Spot UV: Premium Finish, Rush Timeline
A raised glossy accent on your headline, logo, or key image — the finishing detail that makes your piece unforgettable. Available on rush orders with next-day production.
What Spot UV Does to a Print Piece
Spot UV applies a clear, high-gloss coating to specific elements of your design while the rest stays matte. The coated areas are shiny and slightly raised. They catch light differently than the surrounding surface and create a tactile dimension you can feel with your fingertips.
The effect is subtle and striking at the same time. A logo coated in spot UV reflects light with a clean flash. A headline pops against the matte background. A product image takes on depth and dimension that flat printing cannot achieve.
For marketing materials on tight deadlines — trade show handouts, event invitations, product launch cards — spot UV signals quality without requiring a completely different design. It is the same artwork, elevated by a finishing technique that makes people pick up your piece first.
Spot UV and Your Rush Timeline
Here is the honest truth: spot UV adds time. The process requires a separate coating pass with a custom mask aligned to your printed piece. This cannot happen inline with standard printing — it is a distinct production step.
On a rush order, spot UV adds one business day to your production timeline. If same-day production on a standard flyer delivers your prints tomorrow, adding spot UV delivers them the day after.
Plan accordingly. If your event is Friday and today is Tuesday, you have room for spot UV with next-day production and overnight shipping. If your event is Thursday and today is Tuesday, standard gloss or matte UV — which adds zero production time — is the safer choice.
The checkout page calculates your delivery date with spot UV factored in, so there are no surprises. Choose your options and confirm the delivery date works before you commit.
Setting Up Your Spot UV File
Spot UV requires two files: your print file (the full-color design) and a mask file (a guide showing where the coating goes).
To create the mask: duplicate your design file. Delete everything except the elements you want coated. Fill those elements with solid 100 percent black. Save as a separate PDF at the exact same dimensions as your print file.
Rules for the mask: no gradients (spot UV is on or off), text above 8pt (smaller text can fill in), and lines at least 1pt thick. The mask must align perfectly with the print file — same dimensions, same position on the page.
If you are not sure your mask is set up correctly, upload both files and our prepress team will verify alignment before production. On rush orders, we prioritize mask review to keep your timeline intact.
Best Paper Pairings for Spot UV
The spot UV effect depends on contrast between the coated and uncoated surfaces. Matte stocks produce the strongest visual contrast because the glossy coating stands out dramatically against the flat background.
14pt matte cover stock is the premium combination. Thick card stock with a matte surface creates the most dramatic spot UV effect. Ideal for business cards, postcards, and event invitations where tactile impression matters.
100lb matte text stock is the best option for flyers and handouts with spot UV. The matte surface delivers excellent coating contrast and the text weight keeps pieces lightweight for distribution.
Gloss stocks with spot UV add texture — you can feel the raised coating — but the visual contrast is reduced because both surfaces are shiny. For maximum impact, pair with matte.
When Spot UV Is Worth the Extra Day
Spot UV is worth the timeline addition when your piece needs to compete for attention. Conference table displays, trade show handouts, VIP event invitations, and premium business cards — these are situations where the tactile difference between a standard piece and a spot UV piece translates directly into engagement.
For mass distribution — 5,000 flyers handed out at a festival, door-to-door drops, car windshield pieces — the extra cost and timeline for spot UV may not be justified. Standard gloss UV provides excellent protection and visual enhancement for bulk materials.
A practical approach for rush orders: print your main run with gloss or matte UV for fast turnaround, and print a smaller premium run with spot UV for display locations and VIP distribution. Two production orders, both on rush, both delivered on time.
Add Spot UV to Your Rush Order
Upload your design and mask files. See the adjusted delivery date at checkout — premium finish, guaranteed timeline.
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