💎 Premium Print Material
Mylar blueprint
printing
Waterproof, tear-resistant polyester film for job sites, archival records, and anywhere your plans need to last. The professional upgrade from standard bond.
💧 100% Waterproof
🔒 Dimensionally Stable
📦 Same-Day Shipping
📐 All ARCH & ANSI Sizes
Starting at
ARCH D — 24×36"
$16.50
per mylar print · B&W
$2.75 / sq ft B&W · $3.75 color
vs $0.50/sq ft for bond
Free UPS Ground on $29+
vs $0.50/sq ft for bond
Free UPS Ground on $29+
Material Guide
What is mylar?
Mylar is the trade name for biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate (BoPET) — a polyester film that has been the professional standard for archival and field-durable construction documents for decades. Unlike paper, it does not absorb water, tear under normal handling, or expand and contract as humidity changes.
For blueprints, mylar matters because scale accuracy is permanent. A bond paper print stored in a humid job box can expand slightly over weeks — enough to affect measurements. A mylar print stored in the same conditions looks and measures exactly the same on day one as it does on day 180.
Material
4-mil BoPET polyester film
Industry standard thickness for large-format reproducible originals. Stiff enough to handle cleanly, flexible enough to roll for shipping.
Water Resistance
100% waterproof surface
Water beads off the surface without saturating or smearing. Plans remain fully legible in rain, on wet job sites, and with wet hands.
Dimensional Stability
Near-zero expansion/contraction
Does not expand or contract with changes in temperature or humidity. Scale accuracy is maintained for the lifetime of the print.
Tear Resistance
Significantly higher than bond
Resists tearing at edges and fold points — where bond paper most commonly fails during heavy job-site handling.
Archival Longevity
100+ year archival lifespan
Polyester film does not yellow, become brittle, or degrade with age. Preferred by libraries and county recorders for permanent record storage.
Scan Quality
Excellent — preferred for masters
Flat, dimensionally stable surface produces clean, accurate scans. Used as reproducible originals when consistent re-scanning is required.
Comparison
Mylar vs. bond — when to use each
Bond paper is the right choice for most blueprint orders — affordable, widely used, and sufficient for standard job-site use. Mylar is the right choice when durability, water resistance, or archival quality matters more than cost.
💎 Mylar — $2.75/sq ft
Use mylar when…
- Plans will be used outdoors or in wet conditions
- Long-term archival storage is required
- The print is a permit original or record set
- Plans will be scanned repeatedly as a master
- Survey plats require reproducible originals
- The set needs to survive months of active field use
📄 Bond — $0.50/sq ft
Use bond when…
- Standard job-site plan sets and field copies
- Subcontractor distribution sets
- Short-term reference copies
- Cost is the primary constraint
- Plans will be reprinted if worn or damaged
- Indoor office or dry job-site conditions
Common hybrid approach: Many contractors order bond for subcontractor distribution sets and one or two mylar prints for the permit original and the GC's field set. This keeps overall print costs low while ensuring the most-used and most-submitted copies hold up long-term.
Use Cases
Who orders mylar — and why
Outdoor Job Sites
Civil construction, site work, land clearing, and any exterior project where plans get rained on. Mylar stays readable when bond turns to pulp.
Record & As-Built Sets
As-built drawings and project record sets stored in project archives for years or decades. Mylar's archival longevity ensures they remain legible.
County Recorder Submittals
Many county recorders require survey plats and final plat maps to be submitted on mylar because they scan and archive the originals permanently.
Reproducible Originals
Permit originals that will be scanned, re-scanned, or used as a print master. Mylar's dimensional stability ensures consistent scale across every scan.
Heavy Field Use
The GC's primary field set on a long project — unrolled and re-rolled daily, carried to meetings, reviewed on rough surfaces. Bond wears out; mylar holds up.
Engineering & Survey
Civil engineers, surveyors, and structural engineers who need plans to maintain scale accuracy over time in varying environmental conditions.
Pricing
Mylar print pricing — all sizes
Mylar printing is priced at $2.75 per square foot for black and white — 3× the cost of bond, reflecting the premium material cost. Color mylar is available at additional cost, calculated at checkout.
| Size | Dimensions | Sq Ft | Mylar B&W | Mylar Color | Bond B&W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARCH C | 18 × 24 in | 3.0 | $8.25 | $11.25 | $1.50 |
| ARCH D Most Common | 24 × 36 in | 6.0 | $16.50 | $22.50 | $3.00 |
| ARCH E | 36 × 48 in | 12.0 | $33.00 | $45.00 | $6.00 |
Free UPS Ground shipping on orders $29 and over applies to mylar orders just like bond. A single ARCH D mylar print at $16.50 qualifies for free Ground shipping on its own. Same-day shipping available on all orders before 12 PM EST.
Ready to order mylar prints?
Upload your file, select mylar at checkout, and get an instant price. Ships same day before 12 PM EST. All 50 states.
FAQ
Mylar printing — common questions
Answers to the most common questions about mylar blueprint printing.
Mylar is a polyester film (technically BoPET — biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate) that is waterproof, tear-resistant, and dimensionally stable. For blueprints, these properties matter because plans on job sites get wet, handled roughly, and stored for long periods. Unlike bond paper, mylar doesn't absorb water, tear at fold lines, or expand and contract with humidity changes. It has been the professional standard for archival and field-durable construction documents for decades.
Bond paper is the standard material for most blueprint orders — affordable and sufficient for most job-site use. Mylar is 3× the cost but provides waterproofing, tear resistance, and dimensional stability that bond paper cannot match. Bond paper tears when handled roughly and becomes limp and illegible when wet. Mylar survives both. For most subcontractor distribution sets, bond is the right choice. For permit originals, outdoor job sites, archival record sets, and survey plats, mylar is worth the premium.
Many county recorders in the United States require survey plats and final subdivision maps to be submitted on mylar because they are permanently archived and will be scanned repeatedly over decades. The specific requirement varies by county — some require 4-mil mylar, some specify ink-on-mylar only, and some accept high-quality bond. Always verify with your specific county recorder's office before preparing a final plat for submission. If mylar is required, Azul Prints produces county-recorder-quality mylar originals.
Yes. A common approach is to order one or two mylar prints for the permit original and the GC's primary field set, and bond prints for subcontractor distribution sets. This keeps overall project print costs down while ensuring the most important copies are durable. At checkout, you can specify different materials for different sets of the same file, or place two separate orders — one for mylar and one for bond.
Mylar prints are packaged and shipped the same way as bond prints — rolled printed-side inward and placed in rigid mailing tubes with secure end caps. Mylar holds its roll shape well and ships without damage in standard large-format mailing tubes. The same UPS shipping options are available: Ground (free on $29+), 3-Day Select, 2nd Day Air, and Next Day Air. Orders placed before 12 PM EST ship same day.
Yes. Color mylar printing is available on all standard ARCH and ANSI sizes. Color pricing is calculated at checkout based on coverage. Most construction documents use black and white mylar because line work, dimensions, and notes are typically single-color. Color mylar is used for site plans with colored zoning overlays, presentation drawings, and survey plats with color-coded parcel boundaries.
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