Architects

What architectural practices need

An architect’s print room works on two levels. Day to day, it turns out drawing sets, revisions and check plots on the wide format plotter, where the priority is paper that feeds reliably and gives crisp linework. Then, for planning submissions, competitions and client meetings, it produces presentation boards, rendered visuals and display panels, where colour, finish and a clean, flat mount matter far more.

Pluss has supplied architects for over 20 years, so we stock for both jobs.

Paper for everyday plotting

Our Pluss CAD paper comes in three grades, so you can match paper to drawing rather than paying for coating you do not need:

• Pluss uncoated 90gsm for mono line drawings and check plots.
• MIDCOL 90, a light-coated paper for colour line and fill work. It is bright white (CIE 164) with 93% opacity and is suitable for double-sided printing.
• Premium Coated CAD 90 for drawings with heavier colour.

If your practice prefers to stay with the plotter manufacturer’s own media, we also supply HP original CAD paper. Our guide to choosing CAD paper and the paper weight explainer help you decide.

Presentation boards and renders

For rendered visuals and boards, HP graphics media, Pluss graphics films and the Rauch graphic arts range give you a choice of papers and films with a more photographic finish. See our wide format media guide for a comparison.

Once printed, a Xyron 2500 mounts and laminates A1 prints in one cold pass, with no heat and no electricity. It takes rolls, laminates or encapsulates edge to edge and accepts media up to 4mm thick, so you can apply adhesive to a print and lay it straight onto board. It works with laser, inkjet, colour and thermal prints. For A3 sheets, the Xyron 1250/55 does the same job with drop-in cartridges. Both are an environmentally safe alternative to spray mount and a spray booth, which matters in a shared studio. Read Xyron vs spray mount and mounting without spray.

Repositionable adhesive lets you line up a print before committing to it, which is useful when aligning several panels on one board. See Xyron repositionable adhesive.

Protecting drawings that travel

Site drawings and display boards get handled. Xyron lamination adds a protective layer, and our guide to laminating vs encapsulating explains when to seal both sides. For canvas or larger display prints, Marabu liquid lamination is another option.

Why architects choose Pluss

• Three grades of Pluss CAD paper, plus HP original media
• Cold mounting and lamination with no spray, heat or fumes
• A1 and A3 Xyron systems for boards and handouts
• Graphics papers and films for presentation renders
• We aim to deliver overnight
• Over 20 years supplying design and architecture professionals