Billboard & outdoor advertising prints
Build an outdoor campaign around a clear, readable print.
Billboard & outdoor advertising prints
6-sheet poster printing
A 6-sheet is the portrait poster you see in bus shelters, shopping centres and roadside panels. This page is for advertisers and agencies who have booked a site, or are about to, and need a print that fits the frame and looks right under its lighting.
Start with the media owner's spec, not a template
For 6-sheet poster printing the nominal size is 1200 x 1800mm, but that figure is only a starting point. The visible area, trim and bleed vary between frames, and the frame itself covers the outer edge of the poster, so keep copy inside whatever safe area the specification gives. The same document normally states the paper type, the number of copies and where and when they must arrive. Share it with us before artwork starts, as small differences between sites are expensive to fix later.
What a lit case does to your colours
Many sites are lit from behind, and a poster that looks rich on a desk can appear pale once light passes through it. That is why 6-sheet poster printing for illuminated frames calls for a stock and ink density intended for the job, much like the media used in backlit displays. Some frames also scroll between several posters, which can limit the paper weight. Let us know whether each site is lit, unlit or scrolling, since a single run may not suit all of them.
Writing for people who are walking past
Nobody studies a shelter ad for long, so the layout has to work at a glance:
- One message, in as few words as you can manage
- Strong contrast between type and background
- A logo that is readable from across the pavement
- Nothing vital in the lower part, where seats, bins and people can block the view
A simple test is to shrink the design to thumbnail size on screen. If the idea still reads, the layout will probably survive the street. Bigger roadside formats are covered under billboard printing.
Related topics
Useful to know
Your questions.
Do 6-sheet posters need to be printed on both sides?
Not normally, but it depends on the frame. Some backlit sites call for a specific reverse or a stock designed for transmitted light, so check the media owner's specification rather than assuming a standard poster paper will do.
Can I use the same artwork for a 6-sheet and a 48-sheet?
Only with rework. One format is portrait and the other is landscape, and they are read at different distances. Keep the same idea and colours, but expect to rebuild the layout rather than simply resize it.
Explore related services.
All services ↗
Poster printing
Put your message in focus with posters for shop windows, exhibitions, presentations and promotional campaigns.
Backlit prints & illuminated displays
Design for light with graphics made for illuminated display systems.