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❓ What colors can PCBs be made with?

The most common PCB color is green, but modern manufacturing allows for a wide range of solder‑mask colors—plus some flashy specialty options if you pick the right fab. Here’s what you can expect:

🎨 Common Solder‑Mask Colors

Color Notes
Green Industry standard, great contrast for inspection, cheapest.
Black Sleek and professional, but harder to inspect and can trap heat.
Red Popular alternative to green, offers good contrast.
Blue Visually striking, a fan favorite for dev boards.
White Clean look, but can discolor over time and is harder to inspect.
Yellow Rare but bright; decent trace visibility.
Purple Signature OSH Park color; premium look.
Orange Uncommon; may require a premium tier.
Matte Finishes Matte black/green/blue/red available from some fabs for a boutique aesthetic.

🧪 Silk & Copper Color Considerations

  • Silkscreen is usually white, black, or yellow—choose a color that contrasts strongly with your solder mask.
  • ENIG (gold finish) pairs beautifully with dark masks like black or purple.
  • HASL (silver finish) is the budget default and works with most colors.

🏭 Typical Fab Offerings

Fab Standard Color Set
JLCPCB Green, Red, Blue, Yellow, Black, White
PCBWay (Standard) Same as JLCPCB
OSH Park Purple only
Seeed Studio Same as JLCPCB + occasional matte

🌈 PCBWay Advanced PCB: Extra Colors & Full‑Color UV Printing

PCBWay’s Advanced PCB service unlocks additional solder‑mask options—pink, grey, orange, transparent, matte blue, and matte red—that aren’t available in the standard tier. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

Even more eye‑catching, the Advanced line now supports full‑color UV printing on one or both sides of the board. This process lets you print photographs, gradients, or intricate artwork directly onto the PCB:

  • How it works: Choose a base solder‑mask color (white is recommended for best fidelity) and supply PCBWay with a reference image or multi‑color silkscreen layers.
  • Design limits: Maximum single‑board size ≈ 270 × 470 mm; avoid placing artwork over exposed pads; provide artwork in PDF/PNG/JPEG/AI, zipped with your Gerbers.
  • Finishes: Matte and glossy UV inks available; the print survives standard SMT reflow. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Heads‑up: Advanced colors and UV prints add cost and 2‑3 days to lead‑time, so factor that into your schedule.

💡 Tip

For a badge that really pops:
Pair a bold solder mask (e.g., matte black, pink, or transparent) with ENIG gold plating, then add full‑color UV artwork on the front side and high‑contrast white silkscreen on the back. Assembly techs can still read the reference designators, and your badge will dominate the swag table!