Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

At Freedom Paper, we take great care in packaging orders and shipping them quickly. We offer same day shipping on in-stock items for orders placed by 11:00 AM CST Monday through Friday (excluding holidays). Orders received after 11:00 AM CST Friday, on a weekend day or a holiday, process the next business day.

Product not available for same day shipping usually ships within a few days to a week, and you will be contacted if your order will take more than 3 days to ship. You will also be contacted if your product is back ordered to discuss appropriate substitutions.

Our standard carrier is FEDEX ground. We also use UPS or USPS depending on the item. We may also deliver your order via freight by a regional carrier.

Most customers receive our products in only 1-2 days as 90% of our orders are shipped the same day or next business day from the warehouse nearest you.

The best places to find active Freedom Paper coupon codes are in our newsletter or on our Facebook page. Sign up for our newsletter and 'Like' us on Facebook and you'll never miss a special offer from us again. We generally email our customers 1-2 times a month and post exclusive FB offers several times a month.

Once your order ships, and tracking gets pushed into our system, we will be sending you an item fulfillment email. This email contains your tracking information so you can check the status of your shipment. You can always contact us for an update on your order and shipping status.

Yes. Call one of our customer-service reps to get a quote

Yes. We offer custom-cut sizes on some types of media, but not all. Please call us at 866-310-3335 to find out if we offer custom-cut sizes in the type of inkjet media you need.

Yes. Many products are available in sample-size rolls. Most sample rolls are 24 inch x 10 ft. and cost $45.

Inkjet printers use inks that soak into the paper. Laser printers and copiers use toners that stay on the surface of the paper. Inkjet printers and laser printers can both use uncoated papers. But when the papers are coated to hold heavier coverages of inkjet inks or engineering copier toners, the properties of the coatings are different. For example, if you tried to print ink on a coated glossy paper for laser printing, the ink would probably smear and not adhere to the paper.

Significant differences also exist in the types of coatings used for the different types of inkjet inks (aqueous, eco-solvent, latex, and UV-cure) and the many different types of paper being coated. Various manufacturers of inkjet papers also create unique coating formulations for the specific printing requirements of different types of customers.

Read more about the different types of inks and coatings in our Learning Center and on our Printing Ideas blog.

Media choice is subjective and will vary greatly from user to user. Careful consideration of your end objective will help determine the best wide format inkjet paper or media that is right for you. Please contact a Freedom Paper Representative so our highly trained staff can help you filter through the myriad of options and determine which is the best wide format inkjet paper or media for your needs.

Yes. Most of the wide format inkjet paper and other media Freedom Paper sells can be used on many brands of inkjet printers, including Epson, HP, Canon and others. Many of our products can be used on older-model wide format printers that are still in service.

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are not required for wide format inkjet media. Wide format inkjet materials are exempt from federal MSDS regulations. But it’s a good idea to check local laws and regulations governing the types of finished graphics you plan to install. You may need to provide MSDS information to prove that a particular wide-format inkjet media is suitable for the intended application.

Some facilities require inkjet fabrics that have proven to be flame-resistant or inkjet-printed wallcoverings that meet standards for low VOC emissions. We can recommend inkjet media that will meet those requirements.

While both PVC and polypropylene banner materials can be categorized as plastic films, they have different properties, chemistries, and applications.

Polypropylene is like a smooth, flexible sheet of tear-resistant, scratch-resistant paper. It is a good choice for printing durable graphics that must remain flat when displayed in banner stands, poster frames, or lightboxes. Unlike poster papers, polypropylene banner materials resist creases, and don’t have to be laminated to be weather-resistant enough for short-term outdoor signs. Polypropylene is one of the most environmentally neutral plastics. It contains only two elements (carbon and hydrogen) and generates only carbon dioxide and water when it burns.

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) for wide-format graphics is a pliable material for making outdoor-durable signs that drape well when hung and can be rolled up for storage or transport. PVC is also used for vehicle wraps and signs that must adhere to curved or uneven surfaces. PVC is more environmentally toxic than polypropylene, both during its product life and after disposal. PVC includes chlorine and is often made with lead stabilizers and plasticizers (usually phthalates). In landfills, the plasticizers from discarded PVC banners can leach out into the soil and aquifers. Inkjet-printable fabrics and wall-mural materials have been developed to provide more environmentally friendly alternatives to PVC materials.

