Poster Printing

From a single A4 print to an A0 promotional poster, waterproof outdoor notice, building plan, lightbox graphic or custom print several metres long, SM Print gives you one flexible place to order general and specialist sheet printing.

Choose a standard A size up to A0 or enter your own custom dimensions in metric or imperial measurements. Large-format prints can be produced up to approximately 1.6m wide and virtually any practical length, while A3 and smaller work can be produced as individual prints or short runs.

There is no minimum quantity. If you only need one print, order one.

Use the same straightforward online calculator for everyday posters, technical plans, waterproof synthetic prints, backlit lightbox graphics, custom gift wrapping paper and many other unusual print projects.

Promotions and offers

Put your latest offer where customers can see it.

Events and exhibitions

Build interest with a poster that gives your event a clear identity.

Timetables and information

Display schedules and useful details in a clear, accessible format.

Retail and hospitality

Bring seasonal messages and product promotions into your space.

Photography and artwork

Turn a favourite image or original artwork into a larger print.

A choice of sizes

Choose a poster size that suits your message and display space.

GET AN INSTANT PRINT PRICE

Not Sure What You're Looking For? Start Here.

Sometimes you know exactly what you need. Other times you simply have a PDF, photograph, drawing or piece of artwork and need someone to print it.

This page is designed to be a good place to start. Whether you need a single A4 sheet, an unusual-size poster, a building plan, waterproof notice, lightbox graphic, artwork print, document or something that does not fit neatly into one of our other product categories, start here.

Choose the closest specification using our calculator. If you are still unsure, send us your file and tell us what you are trying to achieve. We will help point you towards the most appropriate print product, material and finishing options.

Not Sure? Ask SM Print

What Are You Printing?

• Poster - A4 and A3 everyday prints, or A2, A1, A0 and larger promotional posters.
• Plan - Architectural, engineering, construction and technical drawings.
• Document - Loose sheets or help choosing between document, booklet, Wire-O or other binding options.
• Waterproof - Polypropylene synthetic prints for damp, exposed or reusable applications.
• Lightbox - Backlit film for illuminated retail, hospitality and display units.
• Artwork - Photographs, illustrations and art prints in standard or custom sizes.
• Custom Print - Gift wrap, maps, charts, timelines and unusual-size sheet or roll-fed work.
• Not Sure - Tell us what you have and what you want to achieve; we will help you choose.

Have a File but Don't Know What to Choose?

Right now, you can send us your file and we can help you identify the best way to print it. You do not need to know the printing terminology before you contact us.

We are also developing a future file-analysis service. The plan is for you to upload a PDF and for the website to identify useful information such as page size, orientation and page count, then guide you towards compatible printing and finishing options.

Until that feature is ready, use this page as the starting point and ask us whenever the correct route is not obvious.

Send Us Your File / Ask SM Print

Your Starting Point for Everyday, Specialist & Unusual Printing

Sometimes you know exactly what a printed item is called. Sometimes you simply have a PDF, photograph, drawing or piece of artwork and need it printed at a particular size.

This page is designed for both. It covers conventional poster printing, but it is also SM Print's flexible route for one-off and specialist sheet printing that does not fit neatly into another product category.

• A4 and A3 notices, signs and presentation prints
• A2, A1 and A0 promotional posters
• Custom-size large-format prints
• Architectural, engineering and building plans
• Waterproof polypropylene posters and notices
• Backlit film for illuminated lightboxes
• Photographic and artwork prints
• Custom gift wrapping paper
• Maps, charts, timelines and educational graphics
• Menus, price lists and point-of-sale graphics
• One-off prints and short production runs

Small-Format Digital Printing - A4 & A3

Need just one A4 or A3 print? You should not have to order a pack of leaflets simply because you only need a single sheet.

Our smaller-format work is produced on Xerox Versant digital presses, giving sharp text, strong colour and high-quality short-run output. It is ideal for notices, menus, presentations, small posters, photographs, display inserts and one-off prints.

Up to A3, single-sided printing is the most common choice, but double-sided printing is also available where the selected material is suitable.

