After conducting printing research on all of our vellum papers, we have determined they will work with most inkjet and laser printers. We also have noted this information on the product page of each paper. However, even using the recommended printer type, some people still have trouble printing on vellum, where some do not. So why is this the case?
In a nutshell, the variations in printing success are due to the fact that not all vellum, and we are referring to vellum paper and not vellum finish and not all printers, are created equally. All vellum is non porous and non absorbent, but not all vellum is identical in finish and weight. Similarly, although all laser printers and all inkjet printers are designed to work essentially the same way, they vary in speed, quality, and overall design. Where one brand of vellum may work with your laser printer, it may not work with another laser printer. Likewise, you may find that although one stock of vellum works with your inkjet, another does not.
The solution? Simply recognize that vellum may be a tricky surface to print in. Regardless of what type of vellum or printer you are using, your print will take longer to dry, and thus has a greater chance of smearing than it would on a standard piece of paper. The best way to determine whether your printer will work with a particular stock of vellum is to order a sample and test it out.
Additional Tips for Printing on Vellum
- Ink and toner takes a longer time to dry on the non absorbent surface of vellum, so be sure to allow your print adequate time to dry before touching it.
- The less ink or toner you use on vellum, the faster it will dry, and the less likely to smudge throughout the printing process. Consider printing in draft or economy mode when printing on vellum. This setting is designed to conserve ink and toner, thus placing less on your vellum, and aiding in drying.
- Consider using fonts with thinner lines. Fonts with heavier lines use more ink, take longer to dry, and are more likely to smudge.
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