Print photo tiles using sublimation

"A picture is worth a thousand words. And that is exactly why photo tiles are so much fun! Print the most beautiful stories on a tile, and put them on the cupboard or hang them on the wall. A love story, travel adventure or, maybe something that inspires you. Whatever the story, it fits on a tile."

Are you super excited about the sublimation photo tile? Excellent! Then perhaps you will want to know why it is the best option to choose for sublimation and, what makes this tile so different than regular tiles found at a hardware store. All this and more can be found in this blog.

What is a sublimation tile?

The sublimation tile is made of ceramic, with a white top layer and a high-gloss coating. Realistically, this tile is indeed the same as a regular wall tile that you have in your kitchen or bathroom. So why can't you ‘just’ get a box of tiles from the hardware store? We are happy to explain why you cannot use hardware tiles.

Sublimation tiles have a special polymer coating. Due to the heat and pressure of the sublimation process, this polymer coating absorbs the sublimation ink. As soon as the tile cools down again, the coating 'closes'. As a result, the print does not form a layer on top of the tile, but it is actually inside the tile itself. The final result? A beautiful and durable photo product, with bright colours, sharp lines and smooth transitions.

Checklist: what do you need to sublimate tiles?

Starting with printing sublimation tiles is very easy. You only need 3 things for this:

• Blank sublimation tile
• Sublimation printer + sublimation transfer paper
• Flat heat press

In the Technotape product range, you will find blank photo tiles in many different shapes and sizes. And even photo tiles with a magnet, that can be used on the fridge. You will also find various sublimation printers and heat presses here. Basically, everything you need!

Get started: print photo tiles in 6 steps

• Print out the desired design with the sublimation printer
• Place the blank tile on the preheated heat press
• Place the printed design on the tile, with the printed side down
• Close the press and start the timer
• Once the printing process is complete, the tile is ready!

Tip! Use the recommended settings for the printing process

For the best results, we advise you to use the recommended heat, pressure and time settings of the press for the tiles. The perfect settings differ per sublimation blank. Go to the page of the blank, here you find an overview with the recommended settings of the heat press.

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