Large-Format Poster Printing - A2, A1, A0 & Beyond

For larger graphics we use our in-house HP Latex large-format printing system. Standard A sizes are available through to A0, or you can enter a custom width and length into the online calculator.

Custom prints can be produced up to approximately 1.6m wide and virtually any practical length, making the service useful for graphics that sit well outside conventional poster dimensions.

HP Latex is mentioned here because it gives us the flexibility to print a broad range of paper and specialist media. The inks are water-based in formulation but cure during printing; the finished image is not water-soluble.

Choose the Material to Match the Job

There is no single 'best poster paper'. A short-term indoor notice, a premium photographic poster, an outdoor A-board insert and an illuminated lightbox graphic all need different materials. The calculator should help you choose by application as well as by paper name.

Paper Posters

Paper is the natural choice for most indoor posters, presentations and promotional graphics. We recommend offering a concise selection of uncoated/bond and coated silk or gloss papers in useful weights rather than an overwhelming list.

Lighter papers are economical for temporary posters and plans, while heavier papers feel more substantial and are better suited to premium displays or lamination.

Waterproof Polypropylene Synthetic Paper

For posters that may be exposed to rain, splashes, damp environments or repeated handling, choose polypropylene synthetic paper.

It has a paper-like printable surface but provides much better resistance to water and tearing than ordinary paper, making it useful for outdoor notices, A-boards, menus, information displays and reusable graphics.

Backlit Film for Lightboxes

Backlit film is designed specifically for illuminated display units. Instead of simply reflecting light from the front, the printed graphic is illuminated from behind so colour and imagery remain bright and eye-catching.

It is ideal for retail lightboxes, illuminated menu displays, exhibitions, hospitality, gyms, salons, reception areas and other LED lightbox systems.

Order a standard size where appropriate or enter custom dimensions to suit the visible graphic area of your lightbox.

PVC Banner Material

Where a flexible waterproof print is more appropriate than a synthetic poster, PVC banner material is also available.

For conventional hanging banners with hems, eyelets, pole pockets or other banner finishing, use our dedicated PVC Banner Printing page.

Matt & Gloss Lamination

Matt and gloss lamination can be added to suitable heavier paper stocks when additional protection or a particular finish is required.

Matt lamination gives a smoother, lower-reflection finish that can be useful where glare is a concern. Gloss lamination adds a shinier surface and can make strong colours and photographic images appear more vivid.

Lamination is not necessary for every poster. It is most useful for prints that will be handled regularly, reused, displayed for longer periods or where the finish itself is part of the presentation.

For genuinely wet or outdoor environments, choosing a waterproof synthetic material is usually more important than laminating an unsuitable paper.

Document Printing - Not Sure How It Should Be Finished?

If you have a multi-page PDF but are not sure whether it should be supplied as loose sheets, stapled, saddle stitched, Wire-O bound or as another finished product, start here and ask us.

This is particularly useful when you know you need a document printed but do not know the printing-industry name for the finished item. Tell us how the document will be used and we can direct you to the most appropriate SM Print product.

In the future, our planned PDF analysis workflow will use characteristics such as page size and page count to help suggest compatible document-printing options automatically.

Building Plans & Technical Drawings

The poster calculator is also a straightforward way to order architectural drawings, planning documents, engineering plans, construction drawings and other large technical sheets.

Choose the required A size or enter custom dimensions. For line drawings and technical information, a suitable uncoated or bond-style paper is generally the most practical choice.

Before uploading, check that line weights, dimensions, scale information and small annotations remain clear in the final PDF.

Custom Gift Wrapping Paper

Not every large-format print needs to be an advertisement. Our custom-size printing also opens the door to more creative projects, including personalised gift wrapping paper.

Create wrapping paper from illustrations, photographs, logos, patterns, children's artwork or a repeated design, then order the length you need within the practical limits of the selected paper.

For gift wrap, choose a paper that is light and flexible enough to fold comfortably around the item. If you are unsure which stock is most suitable, contact us before ordering.

