What materials can be used for large format printing?

Large format printers can handle a wide range of substrates including PVC, vinyl, aluminum composite material (ACM), wood, canvas, translucent polycarbonate, clear adhesive films, and recycled paper-based materials. As a general rule, if it lays flat and fits on the printer bed, it can be printed on.

What is the maximum size for large format prints?

Flatbed printers can produce prints up to approximately 5 by 10 feet on a single sheet, and panels can be joined together for even larger installations. Roll-to-roll printers can handle widths up to 63 inches with virtually unlimited length, making them ideal for banners and vehicle wraps.

How do you design for large format printing?

Design files for large format printing should use CMYK color mode rather than RGB, since print output uses a different color model than screens. Resolution requirements vary by viewing distance: billboards viewed from far away need less resolution than a banner viewed up close. Working with a designer experienced in print production is strongly recommended.

Is large format printing environmentally friendly?

It can be. For short-term signage like event banners or seasonal promotions, recycled paper-based substrates are a more sustainable alternative to PVC. Choosing the right material for the intended lifespan of a print reduces waste and environmental impact.

How can large format printing support digital marketing campaigns?

Large format prints drive digital engagement by creating photo-worthy moments that people share on social media. Adding QR codes, custom URLs, or coupon codes to printed pieces creates a direct bridge between physical and digital channels. Influencer kits with large format elements also generate unboxing content that extends campaign reach online.

The Power of Large Format Printing

"If you think print is dead, thanks to digital, I'm here to prove you wrong."

That's how Christina Steel, Senior Account Manager at Roundhouse, set the tone for our recent webinar on large format printing. And she's right. In a world where marketers pour budgets into pixels and platforms, physical print continues to deliver something digital simply cannot: a tangible, unavoidable presence that stops people in their tracks.

Large format printing is far more than oversized posters. It spans billboards, vehicle wraps, retail signage, event displays, experiential installations, and even the branded packaging inside an influencer kit. If your brand needs to be seen in the real world, large format is how you make that happen.

Here's what our team of experts covered during the webinar, along with practical guidance you can use for your next campaign.

What Makes Large Format Different from Conventional Print

Large format printing operates in a completely different category than traditional commercial print. Conventional printing handles business cards, brochures, and direct mail pieces. Large format starts where those stop.

As Dave Mahoney, Roundhouse's Large Format Supervisor, explained during the webinar, the equipment itself is fundamentally different. Flatbed printers can produce prints up to approximately 5 by 10 feet on rigid substrates up to one and a half inches thick. For larger installations, panels are joined together seamlessly. Roll-to-roll printers handle flexible materials up to 63 inches wide with virtually unlimited length.

The defining characteristic is best summed up by Dave: "As long as it lays flat, we can print on it." That flexibility is what makes large format so versatile for marketing teams.

The Materials That Make It Possible

One of the biggest surprises for marketers new to large format is the sheer range of substrates available. The material you choose directly affects durability, visual impact, and sustainability.

Common substrates discussed during the webinar include:

PVC and vinyl - The workhorses of outdoor signage. Durable, weather-resistant, and available in a range of finishes. Ideal for long-term outdoor applications.
Aluminum composite material (ACM) - Rigid panels used for building signage, architectural displays, and anything that needs to withstand the elements long-term.
Wood - Creates a natural, textured look. The webinar highlighted a project for a children's museum where nature imagery was printed directly onto 4x4-foot wood panels, giving the installation an organic feel that matched the exhibit.
Canvas - Used for art reproductions, gallery-style displays, and upscale event decor where a softer, more refined texture is appropriate.
Translucent polycarbonate - Allows light to pass through, used for backlit signage and displays. One standout example from the webinar was a stained glass window effect created with clear adhesive film.
Recycled paper-based materials - A more sustainable choice for short-term signage like event banners or seasonal retail displays.

The right substrate depends on where the piece will live, how long it needs to last, and the visual effect you want to achieve. An experienced large format printing partner helps you match material to application so you get the best result without overspending.

Six Applications Every Marketer Should Know

Christina Steel, Senior Account Manager with nearly 18 years at Roundhouse, and Kim Finenbinder, Account Executive, walked through the major application categories during the webinar. Each one represents a distinct opportunity to connect with audiences in physical space.

1. Out-of-Home and Billboards

Billboards remain one of the most cost-effective ways to reach a mass audience. The key is simplicity. As the team emphasized, billboard creative needs to communicate its message in seconds. You're not writing a brochure for highway speeds.

The practical tip here: keep text to a minimum, use high-contrast colors, and make sure the call to action is unmistakable.

2. Retail Signage and Point-of-Sale

In a retail environment, large format signage guides customers, highlights promotions, and reinforces brand presence. Window graphics, floor decals, hanging banners, and counter displays all fall into this category.

One creative example from the webinar: branded mini freezer wraps that turned a standard appliance into a permanent branded presence inside a retail location. The freezer became a marketing asset, not just a piece of equipment.

3. Event Marketing

Trade shows, conferences, and sponsored events are where large format printing has to work fast. Banners, backdrops, hanging signs, and pop-up displays compete for attention in crowded environments.

