. Experts use hot foiling post-press, meaning that the printed sections aren’t able to overlap the foil segments.

Cold foil blocking

The cold process bears some similarities to its hot counterpart, but there are some huge differences. The most obvious is the lack of heat. It’s more of an inline procedure, meaning that it occurs during printing. You implement the design using an adhesive that you activate with UV as opposed to employing a heated die. As a result, you utilise a UV lamp and not heating equipment.

You can use two approaches to adhere your foil in cold blocking. The first is the cationic strategy, which uses a post and initial cure to stabilise the foil. We call the second free radical, where we use UV without any initial cures.

At Foiling Services, we work alongside highly regarded manufacturers like Novacel and Renolit to ensure we have the widest selection of materials. The list of interior and exterior grade foils we work with is extensive. Some noteworthy examples include granite, woodgrain, holographic, and marble.

If we can be of assistance to you, be sure to contact us. We can discuss all of our foiling services with you and ensure you choose the right service.