Photography, Artwork & Display Prints

Photographers, artists and designers can use this page for one-off and short-run image printing in standard or custom sizes.

For unmounted prints, choose the poster material and size that best suits the image and intended display. If you want the finished image mounted onto Foamcore, Foamex or another rigid material, use our Board & Display Printing service.

Board & Display Printing

Retail, POS, Events & Promotions

Posters remain one of the simplest ways to communicate a message at scale. Use them for shop windows, sales, events, exhibitions, menus, opening times, product launches, theatre and concert promotion, schools, sports clubs, community events and internal workplace communication.

Choose ordinary paper for protected indoor environments, synthetic polypropylene where moisture resistance is important, or backlit film where the graphic will be installed in an illuminated display.

Standard A Sizes or Your Own Custom Dimensions

Custom dimensions can be entered in metric or imperial measurements. If you have an unusually long or specialist print, contact us if you would like us to check practicality before ordering.

Single or Double-Sided?

Most posters are printed single sided. Double-sided printing is available up to A3 on suitable materials and is useful for reversible signs, menus, inserts and displays where both sides will be seen.

Preparing Artwork for Poster & Large-Format Printing

• Preferred format: high-quality print-ready PDF.
• Set artwork to the correct final proportions.
• For very large files, reduced-scale artwork can be acceptable when the scale is clearly defined and effective image resolution remains suitable.
• CMYK colour is preferred where practical.
• Embed or outline fonts.
• Keep important text and logos safely inside the finished edge.
• Large-format posters are normally viewed from further away, so 300dpi at full size is not always necessary; image resolution should be appropriate to the viewing distance.
• For technical drawings, check fine lines, dimensions and small text in the final exported PDF.
• For lightbox artwork, remember that illumination can make colour and density appear different from an ordinary front-lit poster.
• Check spelling, dates, prices, phone numbers, URLs and QR codes before uploading.

How to Order

1. Choose What You Need

Select the poster / large-format print product and decide whether you need a standard A size or custom dimensions.

2. Enter Your Size

Choose A4, A3, A2, A1 or A0, or enter your own metric or imperial measurements.

3. Choose Material, Finish & Quantity

Select the paper or specialist media, single or double-sided printing where available, lamination where appropriate and the number of copies. There is no minimum quantity.

4. Upload Your Artwork

Upload your print-ready artwork after choosing the specification and quantity.

5. Check & Complete Your Order

Review the dimensions, material, finishing, artwork and delivery details before checkout.

6. We Print In-House

A3 and smaller work is generally produced on our Xerox Versant digital presses; larger work is produced using our HP Latex large-format system.

Turnaround & Genuine Deadlines

Our current typical quoted turnaround for poster and large-format work is approximately 3-5 working days, although straightforward single-print orders are often completed sooner.

If you have a genuine deadline, tell us when you need the print. We will do our best to accommodate it and, importantly, we will tell you what is realistically achievable.

We are also developing clearer delivery estimates within the ordering process, with the potential for an optional paid express production service where capacity allows.

Why Choose SM Print?

• No minimum quantity - single prints are welcome.
• A4 and A3 short-run digital printing plus large-format production from A2 upwards.
• Standard A sizes through A0 plus custom metric or imperial dimensions.
• Large-format capability up to approximately 1.6m wide and virtually any practical length.
• Paper, waterproof polypropylene, backlit film and flexible PVC options.
• Matt and gloss lamination on suitable heavier papers.
• Double-sided printing available up to A3 on suitable materials.
• Building plans, artwork, gift wrap and specialist prints alongside conventional posters.
• Printed in-house on Xerox Versant and HP Latex equipment.
• Real help available for unusual specifications and genuine deadlines.

Need One Print? Need Something Unusual?

Whether it is one A4 notice, an A0 event poster, a set of building plans, a waterproof outdoor display, an illuminated lightbox graphic or a custom print several metres long, start with the size and material you need.

Choose your specification. Upload your artwork. We will take care of the print.

GET AN INSTANT POSTER & LARGE-FORMAT PRICE