Playing cards are more than just a classic game. They can express your personality, showcase your interests, or make a perfect favor for events. But flimsy paper cards won’t cut it if you want your deck to last through intense gameplay. Plastic playing cards combine high quality with extreme durability.
Unfortunately, printing directly onto plastic isn’t yet possible on a standard home printer. However, there are several easy DIY techniques to create your own custom plastic deck. As a professional custom playing card printing manufacturer, I will share everything you need to know about how to print plastic playing cards in 2024.
Use Online Printing Services for Simple Customization
The easiest way to get custom printed plastic cards is through an online printing service. Companies like MPC and PrinterStudio have streamlined the entire process of uploading your designs and getting durable printed decks shipped straight to your home.
With online printers, you can easily customize the card faces while keeping standard card backs. On services like Make Playing Cards, just choose a template and upload your own unique designs. The company prints them directly onto smooth plastic cards coated in their special finish for excellent shuffling.
Benefits:
- No design experience or complex image editing required
- Low minimum orders, fast turnaround time
- High-quality card stock and professional printing quality
Drawbacks:
- Less flexibility for completely custom decks
- Costs more for large orders or foil finishes
If you want full control to design card fronts, backs, and every detail, sites like GoBookPrinting allow that too. Just contact them directly for a custom quote. Check out this tutorial on prepping properly formatted design files.
Use a Professional Printer for Fully Custom Plastic Playing Cards
For more complex or large volume projects, consider having a professional printer produce your plastic playing cards. Going through a commercial printing process allows the highest degree of personalization – you can customize finishes, thicknesses, sizes, and every design detail.
A printer can apply a durable plastic layer onto high-quality card stock. This creates a deck that’s waterproof and extremely resilient to wear while keeping an elegant paper-like texture.
You provide the completed card faces and backs artwork to the printer. If you don’t have graphic design experience, you can hire a freelancer to handle the formatting and complex prep work involved.
Benefits:
- Total creative freedom over every card detail
- Can accommodate large orders for selling decks
- Very high print quality with layered plastic finish
Drawbacks:
- High setup costs and minimum order requirements
- Significant production time, often 4+ weeks
- Requires properly formatted print-ready files
For the highest quality and most durable results, professional printing is the best option if you can meet order minimums. The initial investment pays off through exquisite decks perfect for enthusiasts and selling.
DIY It Using Transparent Sheets
If you want more customization than basic online printing but aren’t ready for a full professional printing order, there’s a middle ground. A DIY approach using transparent sheets lets you print and produce short-run custom decks on your own.
You need to source suitable transparent plastic sheets. Good options are:
- Clear polyester sheets
- Rigid see-through presentation covers
- Full-page transparency film
Tips when selecting plastic sheets:
- At least 0.5mm thickness for rigidity
- Matte or eggshell finish for ink adhesion
- Sheet size fits your printer and desired cards
From there, it works just like regular paper printing. Design your deck digitally, then print directly onto the blank plastic sheets. Let the ink fully cure before handling to avoid smudging.
Cut down the printed sheets using a sharp blade or heavy duty rotary paper trimmer. A corner rounder gives the cards a nice professional edge. Stack the cut cards and sleeve them with clear protectors.
Benefits:
- Highly customizable card designs
- Short print runs feasible (10 decks or fewer ideal)
- Much faster and cheaper than professional printing
Drawbacks:
- Ink adhesion varies depending on plastic finish
- Cutting many sheets by hand takes patience
- Not very suited for high volume orders
Going the DIY transparency route gives you the versatility to test out designs at low volumes before investing in a large professional printer order. Take the opportunity to showcase your creativity!
Which Method Is Best for You?
It all comes down to your specific goals and needs when determining the ideal printing process for custom plastic playing cards:
- Online printing services like MPC hit the sweet spot for no-fuss customization balanced with great quality. Perfect for personal projects or gifting decks to friends.
- Professional printers offer unparalleled richness and durability when you want to sell high volumes of intricately designed decks tailored precisely to your artistic vision.
- DIY transparency sheets provide an accessible in-between when you want more creative freedom without the full commitment of a 500+ unit printer order. Test out designs at low volumes.
Hopefully this breakdown gave you more insight into achieving stunning personalized plastic playing cards through different printing techniques. Don’t settle for flimsy paper decks – bring your wildest ideas to life with professional or custom printed plastic cards!