What is first surface printing?

Emma Davis
Emma Davis Content Strategist at 4OVER4.COM
May 8, 2025

First Surface refers to applying a decal directly to the glass surface. The art is on the front side of the print. When standing outside, you view the print directly. You can also choose to use a spot white underbase on your first-surface decal. This is a layer of white ink printed behind the art to make your design more vibrant while keeping the background transparent. A decal without the underbase isn’t as bright and can be slightly washed out from sunlight.

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