How to Choose Corrugated Plastic Sheets for Printing

You have already chosen your printing equipment and ink. Now you need a batch of white corrugated plastic sheets. But before quoting, the supplier asks where the finished signs will be used, which sides you will print and when printing will begin.

Why do these details matter when the printing process is already decided? They help define the surface treatment and performance requirements the sheets need to meet.

This guide helps you turn those requirements into a clear purchasing specification. It explains what to confirm about surface treatment, dyne level and indoor or outdoor use, then outlines the remaining details to check before requesting a quote and approving a sample.

Start With Your Existing Printing Process

Tell your sheet supplier which printing equipment and ink you already use. These details help the supplier confirm surface-treatment requirements and propose suitable material for testing.

Share Your Printing Method and Ink Details

A request for “sheets suitable for UV printing” is a useful starting point, but it leaves important details open. Provide:

• Printing method: UV digital, screen or flexographic printing.
• Ink details: The ink brand and series, or the ink supplier’s requirements for the substrate.
• Equipment requirements: The printer model and any limits on sheet thickness, dimensions or flatness.
• Supply condition: Confirm that you need unprinted sheets for your own printing operation.

If you already have an approved material specification, share it with your sheet supplier. Otherwise, ask your ink supplier to confirm whether the specific ink series is suitable for corrugated polypropylene and what surface treatment and dyne level it requires. Pass these requirements to your sheet supplier so they can recommend suitable material for testing. process.

Confirm the Printed Sides and Material Compatibility

Specify whether the artwork will appear on one side or both sides, and agree on which surfaces require treatment. For sheets treated on one side, confirm how the printing face will be identified.

Remember that unprinted does not mean untreated. Blank sheets can be supplied with surface treatment ready for further processing.

Also mention any folding, creasing or other work planned after printing. Include these operations in the sample trial so you can check the printed sheet through the intended production process.

Confirm Surface Treatment and the Required Dyne Level

Agree on a dyne-level requirement that matches your ink and printing process. A specification that only says “corona treated” leaves the target value, treated sides and testing time unclear.

What Does Dyne Level Tell You?

Dyne level helps assess how readily a liquid wets the sheet’s surface. Poor wetting can cause ink to bead or spread unevenly instead of forming the intended image.

Corrugated plastic sheets made from polypropylene have naturally low surface energy. Corona treatment raises that surface energy, helping compatible inks spread across the surface.

However, a dyne reading does not prove final ink adhesion. Enercon explains that reaching a particular dyne level alone cannot guarantee a successful bond.

How Do You Set the Required Dyne Level?

There is no single target that should be applied to every printing project. Start with the requirements of the actual ink, then confirm the sheet through testing.

Use these four steps:

• Check the ink requirements. Ask your ink supplier whether the ink is suitable for corrugated polypropylene and what surface condition it requires.
• Agree on a measurable specification. Record the target dyne level, unit—typically dyn/cm—treated sides and test method.
• Define when it applies. Clarify whether the agreed value must be met before shipment, on arrival or immediately before printing.
• Verify with a print trial. Use the intended equipment and ink, then check the result after the specified drying or curing period.

The aim is to establish a suitable, repeatable surface condition. Asking for the highest available dyne level does not replace this process.

Recommended Reading: Dyne Level for Corrugated Plastic Printing

Check Treatment Condition Before Printing

Surface treatment can decline over time, and storage conditions matter. Coroplast identifies grease, water, dust and direct sunlight as factors that can affect the treatment condition of its sheets.

Tell the supplier how long shipping and storage are expected to take. Follow the recommended storage instructions, protect the printing faces from contamination and check their condition before production.

For example, an acceptable reading before shipment does not establish what the reading will be after several months in storage. Recording the tested side, result and test date makes that difference easier to track.

Use dyne testing alongside an actual printing and adhesion check. This confirms both the surface condition and how the sheet performs with your production setup.

Match the Sheet to Indoor or Outdoor Use

Tell your supplier where the printed sheet will be used and how long it needs to remain serviceable. These details help define the required outdoor protection and the evidence needed to assess suitability.

Define the Exposure Conditions and Expected Service Life

An indoor retail display and an outdoor yard sign may use the same printing process, but they face different conditions.

For an indoor display, describe its location and whether it will receive direct sunlight through windows. For an outdoor project, provide:

• Location: The country or region where the sign will be installed.
• Duration: The expected display period and whether use is continuous or occasional.
• Exposure: Direct sunlight, rain and expected temperature conditions.
• Installation: Whether the sheet will be supported by a frame, fixed to a wall or mounted on stakes.

For example, a sign displayed outdoors for a weekend event has different requirements from one installed in an exposed location for an extended period. Give the supplier that context before requesting an “outdoor-grade” sheet.

Confirm UV Protection for the Sheet

For outdoor use, ask whether the proposed sheet needs a UV-stabilized formulation and what supporting information is available for that material.

Water resistance alone does not establish resistance to sunlight. Increasing thickness also does not replace the need to confirm UV protection.

Ask whether available test results or field-use records cover the proposed formulation, thickness and color. Check the exposure conditions and what was measured rather than relying only on a general claim such as “weather-resistant.”

Recommended Reading: Printed Corrugated Plastic Outdoor Lifespan

Check the Printed Image Separately

The sheet and the printed image need separate performance checks. A board may remain intact while its graphics fade or lose adhesion.

Confirm both requirements:

• Sheet performance: Whether the board will retain the integrity and shape needed for the application.
• Print performance: Whether the ink will retain acceptable color and adhesion under the intended exposure conditions.

Ask your ink supplier for outdoor-use guidance for the specific ink series. Any expected service life should account for both the sheet and the print, with clearly stated conditions.

Confirm the Remaining Specifications Before Requesting a Quote

Specify thickness and GSM together. GSM means grams per square meter, and sheets with the same thickness can have different weights. Check that the proposed sheet meets your printer’s material limits and the finished product’s stiffness needs.

Confirm the available standard or custom sizes. The dimensions should fit your printing equipment and cutting layout, with suitable edge allowances and agreed tolerances.

Ask for the MOQ for each specification, especially when ordering different colors, sizes or formulations. Stock sheets may have different minimum quantities from sheets made specifically for your order.

Price depends on the material, thickness, GSM, dimensions, treatment and quantity, as well as any processing and delivery costs. Compare matching specifications and check what each quotation includes.

Recommended Reading:
Corrugated Plastic Sheet Buying Guide & Corrugated Plastic Sheet Price Factors

Find the Right Sheet for Your Printing Project

Choosing corrugated plastic sheets for printing starts with your existing equipment, ink and intended use. Clear surface-treatment and performance requirements give your supplier a practical basis for recommending suitable material.

If you need help confirming these requirements, contact the JIANXIN PLASTIC team. Share your printing method, ink details and indoor or outdoor application so we can discuss suitable sheet options and help you prepare a clear purchasing specification.