DSF

Hi Folks

Does anyone know of a supplier that sells clear Glass Coasters but without a coating.

All replies welcome

Hi k21john,
Did you ever get a supplier?

Are these any good? - https://funandfavours.co.uk/products/pe ... un-favours

Hi webtrekker,
They look great. I have been trying to print onto the white coated glass coasters using laser transfer paper but image does not show through. I tried scrapping off the coating and printed onto the uncoated side and results were great hence reason for looking for uncoated ones.
John

The coated ones are for sublimation printing, not laser. The sublimation ink permeates the coating when pressed and becomes part of the coating, visible from both sides.

This newbie is beginning to understand the sublimation process. Thanks for your explanation.
So if an image is laser printed onto the correct Hard Surface laser transfer paper and then heat pressed onto a plain glass coaster is this the correct way? With the image underneath looking at the finished item the colours and quality are really good. If the printed image is on top though it is matte in appearance and I wonder how durable the surface will be. I have been asked if I can supply clear glass printed items so very interested in getting this right.
Thanks again for your help, it is very much appreciated.
John

As you say, you can print to the underside using your laser printer and special hard-surface laser transfer paper which would be a better alternative to printing to the top of the coasters where the design would be prone to wear. However, anyone wishing to wash the coasters could only do so gently, by hand, and not very often, whereas a sublimated glass coaster (of the type available from BMS and others) would be much more durable and the print would be longer lasting and would even survive dishwashing.

What I'm saying is that the laser method is purely decorative and the sublimation method is both decorative and durable.

The final bits now fall into place. You are the first person to clearly state that the laser process is only decorative. Had I been told that I would have stayed away from it (the reason for going down that path was because I already have a high quality laser printer).
Think I need to get the credit card out again and buy a sublimation printer.
Really appreciate your help and time replying.

Thanks John. I've tried to help from my own experiences and research but acknowledge that there are members in the forum with much more of both and I had hoped they would join in the conversation. So, don't fork out any money until the weekend is over and you may get better replies to help you make the right decision. There are people in here who are really on top of their game and worth listening to.