Certified ChromaLuxe printing, St. Louis, since 1976
Metal Prints
Dye infused into ChromaLuxe aluminum at 400°F, so the color sits inside the surface instead of on top of it. No frame, no glass, no glare, and a 65 year archival rating. Printed, mounted and packed by hand in St. Louis.
“People step into our art fair booth, their eyes get wide. I’m certain there is another reason they say what they say, and it’s due to the metal prints we receive from Diversified Lab.”
Brady Kesner, Fine Art Nature Photographer
Why metal
A print surface that behaves like a light source
On paper, color sits on the surface and the paper reflects what light is left. On ChromaLuxe, the dye is gassed into a coated aluminum panel, so light travels into the surface and back out through the image. That is where the depth comes from, and it is why a metal print reads across a room when a framed print does not.
Luminous color
A six color process, CMYK plus light cyan and light magenta, laid down with UltraChrome DS ink. Wide gradients stay smooth, skin tones stay clean, and saturated color does not block up.
No glass, no glare
Nothing sits in front of the image. There is no glazing to catch a window or a gallery spot, and nothing to break in transit or on a client’s wall.
Built to be handled
The coating resists dirt, scratches and UV. A metal print can be wiped clean with a soft cloth, which makes it a practical choice for kitchens, bathrooms, salons and commercial spaces.
Frameless by design
The panel is the finished piece. One sixteenth of an inch of aluminum, a clean edge, and a float mount that lifts it off the wall so it casts its own shadow line.
Finishes
Three finishes, one decision
Every metal print is produced on a white base coating, which is what gives the image its brightness. The finish changes how the surface handles the light in the room it will hang in.
White Gloss
The deepest blacks and the highest saturation of the three. Choose it for landscape, night, underwater and any image that lives on contrast.
Watch for: a mirror-like surface will pick up a window or a spotlight opposite it.
White Semi-Gloss
Most of the depth of gloss with the reflection broken up and spread out. The safe choice when you do not know the room, and the one most photographers settle on.
Watch for: nothing much. This is the default recommendation.
White Matte
No reflection at all. Built for bright rooms, gallery walls with raking light, corridors and any wall facing a window.
Watch for: blacks sit slightly lighter and saturation is a little softer than gloss.
Mounting and display
Nine ways to put it on a wall, a desk or a shelf
A metal print arrives finished. Choose the backing at order time and it leaves the lab ready to hang, with nothing for you or your client to assemble.
Finishing details
Backing, corner and drilling choices are confirmed with your order. Call 314-781-0480 or email orders@diversifiedprints.com and we will set the options on the job before it runs.
Sizes and pricing
34 sizes, from 4x4 to 40x60
Prices below are per print, in US dollars, for a single sided metal print in any of the three finishes. Backing prices are added to the print price. Square, portrait and landscape orientations are available.
| Size (inches) | + 1/2" Gatorfoam, Kwik Hanger | + Black Frame, Wire | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4x4 | $18.00 | — | — |
| 4x6 | $18.00 | — | — |
| 5x5 | $18.00 | — | — |
| 5x7 | $21.00 | $9.00 | — |
| 8x8 | $24.00 | $9.00 | — |
| 8x10 | $28.00 | $9.00 | — |
| 8x12 | $32.00 | $15.00 | $19.00 |
| 10x10 | $35.00 | $15.00 | $19.00 |
| 10x20 | $56.00 | $22.00 | $28.00 |
| 10x30 | $104.00 | $29.00 | $30.00 |
| 11x14 | $48.00 | $17.00 | $21.00 |
| 11x17 | $57.00 | $22.00 | $24.00 |
| 12x12 | $44.00 | $17.00 | $21.00 |
| 12x18 | $62.00 | $22.00 | $24.00 |
| 12x24 | $83.00 | $22.00 | $28.00 |
| 12x36 | $121.00 | $39.00 | $33.00 |
| 15x30 | $117.00 | $37.00 | $31.00 |
| 16x16 | $73.00 | $29.00 | $26.00 |
| 16x20 | $87.00 | $25.00 | $28.00 |
| 16x24 | $111.00 | $29.00 | $28.00 |
| 18x36 | $183.00 | $23.00 | $37.00 |
| 20x20 | $115.00 | $33.00 | $28.00 |
| 20x24 | $136.00 | $34.00 | $30.00 |
| 20x30 | $174.00 | $41.00 | $33.00 |
| 20x40 | $226.00 | $41.00 | $39.00 |
| 24x24 | $174.00 | $34.00 | $33.00 |
| 24x30 | $209.00 | $41.00 | $37.00 |
| 24x36 | $220.00 | $46.00 | $40.00 |
| 30x30 | $251.00 | $44.00 | $39.00 |
| 30x40 | $314.00 | $46.00 | $44.00 |
| 30x45 | $367.00 | — | $45.00 |
| 30x60 | $535.00 | — | $52.00 |
| 32x48 | $447.00 | — | $47.00 |
| 36x36 | $361.00 | — | $46.00 |
| 40x60 | $682.00 | — | $56.00 |
Shipping: UPS Ground is 15% of the order total. UPS 2 Day and Next Day are charged at actual cost. Local collection is available from 2050 Congressional Dr, St. Louis, MO 63146.
How it is made
Gas, not ink on a surface
Dye sublimation is a phase change. The dye is printed onto a transfer sheet, then heat turns it into a gas that enters the coating on the aluminum before it cools and locks in place. The image is inside the panel, which is why it cannot scuff off.
Your file is printed with 6 color UltraChrome DS ink, CMYK plus light cyan and light magenta, onto transfer media.
