Kraft or Full Colour? Choosing a Print Finish for Honeycomb Board
The brown face of honeycomb board is either the best part of the design or the thing that ruins it. Decide which before the file goes to press.
The right print finish for honeycomb board depends on the design. Print directly on the natural kraft face when the job is typographic, one or two colours, and the brown look is part of the brand. Laminate a printed white sheet onto the board when the job needs photographs, brand colours that must match, pale tints or fine detail. A white ink base under direct print sits between the two.
This article walks through how each finish looks, what it does to colour and cost, how to treat the cut edges, and where each choice goes wrong. It applies to standard kraft honeycomb board of the kind phb manufactures in Balakong, Selangor, Malaysia, in thicknesses from 10mm to 50mm.
When the natural kraft face is the right print finish
Direct print on kraft suits bold type, logos, line illustrations and simple shapes in dark or strong colours: menu boards, wayfinding, rustic wedding and café signage, eco-themed retail headers and packaging-style graphics. The brown face reads as natural and handmade, and it tells the viewer the sign is paper before anyone explains it.
Expect colours to shift. Ink printed on brown loses brightness, yellows and light blues turn muddy, and white cannot be printed without a white ink layer. Proof one panel on the actual board before running the job, and design with dark ink on the kraft rather than fighting it.
When to laminate a full-colour printed sheet
Laminate a printed paper sheet onto the face when the graphic depends on photographs, skin tones, gradients, pale backgrounds or corporate colours that must match other materials in the campaign. The board then behaves like a rigid poster: bright white base, the print quality of paper, and a surface that can take a matt or gloss protective film.
A middle route on UV flatbed presses is to print a white ink underbase on the kraft and colour on top of it. It brightens selected areas while leaving the rest of the board brown, which works for logos and product shots set into a natural background.
Edges, sides and what each finish costs
Direct kraft print leaves the cut edge showing the hexagonal cells, which suits the natural look and can be left open or covered with kraft tape. A laminated full-colour panel looks finished only when the edge is capped with tape, a printed strip or a frame, so allow for that step in the job.
Direct print is the shorter route: one pass on the press and a cut. Lamination adds a printed sheet, the laminating step and edge finishing, so it costs more per panel. As an illustrative example, a café chain might run menu boards on kraft and keep laminated full colour for the promotional panel with food photography.
Where each finish is the wrong choice
Kraft direct print is the wrong choice for photographs, pale or exact brand colours and fine text below a readable size, because the brown face softens them. Laminated full colour is the wrong choice when the brief is to look natural and unprinted, or when the budget only covers one press pass. Neither finish makes standard honeycomb waterproof: for damp areas, outdoor use or wet cleaning, specify a coated or laminated build with a protective film, or choose plastic or treated plywood.
Frequently asked questions
Can you print white on brown kraft honeycomb board?
Yes, but only with a white ink layer. UV flatbed presses that carry white ink can print a white base on the kraft face and then colour on top of it. Without white ink, light colours simply disappear into the brown. For large white areas, laminating a printed white sheet onto the board is usually cleaner and more even.
Why do colours look dull when printed on kraft board?
Kraft paper is brown and absorbs light, so ink printed on it loses brightness and pale colours turn muddy. Dark and strong colours hold up well, which is why kraft suits bold type and logos. For exact brand colours or photographs, print on a white sheet and laminate it to the honeycomb board instead.
Where can I get honeycomb board for printing in Malaysia?
phb manufactures kraft honeycomb board in Balakong, Selangor, in thicknesses from 10mm to 50mm and sheet sizes up to 2.4m x 1.2m, for print shops, sign makers and designers. Ask for a sample kit to proof both kraft direct print and a laminated finish on your own press before quoting the job.
Proof both finishes on real board
Tell us your press, the design and the thickness you have in mind. We will send a sample kit so you can test a kraft direct print and a laminated panel side by side.