Chances are, the last time you were sitting at the blackjack table you weren't thinking about paper or glue. But, without paper and glue - there would be no blackjack. Why? Well, there would be no playing cards.
There is a lot of science and technology that goes into making a great deck of playing cards. Playing cards are made by laminating two layers of thin paper using a black liquid glue, called block-out glue.
Once applied, this block-out glue blocks the light from showing through the thin paper. This is a very important piece of the manufacturing process, as you can imagine - you don't want to be able to see through the cards.
Especially if you're at the casino!
How are Playing Cards Made?
Video Source:
The U.S. Playing Card Co.
Technical Specifications of Block-out Glue
| Type | Liquid Glue |
| Uses | Laminating |
| Film | Black opaque film |
| Viscosity | 750-1200 undiluted at 77 °F |
| Packaging | 5 gallon pails, 55 gallon drums, 300 gallon totes |
Where else can you find block-out glue?
As you can imagine, block-out glue is useful in a number of application. Here are just a few:
- Trading and playing cards
- POP displays
- window signage