Many presentation and sign materials designed for inkjet printing are backed with a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) that makes it easy to mount the printed graphics on: windows, walls, doors, vehicles and rigid sheets of acrylic, aluminum, foamboard, posterboard, Lexan, Plexiglas, Sintra, or styrene. As the protective “release liner” is removed from the back of the printed graphic and pressure is applied, the adhesives form a bond with the mounting substrate.

Permanent Adhesives form a long-lasting bond within hours or days. They are designed to stick to a substrate without edge lifting and can’t be removed without damaging either the label or the substrate. Permanent adhesives are used to produce outdoor signs, yard signs, labels, and safety, directional, and exit signs.

Removable Adhesives form a lower-tack, temporary bond without edge lifting, and can be removed without damaging either the printed graphic or the substrate. In some cases, you can re-use the mounting substrate after the graphic has been removed. Removable adhesives are used for window graphics, vehicle graphics, temporary signs, event graphics, and promotional displays. The removable adhesives on some lightweight inkjet-printable fabrics are super easy to reposition during installation and don’t leave any residue when the graphics are removed. These “repositionable” adhesives are ideal for wall decals and trade-show signs because the graphics can usually be taken down and re-hung at another location.

The ink-receptive coatings applied to different types of media has a major influence on how ink is absorbed on the surface of the inkjet paper, vinyl, or canvas. The ink-receptive coatings also influence aesthetic properties (such as gloss uniformity, dot gain, and color density) and print durability (resistance to abrasion, fading, and/or water).

Swellable coatings include synthetic and/or natural polymers that swell when aqueous inks are applied. The coating encapsulates the colorant in the ink and protects it from airborne pollutants. Swellable coatings are most often used with dye inks, because pigment particles are too large to be absorbed into the coating. The clarity and transparency of swellable coatings helps maximize the vividness of color and darkness and depth of black areas. Although swellable coatings can provide excellent image quality and rich color, they are not durable. Your print can easily fade, run or scratch when exposed to the elements.

Porous coatings (also known as microporous or nanoporous coatings) are semi-rigid coatings comprised of millions of microscopic particles held together with a chemical ‘binder.’ When the ink flows into the ultra-tiny spaces between the particles, the surface of the print feels instantly dry to the touch. With pigment inks, a porous coating provides a high level of water and fade resistance.

Some inkjet coatings are applied to the back of the substrate to improve paper stacking during printing or to control paper curl.

A resin-coated inkjet photo paper (also known as a “true photobase”) is a high-quality paper base that has been encapsulated in two thin layers of polyethylene. The back layer is clear; the surface layer is pigmented white to improve the brightness of the image. Resin-coated photo papers are the same types of papers used in silver-halide darkroom processing. They provide excellent gloss, smoothness, whiteness, and opacity and prevent waviness (“cockling”) from heavy ink loads. A resin-coated photo paper can have either a swellable ink-receptive coating (for dye inks) or a porous ink-receptive coating (for dye or pigment inks).

When choosing an inkjet art paper, one factor to consider is the paper color. The whiteness of the paper affects whether the printed colors look clean and sharp or softer and more natural.

Bright White inkjet art papers use optical brightening agents (OBAs) to make the fibers in the paper look pure white. Over a period of years, the whitening effects of the brighteners can fade, making the paper itself look yellowish. Print colors that started out looking bright and bold can look a bit faded, even if the ink colors have remained stable. Bright white papers are great for eye-catching photos for shorter-term use.

Natural White inkjet art papers can have a slightly warm undertone because no brighteners are added to the make the fibers in the paper look brighter. The whiteness of the paper comes from the natural whiteness of the fibers used to make the paper. Natural white papers have a creamy whiteness that can enhance the look of black-and-white photographs, portraits, and digitally restored old photographs. Natural white inkjet art papers are considered more archival because the color of the paper won’t change as much over time.

