A coaster should give the base of a glass a sensible place to rest and leave the amount of visible artwork you want around it. That sounds straightforward, but product photographs can make scale difficult to judge. The same coaster looks quite different beneath a narrow stemmed glass and a broad-bottomed mug.
There is no single coaster size that suits every vessel or every supplier. Before ordering, measure the drinkware you actually use and make a paper template. A few minutes with a ruler can prevent a much larger order from arriving in a format that does not fit your service.
Measure the part that touches the table
For a wine glass, measure the foot rather than the bowl. For a tumbler, measure the underside that supports its weight. A cup handle can extend beyond the coaster without affecting the supporting area, while an unusually wide base may be unsuitable even if the cup itself looks compact.
Turn the empty vessel over carefully and measure across its base. If it is not circular, check both dimensions. Then place it upright on your mock-up to see whether the footprint sits comfortably inside the outline. Include any raised ring or separate feet in the assessment.
Check more than one example if the venue mixes glassware from several ranges. A replacement tumbler purchased later may have a broader base than the original set. Keep a simple list of the main vessels, their base measurements and any exceptions that need a different service arrangement.
What 93 mm means in practice
Hey Coasters uses a 93 mm diameter for round coasters and a 93 × 93 mm format for square coasters. In centimetres, that is 9.3 cm across. Both formats are printed on 470 g beer mat board; changing the shape does not change the stated width.
For a round 70 mm glass base centred on a 93 mm round coaster, the difference in diameter is 23 mm. That leaves approximately 11.5 mm on either side. A base measuring 85 mm would leave roughly 4 mm. These are simple geometry examples, not a fit guarantee for a particular glass.
The comparison becomes useful when you place the vessel on the template. Consider how accurately staff can centre it during service and whether a small movement pushes the base towards the edge. If the fit looks marginal, ask about suitability before committing to the print run.
Round and square formats leave different visible space
A square coaster of the same width leaves extra material in the corners around a circular glass base. That can make a pattern or short line more visible. It does not increase the width available directly beneath the widest part of the glass.
Compare round coaster designs with square designs using the same vessel. If the base is too wide for the round format, the square outline may not solve the problem. Judge support and presentation separately rather than treating additional corner space as extra diameter.
Our round versus square comparison looks more closely at layout and usable area. For a size decision, keep the test practical: centre the glass, look at the remaining border and check whether the arrangement feels comfortable from the guest's side of the table.
Leave room for artwork as well as the drink
A glass can cover the centre of a design for most of the visit. Decide which details must remain visible and which can appear when the guest lifts the drink. A border pattern may still contribute to the setting while a small central wordmark is temporarily hidden.
Do not move essential details directly against the edge just to escape the glass base. Printed artwork needs a safe margin from the cut line. For Hey Coasters, names, logos and QR codes should sit at least 4 mm inside that line, with additional clear space around a QR symbol where required.
Test at the printed size without zooming in. If the design needs tiny text to fit around the glass, simplify the content or reconsider the layout. A larger screen preview cannot tell you whether a guest can read something while seated under the venue's normal lighting.
Keep finished size and file size separate
The finished coaster is the piece you receive. The artwork document includes extra background beyond its edges so the print can extend cleanly to the cut. Those are different measurements and should not be confused when checking how the glass will fit.
For the 93 mm Hey Coasters format, prepare a 99 × 99 mm document with 3 mm bleed on every side. Follow the artwork guide for image resolution and file requirements. Do not use the full 99 mm document as your glass-fitting template: the outside bleed will be trimmed away.
For round artwork, the square document also includes areas outside the circle. Keep the main design inside the final outline and extend only the background into the surrounding space. A logo placed in a document corner can look fine in the file but disappear when the coaster is cut.
A simple check before ordering
- Measure the bases of the vessels you intend to use.
- Make a template at the finished coaster size.
- Place each vessel centrally and check the remaining space.
- Add your actual-size artwork and inspect the covered areas.
- Confirm any unusual glassware before placing a large order.
Keep that template or a reference photograph with the approved file. It gives the team a useful standard when replacing glassware or reordering stock. If several people approve the design, show everyone the same physical arrangement rather than a different enlarged preview.
If you serve several drinks on a tray, check that the chosen arrangement is easy to place at the table. A format that looks tidy in isolation still needs to work during normal service.
Browse the full paper coaster collection for finished designs, or open Hey Coasters Studio for your own artwork. Start with the glass base, then check the outline and layout together. That sequence makes the size decision much more reliable than choosing from a photograph alone.
