Overprint Varnishes

Overprint varnishes are a type of varnish that is applied over a printed area. The overprint varnish can be applied as spot varnish (just over particular parts of printed areas for special effects) or as an overall coating on a printed area (this is when the entire page is coated with the varnish) to give it that professional finish. The varnish can be tinted or clear and provides a top quality glossy, satin or even a matt finish.

New Africa Inks provides a variety of overprint varnishes in the form of:

• UV curable varnish – this type of varnishing is environmentally friendly as it contains no volatile organic compounds. It is applied to parts of a printed area or the entire printed area to make it stand out. The varnish is extremely fast drying as it is assisted by an ultra violet light. This type of overprint varnish is used for high gloss finishes.
• Water based varnish – this type of varnish has a major advantage over other types of regular varnish. It dries fairly quickly and can easily be cleaned up with water. Water based varnish is more environmentally friendly than other varnishes as it contains considerably less toxins. This is becoming an increasingly popular option for finishing.
• Solvent based varnish – this type of varnish requires some time to dry. Once the solvent based varnish is applied to the printed area, it needs to lie untouched until the solvent in the varnish has evaporated. This is still the most commonly used over-print varnish.

Chat to a consultant at New Africa Inks about which type of overprint varnishing would be ideal for your particular print job. You will find that they manufacture and supply a wide variety of screen printing inks and varnishes. Take the time to contact New Africa Inks and find out how they can assist you with your varnish coating and printing needs today.