TAPE-EASE has teamed up with Wilsonart, bringing you an ALL NEW SERVICE:
TAPE-EASE CUSTOM PLASTIC LAMINATE 
We can use most any image and add it to any laminate, including your company logo!
The images will be embedded into the same plastic laminate used for kitchen countertops, ect...This provides you with a very durable, waterproof decorative covering for tables, countertops, signs, wall murals, lobbies, reception, etc...  We also have permission to use any picture from any National Geographic Magazine in your design,  just tell us the issue and that's it! See more info below to start your new exciting project.

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Graphic Image / Digital Laminate

By far the most advanced technologically, Graphic Imaging is a custom print option which captures full color, photographic images.  Graphic Imaging can replicate images created on computer or designs which can be scanned electronically.  Since our Graphic Image process is a full color reproduction, the appearance of the print presents itself in a digital format.  Our image resolution is 300 d.p.i., even on a large finished replication.

Graphic Imaging is the newest process to our Custom Laminate offering and the success of this process continues to amaze us.  One of the key factors to keep in mind about Graphic Image is that we can only reproduce the quality of what is given to us.  For example, if the only available artwork is a faxed copy of a copy, then our finished laminate will only duplicate that art.  In some cases, we can recreate certain images, however, this is time consuming and expensive to accomplish.

Features, Facts & Benefits of Graphic Imaging.

Sizes Available: 3’, 4’, in All Standard Lengths / 5’ Width in 8’ and 10’ Lengths.

Patterns Available:  Light colored solids and patterns.  NOTE:  Graphic Imaging is a somewhat transparent print.  When produced onto woodgrains and certain dark colors & designs, that background design will “bleed through” the graphics.

Minimum Order Quantity:  None

There may be a charge for sample prototype(s) depending upon the degree of labor required to process the prototype.

All prices are quoted on a “per project” basis.  We do not have a standardized price list for Graphic Imaging.  Our quotations are based on the following information:

a)         Artwork available by the customer

You will notice that there is not as dramatic a decrease in price with volume orders for Graphic Imaging as there is with silk-screening.  This process is measured on output which is much slower by comparison.

Silk-screened Laminates:

Silk-screening is an art form of printing that enables us to incorporate into the body of our laminate, single or multiple colored images.  The identifying characteristic of a silkscreen is that the image takes on a “painted” and very opaque color appearance.  Colors are bright and vivid and are one-dimensional in presentation.

Features, Facts & Benefits of Silk-screened Laminates:

Sizes Available: 3’, 4’, in All Standard Lengths / 5’ Width in 8’ and 10’ Length

Patterns Available:        All Wilsonart Design Group I and Design Group II colors and patterns that are compatible with the design of the silkscreen.  Avoid dark colored patterns such as black, dark blue and purple.  These colors are difficult to print on and because the “hiding power” of certain pigments in silkscreen inks do not have the strength or pigment loading to cover the dark base colors.

Minimum Quantity Order:  None

All prices are quoted on a “per project” basis.  We do not have standardized price lists for silk-screened custom laminates.  Our quotations are based on the following information:

a)         Quantity of Sheets Ordered

b)         Number of colors in the image to be printed.

c)         Size of the image

d)         Artwork available by the customer.

Samples can be provided in a size of 16”x20”.  There may be a charge for sample prototype(s) depending upon the degree of labor required to process the prototype.

Seamless Inlay:

Custom designed laminates created by Seamless Inlay are uniquely designed through a “paper layering” process.  This particular process allows a design to be created with the concept of “stenciling” in mind.  Keep in mind that all decorative laminates are created with a decorative printed pattern sheet or a solid color paper.  These decorative papers give the laminates their identity of woodgrain, pattern or solid color.

With Seamless Inlay, we layer to sheets of paper as opposed to just one.  One of the decorative sheets has a pattern or design “cut out of it” and that sheet is then laid on top of another sheet of paper.  These sheets are then pressed together at one time in our manufacturing process, creating seamless and unique inlayed effects.

As with any paper art, there are few minor limitations to the process.  At this time, we are able to offer the “field” of a seamless inlay in primarily non-solid papers with solid colors available with approval of Custom Design.  Although there are a few exclusions you may select any design for layer “A” in our seamless inlay process.  However, layer “B” can be any paper, solid, pattern  or woodgrain of your choice.  Solid colored papers are made differently than printed papers and are very soft by nature and therefore makes them difficult to cut cleanly and smoothly.  This is why approval is necessary before specifying a solid color as the field color for an inlay.