Sublimate
The transfer is pressed to a coated ChromaLuxe panel at 400°F. The dye gasses into the coating rather than sitting on it.
Finish
Corners are rounded or scalloped, holes are drilled if you asked for them, and the chosen backing is fitted by hand.
Inspect and pack
A person checks the color and the surface against your file before it is packed for shipping or collection.
Who orders metal
The print clients say yes to in the room
Metal is the product that closes an in person sale. It is bright enough to read from a doorway, it needs no framing decision, and it arrives finished.
Fine art photographers
Gallery and art fair work, split panels and large format pieces, with Color Evaluation Prints before the edition runs.
Portrait and family photographers
Wall art for in person sales, in the sizes clients actually hang, ready to hand over at the reveal.
Sports and school photographers
Team panels, senior pieces and awards work that survives being handled by everyone in the gym.
Interior designers
Specified to size and finish for a room, with no glass to manage and nothing to reflect a window.
Before you upload
Get the first one right
Metal is unforgiving of a file prepared for paper. These four things account for most of the reprints we see, and all four are avoidable.
Download ICC profiles and templatesSoft proof against our profile
Metal holds a wider gamut than paper. Download the metal ICC profile from Downloads and proof against it so you see the saturation you will get.
Watch the shadows
Deep shadow separates beautifully on gloss and closes up on matte. If the image lives in the blacks, order gloss or semi-gloss.
Supply at 300 dpi at final size
Up to 20x30 we want 300 dpi at print size. Above that, send the largest native file you have and we will advise rather than upscale blindly.
Order a Color Evaluation Print
Free with your account. See the surface and the color on a small panel before you commit a 40x60.
In their words
Photographers who switched their metal to us
“I tested a metal print and I LOVE IT! The color was perfect. You will be getting all of my metal orders from now on.”
Nature Photographer, Washington, MO
“People step into our art fair booth, their eyes get wide. I’m certain there is another reason they say what they say, and it’s due to the metal prints we receive from Diversified Lab.”
Fine Art Nature Photographer
“Super Quality ~ Fast Turnaround ~ Impeccable Packaging ~ Incredible Support and Service! I’m so glad I found you!”
Fine Art Photographer, San Diego, CA
Questions
Metal prints, answered
What is a metal print?
A metal print is a photograph dye sublimated into a coated aluminum panel. The dye is turned into a gas by heat and enters the coating, so the image sits inside the surface rather than on top of it. The result is a rigid, frameless panel with unusual depth and luminosity. Ours are printed on 1/16" ChromaLuxe aluminum.
How long do metal prints last?
ChromaLuxe metal panels carry a 65 year archival rating. The coating also protects the image from dirt, scratches and UV light, which is why metal is a common choice for rooms where a framed print would fade or be damaged.
What finishes are available?
Three: White Gloss, White Semi-Gloss and White Matte. Gloss gives the deepest blacks and the most saturation but reflects the room. Matte has no reflection at all and suits bright walls. Semi-Gloss sits between the two and is the finish most photographers choose when they do not know where the print will hang.
Do metal prints glare?
There is no glass or acrylic glazing in front of the image, so a metal print never has the mirror-like reflection a framed print gets from a window. The surface itself can still reflect, which is what the finish choice is for: gloss reflects, semi-gloss diffuses, matte does not reflect. For a wall opposite a window, order matte.
How do I hang a metal print?
Choose a backing when you order and it arrives ready to hang. Options are the Aluminum Shadow Mount, Magnetic Float Mount, 3/4" Standout Block, 1/2" Gatorfoam with Kwik Hanger, 3/4" Black Frame with Wire, Black Float Frame, 1" Metal Posts, a Metal Easel or an Acrylic Stand. Float mounts hold the panel roughly 3/4" off the wall so it casts a shadow line.
What sizes do you print?
34 stock sizes from 4x4 up to 40x60 inches, in square, portrait and landscape orientations. Larger images can be produced as splits or clusters, where one file is printed across two or more panels hung with a set gap. Ask us for the split map before you upload.
How much does a metal print cost?
Metal prints run from $18.00 for a 4x4 to $682.00 for a 40x60, per print, before backing and shipping. The full size and price table is on this page. Backings are added to the print price and range from $9.00 to $56.00 depending on size and type.
How long does production take?
Production time is 8 days, after which the order ships or is ready for collection. UPS Ground is charged at 15% of the order total. UPS 2 Day and Next Day are charged at actual cost.
How should I prepare my file?
Supply 300 dpi at the final print size where you can, and soft proof against our metal ICC profile, which you can download from the Downloads page. Metal holds a wider gamut than paper, so a file prepared for a paper profile will often print more saturated than you expect. If you are new to the surface, order a free Color Evaluation Print first.
How do I clean a metal print?
Wipe it with a soft, dry or lightly damp cloth. The coating resists dirt and fingerprints, so no glass cleaner, solvent or abrasive is needed, and none should be used.
Where are your metal prints made?
In our own lab at 2050 Congressional Dr, St. Louis, MO 63146. Printing, pressing, finishing, mounting and inspection all happen in the same building. Diversified Prints is the only certified ChromaLuxe printer in the St. Louis area and has been printing for professionals since 1976.
Do I need a professional account to order?
Diversified Prints is a trade lab serving photographers, studios, designers and creative businesses. Open a professional account and we will set it up, walk you through file prep for metal and stay on the phone until the first job lands. Call 314-781-0480, Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 5:00pm CT.
Order metal prints
Send us one file and see the surface for yourself
Pick a size, upload, and choose your finish and backing. If you would rather talk it through first, a person answers the phone in St. Louis and will help you pick the finish for the room.