Timeline for Printed document lifespan
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
8 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 31, 2020 at 23:04 | comment | added | fixer1234 | but many of the printer OEM and reputable third party inks are claimed to have archival life now when used with archival paper. The company web site should have specs on the ink's archival life (or may indicate it's "archival" without specifying a number of years; that's typically taken to mean life of at least many decades). | |
| Jul 31, 2020 at 23:04 | comment | added | fixer1234 | you can usually print text with the dye inks by using a setting to print the document as if it's a photo ("grayscale"; it will create black by mixing all the colors if there isn't photo-black dye ink). If you're using archival paper, dye vs. pigment isn't as big an issue (and either kind of ink is better than laser toner, which can fuse to the back of the adjacent sheet and come off the paper). There are premium printer inks designed specifically for long archival life, (cont'd) | |
| Jul 31, 2020 at 23:02 | comment | added | fixer1234 | @Piestar, most photo-quality inks are dye-based, they produce smoother gradients because you don't get easily distinguishable dots of intense primary color. On most of the printers better than bottom-of-the-line, there is pigment-based black ink, which does a better job printing text with opaque black and sharp edges. I think HP makes most of their consumer-grade printers with all pigment-based ink. The printing is more intense, but photo output can look grainy. On printers with dye-based color and pigment black, (cont'd) | |
| Jul 31, 2020 at 20:41 | comment | added | Piestar | @fixer1234 that's a great addition, thank you! Just a quick question, I can buy archival paper but what about the ink, is normal printer inkjet ink okay? Can't think how to print with dye. | |
| Jul 31, 2020 at 20:35 | comment | added | fixer1234 | Dye is embedded in the paper, pigment sits on the surface. With cheap paper that deteriorates, bits of pigment can fall off. Dye is there as long as the paper is intact. | |
| Jul 31, 2020 at 20:35 | comment | added | fixer1234 | @Piestar, just to supplement this good answer, the paper is the weak link, not the ink. Archival paper can last a major fraction of a century in good condition with proper storage, Cheap printer/copier paper not so much. After a few decades, it can start to become brittle. Also, controlled humidity is critical. Fluctuating humidity makes the paper expand and contract, contributing to weakening it. High humidity leads to mildew. Pigment ink can retain color longer than dye ink, but for archival time-frames, that isn't the biggest risk. (cont'd) | |
| Jul 31, 2020 at 14:23 | comment | added | Piestar | This is possibly the best answer I could have hoped for! Thank you very much. | |
| Jul 31, 2020 at 8:41 | history | answered | Joachim♦ | CC BY-SA 4.0 |