Transfer Paper UK (Shop + FAQs)

Guide to buying transfer paper in the UK

Some popular water slide transfer paper questions and answers.

Can transfer paper go in any printer?

It depends on the transfer paper.  Some require specialist ink and therefore will not be compatible with home printers. 

At Mr Decal Paper,  every paper that we have is compatible with your home inkjet or laser printer.  It's just a case of choosing the correct paper type for both your project and your printer as these vary.  As a rule of thumb,  if you planning on producing many transfers,  choose a laser printer.

Is transfer paper permanent?

Waterslide transfer paper is designed with a chemical adhesive so that it hardens over time.  Once applied to a miniature model for instance,  the idea is that it will be permanent and to remove it would require some hot soapy water and some scrubbing.

Depending on the surface and the project,  you may need to add some additional protection to make a transfer more permanent.  An example of this would be a transfer onto ceramics,  a mug for instance.  As this is likely to get wet and washed,  a few additional coats of clear coat varnish are required to protect your transfer.

Is transfer paper transparent?

It can be both clear or be a solid white depending on your project.  When the surface colour is white or a light shade,  always opt for the transparent as any design, text or photo will be compatible.

When the surface colour is darker a switch to the solid white is necessary as printer ink onto transparent transfer paper will be translucent until it hits the hard white surface.

For example,  if you wanted to put a photograph onto a dark surface,  the white transfer paper would be perfect.  Or if you were designing a decal for a dark coloured miniature model and the transfer was a red star inside a white square,  the white transfer film would be ideal.

Will transfer paper wash off?

If you used water slide transfer paper on a ceramic mug without adding spray coats of lacquer,  then yes,  it would wash off as some spray coats are required on the finished item to make it durable in this instance.

For most users though,  the natural hardening effect of the water transfer is enough to hold it in place,  for example a plastic model.

When using water slide paper on metal signs or onto wood,  I always recommend applying a few spray coats onto the finished project,  especially if you are planning to be a reseller.

Does transfer paper transfer white?

Yes,  but only when you purchase the white waterslide transfer paper which is available for both inkjet or laser printers.  Remember though that any areas of clear in your design will also be white.

Will transfer paper work on wood?

If the wood is hard,  non porous and of a light shade (like bamboo) then yes,  waterslide paper will adhere.  It will also stick to hard wooden white painted surfaces too although I would recommend that you also finish the project with some coats of varnish.

If the flat wooden surface is white,  I would also recommend that you take a look at the dry rub film above as this has been especially designed for wood.

How does transfer paper work?

Transfer paper has a sprayed on film coating which resides on a paper backing that releases in water.  After release the film can be slid onto hard surfaces.  You have a short time of around 60 seconds to position or reposition your transfer before the hardening process begins.  The backing release paper is then discarded.

Where to buy transfer paper in the UK

You can get transfer paper,  especially waterslide paper right here at our UK online shop, Mr Decal Paper.  We also ship worldwide.

Can transfer paper be reused?

It's best to fill your entire sheet with either a large or many smaller transfers and to print once.  That said,  if you just want to use a small area of the printable transfer sheet then printing in the corner is fine.  The transfer sheets will go through the printer as many times as needed,  especially on inkjet printers.

Which side of the transfer paper do I print on?

The film side of water transfer paper is often evident as it can be slightly glossy.  The paper backing release sheet has no coating and many sheets also have a serial number or a watermark to make it perfectly obvious.

Which transfer paper is best?

Printable transfer paper sheets vary in both price and quality.  Print quality can vary especially in laser printers and adhesive ability of your transfer can vary depending on your supplier.  At Mr Decal Paper,  we have tested close to a dozen different manufacturers and have a high quality paper that passes all of the tests above consistently.

What transfer paper for tattoos?

Tattoo transfer paper differs from waterslide paper in that it has an additional adhesive sheet with every transfer sheet. 

The two part process allows for the creation of realistic temporary tattoos that will last for 2-3 days.  There are separate tattoo transfer sheets for both inkjet and laser printers.

Transfer Paper - How to use

For a step by step guide to using transfer paper,  see our guide here.

To see our full range,  visit our home page above.