Glossy Photo Paper Guide
Before You Start
- Printer: Have a printer and know if it has pigment and/or dye black inks.
Glossy papers like Uinkit need dye black; pigment black will be mixed from color inks.
See the Printer Guide. - Export final cards to a printable PDF; see Images & Formatting.
- Materials: Uinkit Double Sided Photo Paper Glossy (100 sheets) or 200 sheets plus the thinnest laminate you can find (ideally 1.5–3 mil) to keep thickness close to factory cards. Optional: 2.5" x 3.5" 12pt Blank Cards for mounting.
Choose Media
Recommended: Uinkit Double Sided Photo Paper Glossy
Buy on Amazon | Paper Guide entry
High-gloss, double sided, and shines after laminating. Blacks are mixed from color inks on most printers because glossy media doesn't use pigment black.
Laminate pairing
Use the thinnest laminate you can (1.5–3 mil) to keep total thickness and stiffness near a factory card and reduce glare. Let prints dry fully before sealing to avoid bubbles.
1Print the Cards
Choose the correct media type:
- Photo/Glossy (for Uinkit)
- Double-sided prints: print fronts, then backs after drying.
Quality: High or Best. Disable draft/eco modes.
- • If blacks look washed out, try sRGB color mode and bump contrast 5–10%.
- • Let each side dry fully (5–10 minutes) before printing the opposite side.
Scale: 100% (no fit-to-page). Borderless OFF for exact 2.5 × 3.5 in layout.
Color: Let printer manage colors or sRGB; avoid aggressive auto-enhance.
2Laminate Thin
- Let prints dry 10–15 minutes before sealing to prevent haze or silvering.
- Use the thinnest laminate available (1.5–3 mil). Thicker (5 mil+) quickly overshoots factory thickness.
- Run the laminator on the lowest heat that still seals; a second pass on low is better than one hot pass to avoid waves.
- Keep dust out of the pouch; start laminating from the sealed edge to push air out gradually.
- For standalone use, leave a hairline laminate border for a sealed edge. If mounting to blanks, you can flush-cut after sealing.
3Cutting
- 1Cut just one laminated sheet at a time for accuracy.
- 2Use plenty of light so you can see cut lines through the laminate.
- 3Square the top/bottom then left/right margins before individual cards.
- 4Cut out each card, staying just outside the artwork.
Rotary Trimmer—Buy Our Recommendation
- Keep in mind the cut is on the outside of the sharpener.
Fiskars Trimmer—Buy Our Recommendation
- Hold the paper flat while cutting so it doesn't lift or drift.
- Make sure the blade is sharp; replace if you feel drag or see fuzzy edges.
Guillotine Cutters—Buy Our Recommendation
- Align to the fence/grid and keep the paper square; use the paper clamp if available.
- Use a firm, smooth downward motion.
- Keep fingers clear and ensure the blade is sharp and secured.
4Corner RoundingBuy Our Recommendation
- Use a 3 mm radius rounder for a factory-like look; laminated edges may need a slightly firmer press.
- "Double tap" (cut it twice) the corners to make sure you get a nice round corner through laminate.
5Finish & Mount
- For sleeved play, laminated Uinkit alone feels close to factory if you kept laminate thin.
- To hit factory thickness exactly, mount to bulk commons or 12pt blank cards using a thin double-sided adhesive sheet or spray.
- Apply adhesive from the center out to avoid bubbles; press under a heavy book for a few minutes.
Troubleshooting
Silvering or bubbles after lamination: Lower heat, use thinner pouches, let ink dry longer, and laminate slowly from the sealed edge.
Washed-out blacks: Glossy uses dye black; try sRGB with +5–10% contrast or a printer/profile that uses dye black.
Curling: Store paper flat and dry; let laminated sheets cool under a book before cutting.