The team's advice: design event materials with reuse in mind. A well-designed booth backdrop that works across multiple events delivers far more value than a one-time piece. If you're planning a trade show or live event, large format signage is the foundation of your physical presence.

4. Experiential Marketing

This is where large format gets genuinely creative. Experiential installations are designed to create moments that people want to photograph and share. Photo opportunity standees, life-size fathead cutouts for sporting events, immersive wall murals, and branded environments all turn physical print into digital content.

As one panelist put it: "If it's picture-worthy, someone is going to take a picture of it and share it or post it." That organic social sharing extends the reach of your investment far beyond the people who see the print in person.

5. Vehicle Wraps

A wrapped vehicle turns every trip into a mobile billboard. Fleet vehicles, delivery trucks, and even company cars become brand touchpoints across every route and parking lot.

Vehicle wraps are printed on specialized vinyl using roll-to-roll printers, then professionally applied. The combination of high-quality print and expert installation ensures the wrap looks sharp and holds up under daily driving conditions.

6. Influencer and Sample Kits

This application bridges physical print and digital campaigns in a way that few other formats can. Branded packaging, printed inserts, custom tissue paper, and large format unboxing elements turn a product shipment into content-ready material.

Kim Finenbinder, Account Executive at Roundhouse, described this shift well: "Print becomes the starting point of the digital campaign, not the afterthought." When an influencer opens a kit that's visually striking, they're already generating content. The design of the kit drives the content. For brands exploring this channel, outsourcing influencer kit execution ensures that the production quality matches the creative ambition.

How Large Format Connects to Digital Campaigns

One of the most valuable parts of the webinar was the discussion around omni-channel synergy. Large format printing is not a standalone tactic. It generates the most value when it's integrated with digital campaigns.

Here's how that works in practice:

QR codes and custom URLs printed on signage drive traffic to landing pages, creating a measurable bridge between physical and digital.
Coupon codes on in-store displays let you track exactly how much revenue a specific print placement generated.
Social sharing from experiential installations extends the reach of your print investment into social feeds, earned media, and user-generated content.

The point is clear: large format and digital are not competing channels. They amplify each other. Better visuals equal higher engagement equals stronger conversions.

The Brand Recognition Argument

One common objection to large format printing is that it's hard to measure ROI directly. A billboard doesn't come with a click-through rate. A trade show banner doesn't generate a report in your analytics dashboard.

Christina Steel addressed this head-on with an analogy: "Think of it as marketing hygiene. Just because you don't know how many cavities you're preventing by brushing your teeth doesn't mean you should stop brushing your teeth."

Brand recognition is cumulative. Every time someone sees your signage, your booth, your wrapped vehicle, or your branded installation, you're building the familiarity that eventually drives conversions through other channels. Research consistently shows that consistent brand presentation across all channels increases revenue significantly.

Large format printing is a core part of that consistency. It puts your brand in physical spaces where digital alone cannot reach.

Design Considerations for Large Format

Designing for large format is not the same as designing for web or social media. As the webinar panel stressed: "It's not as easy as just taking your Instagram post and blowing it up to a six-foot banner."

The key differences:

Color mode - Digital designs use RGB. Print uses CMYK. Colors that look vibrant on screen can appear dull or shifted in print if the file isn't properly converted.
Resolution - A billboard viewed from far away needs less resolution than a banner viewed up close. Your print partner should specify the required DPI based on viewing distance.
Simplicity at scale - The larger the piece, the simpler the message should be. A six-foot banner with too much text becomes unreadable. Focus on one clear message and one clear call to action.

The practical takeaway: hire a designer who has experience in print production, not just digital. The skill sets are different, and the wrong design decisions can result in a finished piece that doesn't match expectations. A full-service printing partner can guide creative teams through this process from the start.

Sustainability in Large Format Printing

The webinar dedicated time to sustainability, a topic that's increasingly important for brands and their customers.

The most practical guidance: match the material to the lifespan of the piece. Using PVC for a banner that's only needed for a weekend event is wasteful when paper-based alternatives exist. Conversely, investing in durable ACM panels for permanent signage means you're not reprinting every year.

Other sustainability considerations include:

Choosing recycled substrates for short-term applications
Designing event materials for reuse across multiple campaigns

Sustainability in large format isn't about avoiding print. It's about making smarter material choices for each project.

Making Your Next Campaign Count

Large format printing gives brands a presence that digital channels cannot replicate. It's the billboard that catches your eye on the commute, the trade show booth that draws a crowd, the experiential installation that generates a hundred social posts, and the influencer kit that starts a campaign before anyone opens an app.

The key to getting it right is working with a partner who understands both the production side and the strategic side. The right material, the right design, the right application, and the right integration with your digital campaigns.

At Roundhouse, our team has the equipment, the expertise, and the experience to handle large format projects from concept through installation. Whether you need a single banner or a full multi-location signage rollout, we're built to deliver.

Ready to bring your next campaign to life? Reach out to our team and let's talk about how large format printing can work for your brand.