Disc Printing with a White Flood

A. White Flood Coat B. Selected White Flood Coat C. No White Flood Coat

When people talk about on-disc printing, you might imagine a standard silver disc with layered ink to create images. Since most types of printing are done on a white surface, there are many ways that the media industry has created white flood coat on silver discs to emulate paper. While color matching is easiest on a white surface, these flexible options have created a market for fun and new ways of printing your artwork with or without a white flood coat.

For recordable media needs like duplication and printing, there are several white or silver printable CDs and DVDs that can create the look you need. Inkjet and Thermal printable discs for do-it-yourself duplication also have silver or white surfaces with hub printable variations. Some thermal re-transfer printers use white in special ribbons to allow printing with white areas on silver discs.

When using our PhotoPro Printing service you get full Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black + White printing (CMYK+W). If you choose a white printable disc with our PhotoPro Printing, this provides a thick, white base for consistent color printing from the outer edge all the way to the smallest 22 mm center. The second option for PhotoPro Printing uses a silver recordable disc and a CMYK + select area of white, or “knockout” to show the disc’s surface. The most popular use of this knockout feature is to have the white flood print across most of the disc, for example behind images. Many clients find this looks nicer than having no color in small text or shape areas that knockout to the silver of the disc.

Lastly, PhotoPro printing with just CMYK using no white flood on a silver disc is an interesting option that gives a reflective, metallic look to your artwork. The only thing not recommended when using knockouts with a white flood is large sections (anything over ½”) of empty artwork space that will show the silver of the disc. This is because some of the print adhesive that creates the glossy, full-color print may be apparent even if no ink is. Also, any lighter colors over the clear stacking hub may scratch off during printing, creating an undesired print issue. This can be avoided by using a larger center hole for the artwork.

Mass-produced replicated silver discs often have a layer of white or white flood coat applied during manufacturing, the first step when printing with Silkscreen or Offset disc printing. Since the white flood coat has its own film, selected areas of white can be customized on that film to your artwork specifications. The film will knockout the white in those areas, leaving just the silver of the disc. Or, you can skip the white entirely and just print using spot colors for Silkscreen or CMYK process for Offset.

In each of these print processes where no white flood is used and color percentages are light, some reflections can be seen through printed color.  This adds an interesting design element to your disc.

Still have some questions about knockout options? Need recommendations? Contact your account representative or one of our graphic designers at 1.877.992.3766.