Print and sign knowledge base
Our print and sign knowledge base has step-by-step how-tos, artwork set-up, materials, sizes, delivery and trade guides from our Manchester print team. Search below or pick a topic.
Getting started
How ordering, prices, turnaround and file checks work.
Choosing a product
Which banner, sign, label or print suits the job.
- Banner or roller banner, or a flag: which display to choose
- Birthday banner ideas: wording, photos and sizes
- Business card finishes: lamination, foil, spot UV and card types
- COSHH symbols: the 9 hazard pictograms explained
- Fire extinguisher colours: what each band means
- Flyer vs leaflet: which one do you need
- Indoor or outdoor sign material: choosing by location
- Paper or polypropylene labels: which to choose
- Safety signs law in the UK: what you have to put up
- Trade show stand checklist: what to order and when
Sizes and measuring
Paper sizes, banner sizes and how to measure the space.
Artwork and file setup
Bleed, resolution, colour and file types that print well.
Using the online designer
Design, check and approve your print online.
Materials guide
Correx, Dibond, Foamex, PVC, mesh, NCR and paper weights.
Fitting and hanging
Hang banners, fix signs and set up displays properly.
Delivery and orders
Delivery charges, remote areas, oversize items and problems.
Care, reuse and recycling
Clean, store, reuse and recycle banners and signs.
By trade
What each trade usually needs, with the right products.
Glossary
Print and sign terms explained in plain English.
Buying guides
Longer guides to choosing banners, boards, roller banners and safety signs.
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About this print and sign knowledge base
This print and sign knowledge base answers the questions we are asked most on the phone and on WhatsApp: which material to choose, what size to order, how to set up a file so it prints well, how to hang or fix what arrives, and what delivery costs. Every guide is written from the products and prices on this site, so the sizes, materials and turnaround days match what you can order.
Where to start
- New to ordering print online? Start with how to order print online and how our prices work.
- Not sure what to buy? The choosing guides compare banners, roller banners and flags, sign materials and label types.
- Setting up artwork? Read bleed and safe area and DPI for printing before you export your file.
- Just had a delivery? The fitting how-tos show you how to hang a banner, set up a roller banner and fix a sign to a wall.
Guides for your trade
Electricians, plumbers, builders, landlords, cafes, schools, event organisers, gyms and shops each have a guide listing the labels, signs, banners and stationery that trade usually needs, with links straight to the products. Trade ranges such as electrician labels and plumbing and heating labels group everything in one place.
How this print and sign knowledge base is kept up to date
Each page shows the date it was last updated, and the sizes, prices and turnaround days it quotes come from the live shop at that date. Where a guide mentions the law, such as the Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996, it links to the official source so you can read it in full.
Still stuck?
Every product page also has a Questions tab with 30 to 40 answered questions about that exact product. If you still cannot find the answer, call 0161 315 1151, message us on WhatsApp, or send the details through Get a quote. The delivery page and artwork guidelines cover the rules in full.