Diverse, Professional Coating & Finishing Handled In House For Maximum Savings & Quality.

From aqueous coatings, spot colors and varnishes to a vast array of cutting, trimming and finishing machinery, Raff Printing finishes projects the way they start—professionally and completely in-house.

Print Coatings & Finishes

Protecting Print Products With Multiple Coatings. Finishing Print Products With Speed & Quality.

Cutting, folding, trimming, coating – and about a dozen other “ing’s" – set Raff Printing apart as your one-stop shop for professional print production finishing. Guillotine cutters, Heidelberg Stahl folders, laminating machines, metallic inking, foil stamping, embossing… all for the purpose of creating uniquely original products.

At Raff Printing, we’ve invested time and time again in equipment that provides the latest finishes, inks and processes that set your print products apart. All while keeping costs lower and production speeds higher without sacrificing quality or service.

Learn more about binding or die-cutting here.

Print Custom Finishing

Coating & Finishing For Dynamic Print Materials From Raff

The added flair, extra splash of color or subtle texture of a print piece is a point of pride – and performance – at Raff Printing.

  • Aqueous & UV Coating, Multiple Finishes
  • Spot Varnish, Spot Color & Metallic Inks
  • Laminating, Foil Stamping & Embossing
  • Shrink Wrapping, Cutting & Distribution Prep

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Print Coating & Finishing Customer Support FAQs

What is important to know about choosing coatings and finishes for my print project?

Printed pieces can be coated and/or finished to make a piece more durable and attractive or offer a higher-quality look or feel based on the many options available. Understanding how your print piece will be delivered, viewed, presented, and handled by the end customer helps to guide your choices.

Coatings and finishes can make an attractive brand statement and protect your print investment. The difference between the two is that “coatings” are applied as the paper is being manufactured, and finishes are applied after your piece has been printed on a particular stock.  You will often hear the terms coating and finish used interchangeably.

What types of coatings and finishes are available for my project?

  • Gloss, Matte & Satin Paper Coating:
    Similar to what you might understand from different types of paints, these coatings vary the degree of sheen or shine of your product and can help your images pop off the page. Gloss coatings offer a highly reflective shine and are common for catalogs, magazines, and children’s books.  Matte coatings diffuse or mute the look of your piece, offering a higher image contrast while being smoother than uncoated stock (paper)—think lookbooks, graphic novels and journals. Satin coatings are a happy medium between Gloss and Matte, and combine the benefits of both.
  • Aqueous Coating:
    Standard protective clear coating which adds a slight shine to the final product while making it more durable/protected. Aqueous coating is available in gloss, matte, satin, and soft touch (see below).
  • UV Coating: A heavier-duty clear coating designed to protect your piece and prevent fading over time.
  • Soft Touch:
    One of our premium clear coats that results in a soft, velvety feel for the page that is highly tactile.
  • Spot Coating:
    Your print piece can feature specific areas that have specific coatings or colors applied for visual emphasis, an effect that offers a satisfying feel that differs from the surrounding areas on the page(s).
  • Varnish:
    Similar to what you might see in clear coats for wood products, varnishes are protective liquid finishes that seal in the printed ink on the surface. They are distinguished by type (varnish, lamination, etc.) and style (gloss, matte, satin, et.). and are used to protect paper from scratching, fingerprints, dirt and scuffing by increasing the resistance of the paper. 

    You can varnish entire pages or “spot” areas for an appealing contrast.

How much do coatings and finishes cost?

Aqueous coating has almost become a standard add-on for us, and is often included in the price of your job. As quality, enhanced feel, complexity and durability of the finished product increases, so too does the per-unit cost depending on the type of coating or finish you’ve chosen. 

I’m having a tough time distinguishing between my options—do you offer samples?

Once we understand what you are looking for in your final printed piece, Raff can certainly provide samples of the types of coatings and finishes we offer that might make sense for you.

How can we put our remarkable variety of printing presses and experience to work for you?

Contact Raff today to start printing faster, better, easier and more cost effective!

Call Us:
412-431-4044
or:
Toll Free: 1-800-994-4044

 

47 years at Raff. 41 years at Raff. 33 years at Raff... Our people are our heart!

Many Have Been With Raff Printing So Long, We Really Are A Family.

Image of Harry Bard - Production Manager at Raff Printing
Harry Bard
Production Manager
Years With Raff: 38

Our guys seriously take pride in their work. They want everyone to have an excellent finished product. People stay here for a reason—me? I enjoy work, it’s close to home, and Raff treats me well. What’s not to love?

Image of Josh Ziegler - Bindery Specialist at Raff Printing
Josh Ziegler
Bindery Specialist
Years With Raff: 4

I enjoy working here with the people I work with every day. We’ve got father-and-son teams working here and there, including our ownership. That says something about a place. Raff is just a nice company to work for.

Dan Butler - Indigo Digital Press Operator
Dan Butler
Indigo Digital Press Operator
Years With Raff: 31

"I know how hard I work, and I see how hard my friends work, and I believe…we’ll put our workmanship up against anybody. Not just in the city or the state or the country, but on the whole planet.”

Jason Stoker - Shipping Supervisor
Jason Stoker
Shipping Supervisor
Years With Raff: Since Highschool

"I’ve worked here all my life. I knew some people that got me in the door. I started in the bindery shrink-wrapping… now I handle all the UPS, FEDEX, freight shipments and driver coordination."

Ron Loreski, Jr.  - Jet Press/Envelope Operator
Ron Loreski, Jr.
Jet Press/Envelope Operator
Years With Raff: 34

"We key on quality. We don’t want garbage going out of the building. You want a product? We’re going to give you that product and then some. We’re into our job—that’s why we’ve been here so long."

Mike Stull - Prepress Supervisor
Mike Stull
Prepress Supervisor
Years With Raff: 20

"Everything that comes in? We treat it as if it’s our most important job. We pay attention to make sure it gets done right. We call out file problems to clients and agencies because we care if it looks good."

Image of Keith Wank - Warehouse Manager at Raff Printing
Keith Wank
Warehouse Manager + More
Years With Raff: 32

I’ve been at Raff Printing for 32+ years. It has been a long and interesting journey — it’s more like working with family rather than fellow employees. I think ultimately that’s the Raff secret.

Ron Loreski, III - Variable Data/Mail Operator
Ron Loreski, III
Variable Data/Mail Operator
Years With Raff: 10

"My dad brought me in after high school and I’ve been here ever since. It’s like a family, really. I’ve been here 10 years and I’m probably the third newest employee! People stick together here."

Tim Hackel - Mail Operator
Tim Hackel
Mail Operator
Years With Raff: 15

"We’re full service. Really. If you come in with a mail piece, print, bind, address and mail, all in house. It all gets done. Done right. Right here.”