Varnishing & UV Coating

Varnishing is the application of a clear protective coating onto a printed surface. It enhances the appearance of the print—adding gloss, depth, or a soft matte finish—while also protecting the surface from scratching, scuffing, fingerprints, and moisture.

We offer five types: Aqueous Coating, UV Coating, Sand UV Coating, Infrared Varnish, Overprint Varnish, and Inline UV Varnish, each produced using a different process, suited to different products, and delivering a different result.

Varnish & Coating Types at a Glance

Type	Finish	Application	Best For	Characteristics	Process	GSM Range
Aqueous Coating	Gloss / Matte	Flood only	Card decks, book cover, packaging	Thicker coating, stronger protection	Offline (separate coating machine)	200+ gsm
UV Coating & Sand UV	Gloss / Matte	Spot / Flood	Specialty cardstock (metallic, pearlescent, etc) cards, packaging, posters	Required for specialty cardstock, textured surface option (Sand UV)	Inline (UV offset press)	100–400 gsm
Infrared Varnish	Gloss	Flood	Playing cards, game cards, etc	Silky surface, ideal for shuffling	Inline (offset press, IR cured)	250–350 gsm
Overprint Varnish	Gloss / Matte	Spot / Flood	Book interiors (light protection)	Thinnest coating, subtle effect	Inline (offset press)	80–200 gsm
Inline UV Varnish	Gloss / Matte	Flood	Book interiors (enhanced protection), book cover	Enhanced gloss, harder coating than Overprint Varnish	Inline (offset press, UV cured)	80–350 gsm

Inline vs. Offline: Two Production Methods

The five varnish types fall into two categories based on how they are produced.

Offline Coating

Offline coating is a separate production step performed after the printed sheets have dried. The sheets are fed through a dedicated coating machine that applies the varnish in a standalone pass. This method allows for a thicker coating and stronger surface protection, but it cannot produce spot (selective area) coatings—only flood (full sheet) coating. The surface finish may also show slight texture or streaking, particularly with matte coatings, because the coating is applied to an already-dried ink surface rather than wet-on-wet.

Aqueous coating is our offline process.

Inline Varnishing

Inline varnishing is completed on the offset printing press during the same pass as CMYK printing. The sheet is printed and varnished in a single run through the press. This is faster, more cost-effective, and produces a smoother, more even coating because the varnish is applied to a freshly printed surface under controlled press conditions.

Four of our five varnish types are inline processes: overprint varnish, inline UV varnish, infrared varnish, and UV coating / sand UV coating.

The Five Varnish & Coating Types

1. Aqueous Coating

Aqueous coating is an offline process. After CMYK printing is complete and the sheets have dried, they are fed through a separate coating machine that applies a water-based coating across the entire sheet. The coating is thicker than any inline varnish, providing stronger protection against scratching and handling wear.

Available in gloss and matte. Flood coat only—spot coating is not possible with this process. Paper weight: 200 gsm and above (thinner paper will curl or wrinkle). Both sides of the sheet can be coated, though each side requires a separate pass through the coating machine. Double-sided coating is standard for card decks.

Aqueous coating is the standard finish for card decks that do not require the silky shuffle feel of infrared varnish. It provides a slight grip when cards are held, which some users prefer for tarot and oracle decks.

2. Infrared Varnish

Infrared varnish follows the same inline production process as inline UV varnish, but the coating is cured by infrared heat rather than ultraviolet light. The resulting surface has a distinctively smooth, silky feel that makes cards easy to shuffle and handle.

This varnish is specifically designed for playing cards and card decks. In the printing industry, it is also called “poker varnish” because of its primary application. It is applied as a flood coat only — spot application is not available for infrared varnish, which is consistent with its use across the entire card surface for uniform shuffle feel. Paper weight range: 250–350 gsm.

If you are producing any card deck that will be shuffled during use—playing cards, game cards, tarot cards, oracle cards—infrared varnish is the recommended finish.

3. UV Coating & Sand UV Coating

UV coating and sand UV coating are produced on UV offset printing presses (not standard offset presses). These specialized presses use UV-curable inks for CMYK printing, and the coating is applied and cured in the same pass. This process is required when printing on specialty cardstock that standard offset presses cannot handle, including metallic cardstock (gold, silver, holographic), pearlescent paper, and soft-touch paper.

