Printable Vinyl Vs. Coloured Vinyl: What’s The Difference And When Should You Use Each?

​Vinyl is one of the most common and versatile materials used for modern sign making but before you get cracking, you’ll need to decide whether it’s better to use printable vinyl or coloured sign vinyl. Both are popular options, and both have their strengths, but knowing when to use each can save time, cut costs and help you achieve the exact finish your client wants.

What Is Printable Vinyl?

Printable vinyl is exactly what it sounds like - vinyl you can run through a wide-format printer to create full-colour images, gradients, logos, and high-resolution designs. It’s perfect for projects that involve complex artwork, photographic elements, or brand-specific colours that can’t be matched with standard vinyl shades.

This type of vinyl printing media comes with a printable topcoat that allows ink to bond properly, ensuring sharp, vibrant prints. A popular choice is Metamark MD3, a high-quality intermediate, calendered, self-adhesive vinyl that offers great print quality and durability for mid-term applications like vehicle graphics, exhibition panels and retail signage.

If you’ve got access to a solvent, eco-solvent, latex, or UV printer, printable vinyl gives you almost unlimited creative freedom.

What Is Coloured Sign Vinyl?

Coloured vinyl, on the other hand, is pre-pigmented vinyl in a wide range of colours and finishes. Think gloss, matt, satin and metallics. It doesn’t go through a printer. Instead, you cut your design straight from the vinyl using a plotter or cutter.

This is ideal for text, logos, and simpler shapes where colour matching isn’t critical. Because it skips the printing and laminating stages, it’s fast, efficient and great for projects on a tighter budget or deadline.

Metamark offers a wide range of coloured sign vinyl, including their 7 Series and M4 range, both of which deliver excellent weeding, adhesion and outdoor durability.

When Should You Use Each One?

Here’s a simple way to decide:

Use printable vinyl when:

1. The design is full-colour, detailed, or photographic
2. You need gradients or complex branding
3. The colour palette can’t be achieved with stock vinyls
4. You have access to a wide-format printer

Use coloured vinyl when:

1. You’re working with solid colours, text, or simple shapes
2. You want to save time on short-run or repeat jobs
3. You don’t have access to a printer
4. You need high durability with fewer production steps

A Word On Self-Adhesive Vinyl

Both printable and coloured vinyls fall under the wider category of self-adhesive vinyl, meaning they come with an adhesive backing ready to apply, no messy glues needed. Whether printed or plotted, self-adhesive vinyl makes application quick, clean and reliable.

In the end, there’s no single right answer for every application. It all depends on the job. Some sign-makers even combine both, using printable vinyl for a complex logo and coloured sign vinyl for accompanying text.

The real trick is knowing your materials, knowing which one will work best and that’s where Signmaster Systems comes in to help you make the right choices for both you and your clients.

Need advice? We’re always here to help you choose the right vinyl printing media for your next project. Contact us today.