Custom Table Tents

Board and Coating for Tables That Get Wiped

Tables get wiped, drinks get spilt and cards get picked up by sticky fingers. A 350 to 450 gsm silk board gives a firm card that stands without bowing. A matt or gloss laminate on both sides lets staff wipe the tent with a damp cloth, which keeps it presentable for weeks instead of days.

For one-off events, uncoated board is fine and has a pleasant feel. For bars and terraces, a thicker laminated card or a synthetic sheet handles moisture far better. If you want people to write on the card, such as a table name or a quiz answer, leave a matt uncoated area. Our board and finish options page lists the stocks and coatings we print table tents on.

Writing a Table Tent People Actually Read

The person reading is relaxed but not committed, so lead with one clear message in large type. A dessert picture with the name and a short line beats a list of six offers. If you have a code or a link, place it low on the card at a size a phone camera can read from a seat.

Use the back face for a second message, not a repeat of the first, when the tent stands between two people facing each other. On a three-sided stand, give each face a single job: one for food, one for drinks, one for an event or a loyalty scheme.

Keep text at least 10 mm in from the fold lines, where creasing can crack ink, and away from the base flap that tucks under. Our free proof shows all faces with the fold and cut lines so you can check the layout reads in the right direction once folded. For conferences and dinners, printed name table tents follow the same rule of one clear line per face.

Sizes That Fit Real Tables and Events

A tent that is too tall blocks the view across the table; one that is too small gets lost among plates. For dining tables, a finished face of around A6 or a narrow DL-style card suits most layouts. Hotel rooms and reception desks take a larger A5 face. Name cards for meetings are long and low so they can be read across a boardroom.

Measure the space you have, especially on small bistro tables where a condiment caddy, salt and pepper and a candle already compete for room. If the tent will sit in a holder, give us the holder dimensions so the card slides in neatly.

Venues that change offers often order a base design in larger numbers with a blank area, then print short runs of the changing panel separately. A tent with a pocket lets you slip in a printed slip each week without replacing the whole card.

For weddings, parties and award dinners, table tents double as table numbers or seating guides. We cover those in more detail on our wedding table number page, but the same boards and folds apply.

Getting Artwork Ready to Fold

Folded print behaves differently from a flat sheet, so the artwork file needs a little planning. Lay out each face as a separate panel in the correct orientation, remembering that on a simple tent the back face is upside down relative to the front in the flat file. If you send a flat layout with both faces the same way up, one side will stand on its head once folded.

Allow 3 mm of bleed on every outer edge and keep logos, prices and codes at least 5 mm inside the trim. Dark solid colours that run across a fold look smart, but a slight white line can show at the crease on uncoated board, so a laminated finish is the better pairing for heavy colour.

Photos should be supplied at full resolution for the finished size. A dessert shot that looks fine on a phone may blur on an A5 face. If you do not have strong images, a type-led design with one bold colour often reads better from across a table than a weak photograph.

If you are unsure about orientation, send the content and we will lay it out on the proof for you to check before anything goes to print. Our print and finish options guide covers how different coatings behave across a fold.

Ordering Table Tents

Send us the finished size, the fold style, how many faces carry print, the board and coating, and how many you need. A custom quote comes back by email within one working day; low minimums are quoted per job and simple items start from £0.25.

Once you approve the free design proof, printing takes 4 to 7 working days and free tracked delivery to the UK mainland usually takes 2 to 3 working days. Anything misprinted or damaged that you report within 10 days is reprinted or refunded, so you are not stuck with cards you cannot use.