UV coating produces a high-gloss finish with strong surface protection. Sand UV coating (also called textured UV coating or grit UV coating) produces a textured, slightly gritty surface. Both can be applied as flood or spot coats. Paper weight range: 100–400 gsm.

UV coating is well suited for folding boxes, rigid box wrapping paper, and packaging. It is not recommended for card decks that require shuffling, because the surface can feel slightly tacky. Sand UV coating works well for packaging, tags, and trading cards.

4. Overprint Varnish

Overprint varnish (OPV) is the simplest and most affordable varnish option. It is essentially a clear ink—the same formulation as CMYK printing ink but without pigment—applied through the press’s ink train during the printing pass. It dries the same way as printing ink (oxidation and absorption).

Overprint varnish provides a light layer of surface protection suitable for book interiors with heavy ink coverage or full-color images. It is available in gloss and matte, and can be applied as a flood coat (entire page) or a spot coat (selected areas). Paper weight range: 80–200 gsm.

This is the lowest-cost varnish option, but the coating is thin and the visual effect is subtle. For stronger protection or a more pronounced gloss, consider inline UV varnish.

5. Inline UV Varnish

Inline UV varnish is applied on the offset press immediately after CMYK printing. An additional coating unit applies a water-based varnish, which is then cured (hardened) by passing through an ultraviolet light tunnel at the end of the press. The UV curing produces a thicker, harder coating than overprint varnish, with noticeably higher gloss and better scratch resistance.

Available in gloss and matte. Flood coat only — spot application is not available for inline UV varnish. Paper weight range: 80–350 gsm. Cost is approximately 3× that of overprint varnish.

Inline UV varnish is used for high-end book interiors, catalogs, and any product where image quality and color vibrancy need to be enhanced and protected. It is the preferred choice when images need to “pop” on the page.

How to Choose the Right Varnish

The right varnish depends on three factors: what you are making, how the product will be used, and the level of protection and gloss you need.

Book interiors: Start with overprint varnish for basic protection. Upgrade to inline UV varnish for enhanced image quality and gloss.

Card decks (shuffling required): Use infrared varnish. Its silky surface is specifically designed for smooth card handling.

Card decks (no shuffling): Use aqueous coating (both sides) for strong protection with a slight grip.

Folding boxes and packaging: UV coating or sand UV coating for specialty cardstock. Aqueous coating for standard cardstock.

Tags, postcards, premium prints: Aqueous coating for strong protection. UV coating for specialty cardstock.

Specialty cardstock (metallic, pearlescent, soft-touch): UV coating or sand UV coating on UV offset presses. Standard offset presses cannot print on these materials.

Need spot coating (selected areas only)? Use overprint varnish (for book interiors, 80–200 gsm) or UV coating / sand UV coating (for specialty cardstock, on a UV offset press). Inline UV varnish, infrared varnish, and aqueous coating are flood coat only.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between varnish and lamination?

Varnish is a liquid coating applied directly to the printed surface. Lamination is a separate plastic film bonded onto the sheet. Lamination is thicker, more durable, and provides stronger protection, but it changes the feel of the surface. Varnish is thinner, more affordable, and preserves the natural paper texture. For book interiors and card surfaces, varnish is the standard. For book covers and packaging, lamination is more common.

Can I combine varnish with other finishes like foil stamping or spot UV?

Foil stamping can be combined with any varnish or coating type. Spot UV works best when combined with a matte varnish or matte coating, because the contrast between the glossy spot UV areas and the matte background creates a striking visual effect. Combining spot UV with a gloss varnish or gloss coating is not recommended, because both surfaces are shiny and the contrast is too weak for the spot UV to stand out.

What is the difference between spot and flood varnish?

Flood varnish covers the entire printed surface. Spot varnish covers only selected areas—such as images, logos, or text—creating a contrast between coated and uncoated areas. Spot varnish requires a separate printing plate. Not all varnish types support spot application: overprint varnish and UV coating / sand UV coating can be applied as either spot or flood; inline UV varnish, infrared varnish, and aqueous coating are flood coat only. See the comparison table above.

Which varnish is best for card decks?

For decks that will be shuffled (playing cards, game cards), infrared varnish provides the smoothest surface. For decks held in hand without shuffling (tarot, oracle, affirmation cards), aqueous coating provides good protection with a slight grip. See our card deck finishing guide for detailed recommendations.

Not sure which varnish is right for your project? Contact us at [email protected] with your product details. We will recommend the best option and can provide samples for comparison.

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