Poster Traveling Tips: How far can you go?
The type of paper you print on and the supplies you use for protecting your poster impact how far it can travel.
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Local Events
When you are staying locally or only traveling a short distance, there are fewer opportunities for your poster to be damaged during travel. We recommend printing on our Heavyweight paper or glossy paper, especially if you are only using your poster a few times. Both papers are fairly durable and they can travel short distances rolled up with little to no damage. You can print on our professional satin paper or fabric paper as well to make your poster stand out, especially if this is a poster that you plan on reusing. At the Engineering Computer Lab, we will also place your poster inside a protective plastic bag to keep it safe from the weather for no extra cost.
In-State Events
Traveling to a conference in state? Printing on our heavyweight paper, glossy paper, or professional satin paper should suit your needs. Depending on how many people you will be driving with and how much luggage there is, you may want to invest in a poster tube. We sell 36” poster tubes at the computer lab, and you can find them at a mailing store, office supplies store, or online. If you want to pack your poster in your luggage or if you are traveling to a few different places, our fabric paper will work best. It is much more flexible, it lasts longer, and it can be folded and unfolded without leaving permanent creases. Simply set your iron to the silk setting to get rid of slight creases.
Out-of-State Events
For Out-of-state events, the kind of paper and protection you want for your posters depends on how you are traveling. If you are going by car, depending on how much space you have, a poster tube may work just fine for the trip. With a poster tube you can print on our heavyweight, glossy, or professional satin paper. It is good practice to call in advance if you plan on bringing a poster tube on an airplane, but most airlines will not have an issue with you using your poster tube as an extra carry-on. On an airplane where you have less luggage space, printing your poster on fabric paper could be a good option. It also eliminates the risk of losing your poster by checking it in or leaving it behind.