Blue-back posters for short campaigns
Blue-back is made for pasting up, doing its job and being covered over. If your campaign has an end date, it is often the sensible stock.
Is it the right stock for your dates?
Outdoor poster sites are often sold in fixed periods, frequently a couple of weeks at a time, though this varies by media owner. Paper that is pasted on and later papered over suits that rhythm. It is light, it takes paste well, and its blue reverse stops old posters from showing through. Our blue-back poster paper page explains the material itself. This page is about whether it fits your campaign.
| Your campaign | Better fit | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Booked paste-up site for a limited period | Blue-back | It is what most poster crews expect |
| Your own hoarding, up for a few months | PVC banner | Tougher, and can be fixed and removed |
| Poster in a glazed case or frame | Photo paper | It is protected, so no paste is involved |
| Reusable sign for yearly events | Mounted board | Survives storage and repeated use |
Work backwards from the posting date
- Find out from the site owner when posters must arrive at their depot, and where. This comes well before the posting date.
- Get their current specification, including exact trim size and how sheets are split.
- Allow time for artwork changes and a sign-off from whoever holds the budget.
- Keep the design simple. A passer-by gets a few seconds with it, and a short message is also quicker to sign off.
- Book your print and delivery around that date, and read about planning print deadlines if the timing is tight.
Order some spares
Paste-up crews commonly ask for extra copies to cover a tear, bad weather or a poster that needs replacing during the run. Ask your site owner how many they want. Adding them to the first order is simpler than reprinting mid-campaign, and discounts are available on quantity.
Check you are allowed to post
Pasting bills on a wall without permission can be an offence, and councils can act against the advertiser as well as the fly-poster. Only use sites you have booked or have written permission to use. If in doubt, ask your local authority.
Listed sizes
| Size | Price |
|---|---|
| A2 | £11 |
| A1 | £20 |
| A0 | £30 |
| 40in x 30in | £26 |
| 60in x 40in | £45 |
Guide prices from our price list. They exclude VAT and delivery and assume print-ready artwork.
Larger formats are printed to the site's specification, so ask us for a quote. Six-sheet posters have their own guide.
Outdoor print at full size.
Your questions.
Can blue-back posters go in an indoor frame?
They can, but the paper is designed for pasting, not display behind glass. For a framed poster a photo paper will usually look better.
Can I paste blue-back up myself?
If it is your own site, yes, though large sheets are awkward when wet. Check the site surface first, and allow for the paper stretching a little with paste.
Will the poster survive rain?
Pasted paper is meant to weather a run outdoors, but it does not last indefinitely, and it can be damaged by weather or vandalism. That is why spares are useful.