In addition, there are some print designs that are also higher in ash content than others and they also have a softer makeup than others.  So, there are a limited number of printed designs that are not compatible with seamless inlay.

Keep in mind that seamless inlays are two full sized sheets of paper that are layered.  An inlay design  may not contain any “floating” or “unconnected” paper pieces in the design of layer “A”.  The paper must stay in tact once cut.  If a design is created that “detaches” any portion of the paper, it is unacceptable for seamless inlay.  A good reminder is to think of layer “A” as a lace tablecloth.  Once this table cloth is spread out on the table, the underlying surface shows through the holes to create the inlay effect.

Features, Facts & Benefits of Seamless Inlay Laminates

 Sizes Available: 3’, 4’, in All Standard Lengths / 5’ Width in 8’ and 10’ Length.

Patterns Available:  Any Wilsonart non-solid pattern with the exception of a few non-preferable papers that cut poorly.  All patterns are subject to the approval and consideration of the difficulty of the image to be cut.

Minimum Quantity Order:     None

 All prices are quoted on a “per project” basis.  The variables in the cost of an inlay are:

                        a)         Quantity of Sheets Ordered

                        b)         Art Preparation for digitizing of image.

 Samples can be provided in a size of 16”x20”

 There may be a charge for sample prototype(s) depending upon the degree of labor required to process the prototype..

Custom Laminate Artwork Formatting Guidelines

The best type of file for custom laminate is a vector-based file.  This is due to the fact that resolution is not a concern with vector based files and therefore we can enlarge an image as much as we need to without a problem with clarity. 

For VECTOR based files, submit artwork in the following file formats:

1.      Adobe Illustrator:  Save using a .ai or extension (ex:  file .ai) save the file as an illustrator file.  Compatibility:  Version 9.  Also, you can save using a .EPS extension as an EPS file.  Compatibility:  Version 9 Preview:  None (For PC) or Version 8 or before (For Mac)

2.      Freehand:  Version 9 and before.  You can also export as an EPS file.  Make sure all imported files are embedded.

ON ALL VECTOR BASED FILES:  Convert all fonts to outlines (or paths)  this is the ONLY way to insure that we will be able to print the fonts you want.

If color reference is specified as a Pantone color in the file, Wilsonart will match to that referenced Pantone color.  Otherwise, please submit a hard copy showing the colors being needed.  When specifying Pantone colors please use UNCOATED color references. 

For RASTER (Photo) based files, know the size the picture will be enlarged to when made into custom laminate.  At full, finished size the digital file of the photo will need to be no less than 72dpi.  100 dpi is a better resolution but depending on file size, you may not be able to get this much resolution.  We usually try to keep the file size under 350 Meg.  As an example, if you are scanning a photo at a 1:1 ratio, scan at either 72 or 100 dpi.  If the photo needs to be enlarged 200%, the scan will have to be 200 dpi.

3.      PhotoShop for photographic work; Version 6.0 or before.  Save files as .tif  or .psd files.  If your artwork is in layers in PhotoShop, please send the files to us in layers.  Also, for color matching purposes we will need a hard copy of the colors you want to see.  If the file originated in illustrator or freehand please send us the original file instead of a PhotoShop file.

For Custom Laminate Inlays:

4.  AutoCAD:  Version: AutoCAD Lt. 97

This if for the INLAY PROCESS ONLY.  Please do not send an AutoCAD file for graphic image or silkscreen.  Save the file as a dxf file, make sure that all work is on layer zero. Each individual shape needs to be a polyline, not individual lines.  Example:  a square should not be 4 lines that represent a square, it should be an actual solid object.  Also, please try to avoid any duplicate shapes (lines on top of identical lines)

We are also able to use the following formats:

Corel Draw:

We are able to read files Version 8.0 or earlier FOR PC.  If you have a Mac based Corel file you need to export the file as an EPS file.  For extra insurance have the file exported as an illustrator file. (.ai) also.  Corel files cannot be used for the graphic process.  We will have to convert the file to an EPS format.  Therefore, keep the file size as small as possible.  Corel tends to expand rapidly when converted to EPS files.

Do not send a PageMaker file or a Quark Express file.