Weatherproof matte inkjet sticker paper

Whether an inkjet sticker survives the weather depends more on your ink, and on whether you laminate, than on the paper. For stickers that go outdoors or get wet, use a plastic sticker sheet such as vinyl rather than paper, print with pigment ink if your printer has it, and cover the print with laminate. Then test one sheet before you buy a box.

What does “weatherproof” mean on sticker paper?

Usually that the sticker material won’t go soggy: it’s a plastic film, such as vinyl or polypropylene, not paper. It rarely means the ink is protected. Paper stickers swell and peel when they get wet; plastic ones don’t. But inkjet ink on a plastic sticker can still run when wet, unless it’s pigment ink or it’s laminated.

Before you buy in bulk, check the product description or data sheet for:

• The material: vinyl, polypropylene or paper.
• The ink it’s made for: dye, pigment or both.
• The adhesive: permanent or removable.
• Whether it needs laminating to last outdoors.

Does your ink matter?

Yes, more than anything else. Inkjet printers use dye ink, pigment ink or a mix of the two.

	Dye ink	Pigment ink
Water	Can smear or run	Holds up much better
Sunlight	Fades faster	Fades more slowly
Colour	Brighter	Slightly duller on some papers

Many home inkjets use pigment for black and dye for colours, so black text lasts better than colour artwork. Your printer’s spec sheet, or its ink cartridges or bottles, say which yours uses. If you print with dye ink, laminate anything that will get wet.

When should you laminate?

Laminate stickers that go outdoors, on water bottles, or on anything that gets wiped or handled a lot. A clear laminate sheet keeps water off the ink and stops it scuffing, and it’s the most reliable way to make inkjet stickers last outside, whichever ink you use. Stickers that stay dry indoors, such as on packaging or notebooks, don’t need it.

• Choose the finish. Matte laminate keeps a matte sticker looking matte. Gloss laminate makes it shiny.
• Let the ink dry first. Give it a few hours, or overnight for dye ink. Moisture trapped under laminate can cloud the print.
• Laminate before you cut, so each sticker is cut with its laminate in place.
• Check your cutter can read it. Glossy laminate can stop a Cricut or Silhouette reading the marks round the sheet. Matte laminate is less likely to, but test one sheet first.

Which adhesive should you choose?

• Permanent for car windows, water bottles and outdoor use. Say so in your listing, so buyers don’t expect to peel it off later.
• Removable for laptops, planners and anything people may want to move.

Outdoors, acrylic adhesives last longer than rubber-based ones, which can soften in heat and sunlight. Most adhesives also stick badly when applied in the cold, so check the minimum application temperature on outdoor stock.

How do you test a sheet before you buy a box?

Buy a small pack and print a test sheet with dark areas and small text, using the settings you’ll use for real. Let it dry overnight, then:

1. Water. Leave a cut sticker in a glass of water for a day. Look for running ink, curling or peeling.
2. Scratch. Press clear tape onto the print and pull it off. If ink comes away, it needs laminating.
3. Sunlight. Stick one in a sunny window and keep one in a drawer. Compare them after a couple of weeks.
4. Cutting. Cut a full sheet the way you normally do and check every sticker.

Which printer settings help?

• Paper type: choose the matte paper setting in your printer’s settings, so it puts down the right amount of ink for the coating. If ink pools or smears, try a setting that uses less ink.
• Quality: use the best quality setting for final prints.
• Borderless: turn it off. It enlarges the page slightly, which moves your cut lines.
• Drying: let prints dry before you cut or laminate them.

Use sticker sheets made for laser printers only in a laser printer. Inkjet sheets aren’t made for a laser printer’s heat, which can damage the coating or jam the printer.

How do you fill a sheet with your stickers?

Once you’ve chosen a paper, MagLab fills each sheet in one click: drop in your designs, say how many of each, and it packs shaped stickers by their outlines, so more fit on a sheet. Then print and cut as usual. If you’d rather lay sheets out yourself, the free sticker templates are ready to print on A4, US Letter or A3.