Glossy photo paper for inkjet printers is smooth, shiny, and ideal for producing large, high-resolution photo prints with vivid colors and sharp detail. Unfortunately, glossy photo paper can also reflect glare from surrounding lights and show dust and fingerprints.

Semi-gloss photo paper for inkjet printers encompasses a broad assortment of photo papers that have lower levels of sheen and reflectivity, including satin, pearl, and luster finishes. Semi-gloss finishes produce more natural-looking, softer colors, reflect less glare, and don’t show as many imperfections, either in the image or the print surface. Inkjet sample packs can be a good way to compare the look of semi-gloss finishes described as luster, pearl, or satin.

Matte photo paper for inkjet printers don’t reflect glare so they can be displayed under all types of lighting. The colors look duller and more muted and the slightly rougher print surface doesn’t show fingerprints.

When choosing engineering bond paper, it’s important to know how the paper will be used.

Uncoated bond paper is typically used for everyday drawing, printing, and copying. Because the matte surface of this paper is naturally more porous, it is better suited for use with monochromatic plotters, engineering copiers, and inkjet printers and for pen-and-ink, or graphite drawings and handwritten notes. Because the paper absorbs some of the inks, uncoated bond papers typically dry faster than coated papers.

Coated bond paper is best for inkjet-printed color renderings, color maps, and photographs because the paper has been chemically treated to make it brighter, smoother, or more opaque. The coating fills in the tiny pits in the base paper, providing an even, less porous surface for the inks. Text, color renderings, and photographs look sharper on coated papers because less ink soaks into the paper. While many coated papers look glossier than uncoated papers, some coated papers have matte or satin finishes.

If you can’t decide which type of engineering bond paper would be best for a specific job, give us a call at 866-310-3335.

Dyes are molecules of colorants that dissolve in water. They produce more brilliant, saturated colors but can fade quickly in UV light and aren’t waterproof. Dye inks cost less that pigment inks but are fine for everyday printing of office documents or photos that will be kept in a box or album.

Pigments are particles comprised of tens of thousands of dye molecules bound together. Pigments remain suspended in the carrier fluid (which can be water or other solvents). Pigment inks remain on the surface of inkjet papers, forming a thin film and a stable bond. Pigment inks are more fade-resistant and water-resistant than dyes, which is why pigment inks are better for outdoor graphics and long-lasting photo prints and wall art. Pigment particles can clog printheads if the particles are allowed to settle in the cartridge. Some pigment inks include dyes to enhance the vividness of their colors.

Each type of ink has a different chemical composition that makes it suitable for use in different kinds of workplaces and for different types of prints.

Aqueous inks are water-based inks that are safe and easy-to-use in homes, offices, schools, and businesses. Aqueous inks flow easily through the thermal inkjet printheads that can be easily replaced by anyone who uses the printer.

Solvent, eco-solvent, latex, and UV-cure inks are formulated for higher levels of print production in commercial, industrial, or in-house print shops. While these inks can produce more durable prints on less costly materials, users of these inks must meet special requirements for safety, environmental compliance, printroom ventilation, or higher power consumption associated with heaters or UV-curing lamps.

For more specific details about the differences, see the Wide Format Inks chart in our Learning Center.

Using dye inks for outdoor graphics isn’t recommended. But if you want to post laminated event graphics outside for just a few days, use a laminating film with UV-light inhibitors to encapsulate the prints so they won’t get wet or fade.

You can conduct some informal, outdoor tests to see how many days a graphic printed with dye ink will last when exposed to the humidity, temperature, and weather conditions of your area.

Toners are used in digital electrophotographic printers such as laser printers, copiers, and digital presses, and can print on either coated or uncoated papers.

Dry toners consist of pigments embedded inside polymer beads. The fusing phase of the electrophotographic process melts the polymer beads to the surface of the paper. Dry toners are used in the many desktop, office, and engineering copier systems that use uncoated papers

Liquid toners also use pigments in polymer beads, but they are dispersed in an oil that evaporates during the fusing process. Liquid toners are used in digital presses that are typically used for commercial printing on a wide range of coated papers.

The best wide format printer for your business depends on your budget, space limitations, and types of files you plan to output most often.

