Square cup coasters

A coaster is a small piece of table equipment, but it can do several jobs at once. It protects the surface from moisture and marks, keeps the space around a coffee, a beer or a cocktail tidy, and sits exactly where the customer spends anything from a few to many minutes.

It is a good place for the venue's logo, news of a new offer, a promotion or a QR code leading to the menu. In the calculator you choose the shape, the material, the printing and the finishes available, and the cost of the configuration is worked out automatically.

What you can use coasters for

Coasters combine a practical function with an advertising one, so they work both in everyday service and in promotional campaigns or at events.

You can use them in places like these:

• Bars and pubs - as the classic coaster under a beer, a tankard or a cocktail, and at the same time a place to promote the beer of the month, happy hours or a weekend gig.
• Cafés - as a mat under a cup with the venue's logo, a seasonal coffee offer or a QR code leading to Google reviews.
• Restaurants and hotels - as an attractive part of the table setting or the lobby, kept in the brand's style.
• Breweries and tastings - especially in the thick BEERMAT board version, suited to trade fairs, beer festivals, tastings and presentations of new brews.
• Events and promotion - with the date of the event, a discount code or a link to social media. A coaster like that can be taken home by a guest after the event.
• Offices and meeting rooms - as a tidy mat under a mug during meetings, training sessions, presentations and company events.

On a small surface you can put the company or venue logo, the name of a café or brewery, a short line, a QR code to the menu online, to bookings or a shop, news of a promotion, the drink of the month, a website address, contact details or a simple decorative motif.

When designing, it is better not to overdo the amount of information. A clear logo, one strong graphic element and a legible QR code usually work better than several small messages side by side.

Which format and shape to choose

The calculator offers nine coaster shapes. Each gives a slightly different visual effect:

• Square 93×93 mm with sharp corners - the classic, simple form with a large surface for a logo, artwork, a short line or a QR code. A versatile version for company, hospitality, advertising and event coasters.
• Square 93×93 mm with rounded corners - the same surface but a softer line. It suits cafés, restaurants, hotels and more elegant designs.
• Circle 93 mm across - the natural shape under a cup, a glass or a tankard. The classic version for pubs, cafés and events.
• Hexagon 90×104 mm - a more distinctive, geometric form. It suits modern designs, breweries, specialty cafés and campaigns where the shape itself is meant to draw the eye.
• Square 93×93 mm with cut corners - a geometric variation on the classic square with the corners trimmed at an angle. It goes well with minimalist and technical designs.
• Pentagon 100×95 mm - a less common shape that makes the coaster stand out in itself. It works on designs aiming at a more unusual form.
• Rosette 95×95 mm - a decorative, scalloped edge gives the coaster a warmer character. It suits cake shops, cafés and brands with a friendlier style.
• Decorative 100×100 mm - a version with a decoratively cut edge, marking the form more strongly than the rosette. It can go well with an interior that pays attention to detail.
• Barrel 85×110 mm - an elongated shape with rounded sides, recalling a barrel and a brewing style. It suits pubs and craft breweries naturally.

When choosing the shape it helps to consider the character of the venue, how much information there is and how the coaster will be used. If the design carries a QR code or several pieces of text, the right contrast and a clear layout of the content matter especially.

Which paper to choose

The material affects both the look of the coaster and how it feels in the hand. There are four versions:

• Invercote Creato 300 gsm - a white board with an elegant look and very good colour reproduction. It suits designs where clean colours, attractive artwork and consistency with the brand identity matter. It works on company, hotel, restaurant and promotional coasters.
• Arktika GC1 board 300 gsm - a stiff, practical board for advertising and everyday coasters. It shows colourful designs and simple artwork well in cafés, restaurants, offices and meeting rooms.
• Kraftliner 300 gsm - it has a natural, kraft character. It suits pubs, breweries, specialty cafés, regional cooking and eco brands. Designs with clear contrast, dark printing, simple typography and a limited number of elements look best on it.
• BEERMAT wood pulp board 1.4 mm - a thick material traditionally associated with beer mats. It gives a solid, classic effect and works in pubs, bars, breweries and at tastings.

Printing and finishing

Coasters can be ordered printed on one side or on both.

Single-sided printing works when all the key information fits on one side. That can be a logo, artwork, the name of the venue, a short line or a QR code.

Double-sided printing gives more scope. You can use one side for the main artwork and the other for a QR code, a promotion, a seasonal offer, social media or a short drinks menu. It is worth designing both sides so that each reads on its own, since the coaster can end up on the table either way up.

Finishing is available on selected materials:

• Invercote Creato 300 gsm can be laminated on both sides,
• Arktika GC1 board 300 gsm can be laminated on one side.

There are three types of film to choose from:

• Gloss lamination - strengthens colours and contrast. It suits vivid artwork, photographs and strong logos on a coloured background.
• Matte lamination - gives a calmer, more restrained look. It works in restaurants, hotels and on company designs in an elegant style.
• Soft-touch lamination - gives a soft surface that is pleasant to the touch. It suits more representative work for hotels, restaurants, specialty cafés and business events.

Kraftliner 300 gsm and BEERMAT board 1.4 mm look best unlaminated. With Kraftliner the natural look of the paper is what matters, while BEERMAT stands out above all for its thickness and the classic character of a beer mat.

Film changes the surface and the way the material feels. If you want a rawer, bar-like or kraft effect, an unlaminated version or BEERMAT board may be the better answer.

You can see the exact prices of the finishes available directly in the calculator.

File check and graphic design

When you place the order you choose one of the file preparation options:

• No file check - for agencies, designers and anyone confident the design is technically correct. The file goes into production without further control.
• File check by a designer - we check the technical preparation of the design for print: format, bleed, safe distances, image quality, colours and how the file was saved. On coasters we also check the shape, the cutting lines, the corners and how the artwork sits in relation to the right cutting die. That applies not only to the circle, the hexagon and the square versions but to all the other shapes available. The check is worth choosing especially if the design was made in Canva, an online generator, an office program or with AI tools. Such files may need adjusting to the die, the right format, the bleed and CMYK colours.

The technical check does not cover the content. We do not check typos, prices, dates, discount codes, contact details or whether the QR codes work. The customer is responsible for all that information.

• Simple graphic design - if you have no file ready, send us your logo, the text, contact details, artwork and your basic guidelines on style. We will prepare a simple design matched to the format, shape, paper and printing you chose.

How to prepare the file for print

• Format and colours - a PDF prepared to our specification is best. We also accept good quality JPG or PNG files. Photographs should be at 300 dpi at 1:1 scale, and the design prepared in CMYK.
• Bleed and margins - if artwork runs to the edge of the coaster, add the right amount of bleed. Move the logo, text, QR code, website address, phone number, event date and other important elements away from the edges and corners.
• Shape and cutting die - with all the unusual forms it is best to use the right template or cutting die. The design should allow for the cutting line and keep the content a safe distance from the edge.
• Legibility - the surface of a coaster is small, so the text should not be too fine. Prepare the QR code at a suitable size and with clear contrast. If there is a lot of information, it is better to leave the most important message on the coaster and put the full offer behind the code.
• Checking the details - before sending the file, check the website address, the phone number, that the QR code works, the date of the event and your social media details. Our site also has a separate section on preparing a design correctly and on the most common mistakes.