Playing cards are not only fun to play with, but can also make great custom gifts. However, buying customized playing cards can get expensive. That’s why learning how to copy existing playing cards and print your own custom decks at home is handy.
In this step-by-step guide, as a professional custom playing card printing manufacturer, I’ll show you exactly how to copy and print your own playing cards from start to finish using common household items.
How to Copy Playing Cards and Print
Get High-Quality Cardstock
The first step is to get cardstock that’s optimized for playing cards. I recommend 110# index cardstock. It has the perfect thickness and durability for playing cards that need to stand up to shuffling and gameplay.
You can find quality cardstock at most office supply stores or print shops. Make sure to get a laser-printer friendly variety, as laser toner adheres better to cardstock than inkjet ink.
When buying cardstock, get more than you think you’ll need. Nothing’s more frustrating than getting halfway through a print run only to realize you’re a few sheets short!
Scan Your Cards at High Resolution
To copy a deck of playing cards, you first need to scan them. This digitizes the cards so you can print out as many duplicate sets as you want.
Scan the cards at at least 300 dpi to capture all of the fine details of the artwork and text. I recommend using a dedicated photo scanner for best results. But you can also use a printer/scanner combo or phone scanning app if you don’t have access to a photo scanner.
Be sure to scan both the front and backs of the cards if you want to recreate the full deck.
Pro Tip – Scan one card first as a test. Check carefully for any defects before scanning the rest of the deck. That way if you do have any scanner issues you only have to rescan a single card!
Touch Up the Scans
Once you’ve scanned your cards, it’s a good idea to do some editing in a photo editor before printing. This ensures any imperfections from the scanning process don’t make it onto your finished cards.
Use the clone stamp tool to remove specks of dust or glare spots. Zoom way in close to look for any hidden defects. The tiniest imperfection might not even be visible on screen, but will show up when you go to print the cards.
You can also use the cropping tool to trim off any white borders if your scans have them. Getting an edge-to-edge scan is best. But cropping is easy enough if your scanner left a border.
Format Your Cards for Printing
With clean digital copies of your cards ready, it’s time to get them formatted for printing.
Use photo editing software like Photoshop to arrange images of the card fronts and backs on a page. Make sure to leave a small gap in between cards to give you space to cut them out.
You can fit around 9 cards on an 8.5″ x 11″ sheet of cardstock. But feel free to make them bigger or smaller depending on your preference. Just keep in mind that smaller cards = more difficult cutting!
Double check all cards are oriented correctly before you print. Nothing’s worse than having upside down cards in your finished deck!
Pro Tip – Print a test page with regular paper first. That way you can check alignment before using up your nice cardstock.
Lock In Your Printer Settings
Printing directly on cardstock requires special printer settings. So don’t skip this step!
For inkjet printers, use the thick paper setting or install a special feed tray made for cardstock. This ensures the machine grabs the sheets correctly to avoid jams.
With laser printers, set the paper type to a heavy cardstock setting. This adjusts the fuser temperature so the toner fully bonds with the cardstock surface.
Always print your cards in monochrome/black and white mode. Color toner and ink don’t adhere nearly as well to cardstock. Plus monochrome printing is cheaper!
Pro Tip – Print a couple pages first before doing your whole deck. Check carefully for any print defects or areas where the ink didn’t fully adhere.
Cut Out Your Playing Cards
With your sheets of printed playing cards ready, it’s time to cut them out. You’ll want to use an extra-sharp craft knife and metal ruler for clean cuts.
First, use your ruler to lightly score cut lines between all of the cards. This prevents the cardstock from tearing unevenly when you make your final cuts.
For perfectly rounded corners, invest in a dedicated corner rounder punch. You can find affordable ones made specifically for playing cards on Amazon.
If you plan on making decks of cards regularly, a professional paper cutter is 100% worth the investment. It makes cutting deck after deck fast, easy and uniform.
Pro Tip – Use a self healing mat underneath your cardstock as you cut if you have one. This prevents damage to the table or desk below from any slip-ups with your craft knife!
Sleeve Your Playing Cards
As a final touch to protect your DIY playing cards and make them feel extra slick, sleeve them in standard card protector sleeves.
You can find affordable clear sleeves sold specifically for playing card sizes online or at gaming stores. Just slide each finished card into a sleeve opening before you start your poker night!
The sleeves prevent scuffs, fingerprints and marking on your cards during gameplay. Plus, they make shuffling way easier since plastic sleeves have less friction against each other than cardstock does.
So if you want to copy and print your own custom playing cards at home, give these tips a try. With some quality cardstock, detailed scans of your original deck, printing prep and clean cutting, you’ll have affordable homemade cards ready for game night!