What printing methods are available for customizing floor displays?

I sell cardboard floor displays every day. Buyers want speed, color accuracy, and strength. I start with the right print method, because it decides price, lead time, and visual impact.

The main methods are flexographic direct print, offset litho-lamination, large-format digital inkjet, screen printing, and gravure for very long runs; each suits different volumes, artwork, and substrates, so I choose based on run size, color needs, deadlines, and budget.

I keep this simple. I match the method to the job. I explain trade-offs in plain words. Then I give a sample that proves the choice. This saves time and avoids rework.

What are the different methods of printing?

I meet two types of display projects. Some need speed for launches. Some need perfect brand color for retail chains. I stack methods by what they do best.

The key methods for floor displays are flexographic direct print, offset litho-lamination, digital inkjet, screen printing, and gravure; each differs in plate cost, color control, substrate flexibility, and turnaround, so I pick the one that hits the target price and deadline.

How I match methods to jobs

I run three production lines¹ in Shenzhen, so I see real constraints. Flexo wins when volumes are mid to high and graphics are bold. Litho-lam wins when a retailer wants photo-grade images² and exact brand colors. Digital wins when SKUs change often or when the forecast is unsure. Screen wins when we print special whites, spot varnish, or opaque layers on rough boards. Gravure is rare for displays, but it can serve hundreds of thousands of identical pieces with stable color. I learned to ask one question first: how many units will you reorder after the first run? This tells me if plate costs make sense. My team does a fast strength test and a color drawdown before plates. We keep delays away by locking stock, anilox, and ink set before art approval.

How many printing methods are there?

Buyers often ask for a number. I group methods by families so choices feel clear.

For displays, I work with five core methods: flexo, offset litho-lamination, digital inkjet, screen printing, and gravure; specialty variants exist, but most projects fit inside these five without confusion.

Why five covers real-world needs

I like simple buckets because teams move fast. Flexo covers most corrugated work. Litho-lam covers high-gloss brand launches. Digital covers trials and localized content. Screen covers tricky inks and textured boards. Gravure covers extreme volume. There are other techniques like letterpress or pad printing, but they do not serve corrugated floor displays at scale. My sample room keeps calibrated profiles for each of the five, so### Why five covers real-world needs
I like simple buckets because teams move fast. Flexo covers most corrugated work⁵. Litho-lam covers high-gloss brand launches. Digital covers trials and localized content⁶. Screen covers tricky inks and textured boards. Gravure covers extreme volume. There are other techniques like letterpress or pad printing, but they do not serve corrugated floor displays at scale. My sample room keeps calibrated profiles for each of the five, so artwork moves straight to proof. I use one page that compares unit cost curves. It shows how digital is cheap at 50 units, but flexo beats it by 500 units. The same page shows how litho-lam adds plate and lamination cost, but wins when the buyer needs hero photography. This five-method map helps new clients make choices in one call. artwork moves straight to proof. I use one page that compares unit cost curves. It shows how digital is cheap at 50 units, but flexo beats it by 500 units. The same page shows how litho-lam adds plate and lamination cost, but wins when the buyer needs hero photography. This five-method map helps new clients make choices in one call.

What is the printing method where a material's surface is carved so an image can be printed from it?

I sometimes get asked about the "carved plate" method. It helps to link it to what we do.

That method is relief printing; in packaging, flexography is a modern relief process that uses raised photopolymer plates so the ink transfers from the raised areas to the board.

How relief ideas live inside modern flexo

Traditional relief includes woodcut and linocut. We carve or expose a plate so the raised parts carry ink. Flexography updates this with photopolymer plates⁹, laser imaging, and anilox rollers¹⁰ that meter ink. This lets me run water-based or UV inks on corrugated without crushing the flutes. The raised plate tolerates small board height changes, so print looks even across the sheet. I pick plate durometer and tape hardness to balance dot gain and crush. On big floor displays, I split plates by color blocks to keep registration tight on long runs. If art needs fine skin tones, I move to litho-lam. If art is solid brand color with vector logos, flexo is perfect and fast. I show clients a plate sample, a board drawdown, and a crush test so they can see why relief physics still drive our daily flexo choices.

What is a printing method in which rough surfaces are used called?

Many clients ask how we print on rough or uneven boards. Corrugated can be bumpy.

Screen printing (serigraphy) is the go-to method for rough or uneven surfaces because the mesh stencil deposits a thick, opaque ink layer that bridges texture and holds strong color.

When I choose screen over other methods

Screen printing pushes more ink through a mesh. This helps when E-flute or recycled boards feel rough. It also helps when we need a bright white underlayer before bright colors. I use screen for spot varnish, metallics, and tactile effects on hero panels. Mesh count and squeegee angle let me tune opacity and edge sharpness. If a client wants neon on a tactical camo display, screen inks look bold under store lights. The downside is slower speed and higher unit cost for large runs. So I often combine methods: screen a white flood on brown board, then run digital color on top. Or screen a texture over a litho-lam hero to add grip. This hybrid plan¹³ saves budget and keeps deadlines real for seasonal launches.

What is the most common printing method?

Buyers want the default option. I give the answer in context, not in theory.

For corrugated floor displays, flexographic direct print is the most common method due to speed and cost at scale; for photo-grade hero panels, offset litho-lamination is the most common premium option.

Why this is true in daily production

My factory runs flexo¹⁶ on most repeat orders. It handles brand colors, barcodes, and safety icons with low waste. Plates last, and changeovers are quick. Retailers often require crisp product images on the front panel. I answer that with litho-lam¹⁷ for the hero face, while the sides run flexo solids. This mix keeps cost low but keeps the front beautiful. Digital has grown fast for pilot drops and localized art. When Barnett Outdoors asked for 120 units for a trade push, I printed digital to hit the date. The reorder moved to flexo after demand proved real. This is how most brands scale. They start small, then move to the common method when volumes rise.

How many types of printing technology are there?

Teams like a clean map. I use families, not a long list of niche names.

There are six major families: relief (flexo, letterpress), planographic (offset/litho), intaglio (gravure), stencil (screen), digital inkjet, and electrophotographic; most display work uses the first four plus inkjet.

A simple framework that guides fast decisions

I keep this six-family map on our kickoff deck. Relief includes flexo²⁰, which is our daily workhorse. Planographic includes offset, which drives litho-lam labels. Intaglio includes gravure, which we consider only for very long campaigns. Stencil includes screen, which solves rough boards and special inks. Digital inkjet powers short runs and variable data. Electrophotographic covers toner devices, which help for mockups and small parts. This model keeps discussions short and calm. We speak about goals first, then pick a family, then pick a press. We check run size, deadlines, color targets, and substrate. I show a cost curve and a color target chart. The buyer sees why one family wins. This prevents scope creep and late changes.

Conclusion

I choose print methods by run size, image needs, and substrate. I show proofs early. I lock specs. This keeps color true, protects schedules, and holds cost.