Foilboard is a card stock with a metallic silver coating that transforms standard CMYK ink into metallic-effect colours. It is the most versatile and cost-effective way to achieve a foiled appearance across an entire design. We print foilboard digitally in-house at our Marrickville production facility.
What is foilboard
Foilboard is paper or card with a thin metallic silver coating applied to the surface. When CMYK inks are printed onto this silver base, the metallic surface shows through the transparent ink, creating the appearance of metallic colours.
Areas left unprinted retain their silver foil appearance. Printing shades of yellow over the silver creates a gold effect. Cyan produces a metallic blue. Every CMYK colour takes on a metallic quality because of the reflective base.
When to use foilboard
Foilboard suits any project where you want metallic colour across large areas of the design without the cost of multiple foil stamping dies. Common applications include business cards, postcards, book covers, invitations, packaging and promotional material.
Because the metallic effect is achieved through standard digital printing, there is no die cost and no minimum quantity driven by tooling. Foilboard is printed on our HP Indigo presses alongside standard CMYK work.
Using white ink with foilboard
Adding a white ink base layer under selected areas blocks the silver surface and returns those areas to standard, non-metallic colour. This allows designers to mix metallic and non-metallic finishes on the same sheet.
Opacity gradients in the white ink layer create transitions between metallic and standard finishes. This level of control is unique to digital printing on foilboard and cannot be replicated with traditional foil stamping.
Finishing options
Foilboard can be celloglazed in matt, silk or gloss. Each finish changes the appearance of the metallic surface. Matt celloglaze softens the reflectivity. Gloss celloglaze amplifies it. The choice of laminate is a significant design decision on foilboard.
Foilboard is available in different thicknesses, from lightweight card for covers and wraps through to heavy board for business cards and packaging. We stock common weights and can source speciality options from BJ Ball.
Design considerations
Foilboard requires HP Indigo priming to accept the Indigo inks. We handle this in prepress. The silver surface is not suitable for all adhesives and laminates, so finishing options should be confirmed at the quoting stage.
Colour results on foilboard are different from printing on white stock. We recommend a printed proof on foilboard before committing to a production run so the metallic colour effect can be assessed.
Need metallic-effect printing without tooling? Get in touch to discuss foilboard for your project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is foilboard the same as foil stamping?
No. Foil stamping uses a heated die to transfer foil to specific areas. Foilboard is a pre-coated metallic stock that is digitally printed. Foilboard gives metallic colour everywhere; foil stamping gives metallic accent in selected spots.
Can I print photographs on foilboard?
Yes, but the silver base changes the colour appearance. Skin tones and natural colours shift toward a metallic hue. White ink under photographic areas returns them to standard colour reproduction.
What weights of foilboard are available?
We stock common weights from lightweight cover stock through to heavy business card weight. Speciality weights can be sourced on request.
Can foilboard be folded?
Yes, with scoring. The metallic coating can crack on unscored folds. We score fold lines as part of the finishing process.
How does the cost compare to traditional foiling?
Foilboard is significantly cheaper for designs with large metallic areas because there is no die cost. Traditional foiling is more appropriate when only a small area needs metallic finish.