SHOP SUBLIMATION BAR MATS & RUNNERS
Sublimation bar mats and runners are easy to personalise and produce bright, detailed prints, making them popular for bars, pubs, clubs, events, promotional merchandise and personalised gifts. Their large printable surface also gives you plenty of room for logos, artwork, photographs and branded designs.
This guide takes you through how to print a sublimation bar mat or runner using a flat heat press, from preparing your artwork to pressing and packaging the finished product.
What You'll Need
Before you start, make sure you have:
- Sublimation bar mats or runners
- Sublimation paper
- Sublimation inks and a sublimation printer
- A flat heat press large enough for your chosen bar mat
- Heat-resistant tape
- Heat-resistant gloves
Recommended Time, Temperature and Pressure
As a starting point, our sublimation bar mats and runners can typically be pressed using:
| Setting | Recommended Starting Point |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 170–180°C |
| Time | 120–180 seconds |
| Pressure | Medium |
These settings are a starting point rather than a fixed rule. Pressing requirements can vary depending on your heat press, artwork and the amount of ink in the design, so always test and adjust where necessary.
Step-by-Step: How to Print a Sublimation Bar Mat
Step 1 - Create Your Design
Create or import your artwork using your preferred design software. Bar runners have a much larger printable area than many other sublimation blanks, so make sure your artwork is high enough resolution to remain sharp at the final print size.
Check the dimensions of your chosen bar mat before designing so that important text, logos and artwork remain comfortably inside the printable area.
Step 2 - Mirror and Print Your Artwork
Mirror your design before printing it onto sublimation paper using sublimation inks.
The printed transfer should appear reversed on the paper. Once pressed onto the bar mat, the artwork will appear the correct way round.
Allow the printed transfer to dry before positioning it on the mat.
Step 3 - Preheat Your Heat Press
Preheat your flat heat press to approximately 170–180°C.
Make sure the press is large enough to cover the area you are printing. For longer bar runners, the entire printable area should ideally be pressed evenly to avoid differences in colour or transfer quality.
Step 4 - Position the Transfer
Place the bar mat with the white polyester printable surface facing upwards.
Position your printed sublimation transfer face-down against the white fabric surface. The printable top layer is polyester, so the sublimation ink transfers directly into the fibres and no additional sublimation coating is required.
Use heat-resistant tape to secure the transfer if needed, particularly with larger designs where movement could cause ghosting.
Step 5 - Press the Bar Mat
Place the bar mat into the heat press with the printable surface facing upwards and the sublimation paper positioned on top of it.
Press for approximately 120–180 seconds. Designs with heavier ink coverage may require a slightly longer press time than lighter artwork.
Apply even pressure across the complete printed area.
Step 6 - Remove the Transfer
When the pressing cycle is complete, carefully open the heat press and remove the bar mat using heat-resistant gloves.
Take particular care around the rubber backing and edges, which can remain very hot after pressing.
Remove the sublimation transfer paper carefully and allow the mat to cool on a flat, heat-resistant surface.
Common Problems When Printing Bar Mats
The print looks faded
The mat may not have received enough heat or pressing time. Check that your press has reached the correct temperature and increase the pressing time slightly if necessary.
The image looks blurry or doubled
This is usually caused by the transfer moving during pressing or while it is being removed. Secure larger transfers with heat-resistant tape and lift the paper away cleanly when the press opens.
Some areas are lighter than others
Uneven pressure or inconsistent heat across a large press can cause patchy transfer. Make sure the entire printed area is receiving even contact from the heat platen.
The edges or rubber backing have distorted
Excessive heat or pressing time can affect the rubber. Reduce the temperature or pressing time and always use the recommended settings as your starting point.
How to Package and Send Printed Bar Runners
Once completely cool, bar runners are best stored and shipped rolled rather than folded.
Folding a mat can create a crease in the rubber backing, particularly if the mat is still warm after pressing. For courier or postal orders, rolling the finished bar runner and placing it inside a suitable mailing tube is generally the safest way to protect the finished print and keep the mat flat once opened.
Choosing Sublimation Bar Mats & Runners
Bar mats are particularly useful for personalised gifts, branded promotional products and hospitality businesses because they combine a large printable area with a practical non-slip rubber backing.
Our sublimation bar mats and runners are available in different sizes and quantities, making them suitable for everything from individual personalised gifts through to larger trade and promotional orders.