How long does it take to print a banner?
Every banner printer is different, but here’s what affects how long it takes to print a banner:
- Design time. (0-2 days) Some companies make you wait for their designers to send you a proof, which you have to approve before they start printing. Some let you design your own banner online, which means you don’t have to wait for a proof — your banner is immediately added to the printing queue.
- Print time. (1 day) Most banners take half an hour or less to print, but most banner companies print a whole roll of blank banner material at a time. So on average, it takes about a day for your banner (and the others on its banner roll) to print.
- Cutting time. (0-1 day) Depending on the size of the banners, it may take anywhere from an hour to a day to cut each individual banner off the roll it was printed on.
- Dry time. (0-1 day) Your banner has to dry for a minimum of 6 hours, or ideally overnight, to make sure the ink won’t smudge.
- Finish time. (0-1 day) One step many people forget about is finishing. This is when the edges of the banner get hemmed, and metal grommet holes are added. After the banner dries, it waits in line to be finished, anywhere from 1 to 4 business hours.
- Shipping time. (1-5 days) After the banner is finished, it’s put in a box and it has to wait for the next pickup. Then it is up to FedEx, UPS, or whatever delivery service your banner company offers to deliver the banner to you.
On average, it takes about one week for your banner to arrive. If you use a company where you don’t have to wait for a proof, we recommend ordering your banner 2 weeks before you need it, just to make sure it arrives early. If you choose another company that makes you wait for a proof, you should add an extra week – you never know how many changes you’ll have to request on the banner design, and every time you request a change, a designer has to make the change and send you a new proof.