CAD/technical printers were originally designed to output drawing files from CAD/CAM and GIS software. These printers typically use aqueous dye inks and often do a better job printing on lower-cost bond papers for everyday office use. Most models use a combination of dye inks to print colors, and pigment black inks for fine lines and text.

Because architects, engineers, government agencies, and mapmakers now use more color and images in their work, the newest technical printers can produce everything from monochrome line drawings to color renderings, aerial photos, GIS maps, and presentations. Because the latest CAD/technical printers can print full color images, they can bring wide-format printing capabilities to all types of offices. In addition to printing on bonds and coated papers, they can print on photo papers, poster papers, display films, and banner materials.

Photo/graphics printers output digital files that include a mix of full-color photos, text, graphics, and color-accurate logos. Most photo/graphics printers use specially formulated aqueous pigment photo inks and higher-cost materials to print long-lasting photo and art prints or some types of outdoor signs and graphics. The newest models of photo/graphic printers blend 6, 8, or 12 inks, and automatically switch to different types of black inks when printing on matte or gloss photo papers.

Many photo/graphics printers are designed to efficiently process Adobe PostScript files, including PDFs and images prepared in Photoshop.

Some pigment-ink prints output on archival papers can last 100 to 200 years or more if they are framed behind glass or kept in albums or dark storage at the proper temperature and humidity.

Because the 6-color and 8-color aqueous-ink printers are faster than the 12-color models, the 6- and 8-color printers are typically used for higher-speed production of posters, everyday portraits, and décor photo and art prints. The 12-color models produce the superb color gamut and deep, rich blacks that professional photographers and fine-art printmakers need to make heirloom portraits and museum-quality prints.

Many commercial providers of higher volumes of photographs, signs, and display graphics have upgraded to faster graphic printers that use solvent, eco-solvent, latex, and UV-cure inks.

At Freedom Paper we offer many Canon imagePROGRAF and HP Designjet aqueous ink printers, including some designed primarily for CAD, technical, and general use and some designed for photography and graphics printing.

Having so many models from which to choose can make it difficult to make a decision. Call us and tell us more about how and where you plan to use a wide-format printer, and we can help you zero in on the best option.

Banding can occur if you use inkjet media that isn’t compatible with your printer and ink. Other possible causes of banding include: (1) using the incorrect media settings in the print software; (2) misaligned printheads; and (3) clogged nozzles in the printhead.

Sometimes, visible banding may be caused by gradients in the design of your graphic. The gradients you create with your design software tools may look perfectly smooth on screen, but can be difficult to print on an older model printer. Visible bands may appear when one tone transitions to another in solid areas of an image. Gradient-related banding depends on the amount of space in which the transition occurs, the colors that you are blending, and the resolution of your printer.

Newer models of photo and graphic printers can produce a wider gamut of colors and create smoother tonal transitions.

To prevent banding:

• Use inkjet media that is compatible with your printer model and ink type.
• Follow the printer manufacturer’s instructions for keeping the printheads clean.
• Use the media-manufacturer’s recommended print settings and color profiles.
• Use your printer frequently to keep inks from drying and clogging the nozzles.
• Use Photoshop tools to adjust your design and proof the results.

Look for more specific tips on preventing banding in our Printing Ideas blog.

Wide format inkjet printers have a spindle that holds the roll of media in place when printing. The spindles come in two sizes: 2 inches and 3 inches. The “core” of a roll of inkjet media is the cardboard cylinder upon which the media is rolled.

If your printer has a 2-inch spindle, you will need a core adapter in order to load inkjet media that has been rolled on a 3-inch core.

Newer models of HP, Canon and Epson printers come with core adapters. If you have lost those adapters we can provide them to you. Even with core adapters, older CAD/technical printers cannot use media that comes on a 3-inch core because the diameter of the roll is too large to fit on the printer.

Banding can occur if you use inkjet media that isn’t compatible with your printer and ink. Other possible causes of banding include: (1) using the incorrect media settings in the print software; (2) misaligned printheads; and (3) clogged nozzles in the printhead.

Sometimes, visible banding may be caused by gradients in the design of your graphic. The gradients you create with your design software tools may look perfectly smooth on screen, but can be difficult to print on an older model printer. Visible bands may appear when one tone transitions to another in solid areas of an image. Gradient-related banding depends on the amount of space in which the transition occurs, the colors that you are blending, and the resolution of your printer.

Newer models of photo and graphic printers can produce a wider gamut of colors and create smoother tonal transitions.

To prevent banding:

• Use inkjet media that is compatible with your printer model and ink type.
• Follow the printer manufacturer’s instructions for keeping the printheads clean.
• Use the media-manufacturer’s recommended print settings and color profiles.
• Use your printer frequently to keep inks from drying and clogging the nozzles.
• Use Photoshop tools to adjust your design and proof the results.

Look for more specific tips on preventing banding in our Printing Ideas blog.

• Store unused inkjet printable media in original packaging.
• Inkjet printable media rolls should be stored on end, preferably on a media rack. Rolls laid horizontally can affect the shape of the roll and may not be usable.
• Allow inkjet printable media to acclimate to the environment before use.
• Avoid touching the print side by handling the edges of the roll, or by using lint free white gloves.
• Avoid any finishing until prints are completely dry. It is recommended to wait 24 hours after printing to finish a graphic.
• Do not allow the printed side to come in contact with itself.

The primary concerns when handling prints include surface abrasion, scratching, and cracking. Abrasion is caused when a broad surface rubs across a large area of a print, causing colorant loss, ink smears, or scuff marks in the gloss. Scratches occur when a fingernail or pointed object is pulled or pushed across the surface of a print. Visible cracks can appear if the print’s surface layer becomes brittle and the print is physically flexed. Here are a few ways to prevent damage.

• Avoid touching the surface of the print area with your hand. Hold the prints by the edges or from below. Or wear white, lint-free gloves. Better yet, place a mat board beneath the print and use the mat board to carry prints from one place to another.
• Don’t roll the print or let the print flop over. The print surface can be damaged by contact with another section of the print or the image-receptive coating can be stressed.
• Wait for the print to be completely dry before laminating it, clearcoating it, framing it, or placing an interleaving sheet on it. If possible, wait at least 24 hours.
• Keep the relative humidity in the room between 30 percent and 50 percent. The print surface can become brittle when the air in the room is too dry.
• Do not stack pigment ink prints on top of each other. According to the Image Permanence Institute (IPI), even high-quality interleaving papers can cause colorants to smear. The IPI recommends using very smooth polyester sheeting as interleaving layers between totally dry prints. For smaller prints, white window mat boards can be used to separate prints in a stack.
• Limit the length of time prints on porous-coated inkjet papers are exposed to the air. They can continually absorb airborne pollutants that can later cause adverse reactions in the surface coating and paper. Use plastic films or other non-abrasive materials to protect the prints until you can store them or frame them.

The adhesive on a “hot” laminating film activates when the printed graphic is run through a hot-roll laminator at temperatures between 210 and 240 degrees. Because these high levels of heat can damage some types of inkjet graphics, “low-melt” or “heat-assist” films are also used. “Low melt” films have heat-activated adhesives that can applied at 185 to 195 degrees. “Heat assist” films have pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs) and liners and are applied with hot-roll laminators at 185 to 195 degrees.

“Cold” laminating films have a more aggressive adhesive that can be applied with pressure, instead of heat. A release liner protects the adhesive until it ready to applied, typically on a cold-roll laminator. Cold laminating films typically cost more than hot laminating films, but they can be applied using less costly, easier-to-operate non-heated laminators.

Look for additional print-protection tips and information on our Printing Ideas blog

Keep rolls of media stored upright. When multiple rolls of inkjet media are stacked and stored horizontally, it can affect the shape and usability of the roll. Consider using a rack or cart specifically designed to hold multiple rolls of large format inkjet media.

Store unused large format inkjet media in its original packaging. The plastic sleeves and/or core plugs protect media from damage that might affect your ability to use the inkjet media in the future.

Allow large format inkjet media to acclimate to the temperature and humidity conditions of your print room before you start printing on it.

Handle the media by the edges of the roll, or use lint-free white gloves to avoid scratches, abrasion, and fingerprint marks.