Laminators are a popular office machine that offers a great way of protecting your valuable and important documents. However, the lamination world can be a bit confusing with all the different types of laminators available. Hopefully, this FAQ post will help answer your questions.
What’s the difference between hot and cold lamination?
When considering lamination, perhaps the first thing you think of is hot lamination. Hot lamination occurs when a document is sheathed with laminate fed through a machine that melts the adhesive on the film, thus bonding the laminate to the object. However, cold lamination is a lamination that occurs without heat. The laminate used is sticky to the touch, so no heat is needed to melt the glue.
A pouch laminator is probably the easiest kind of laminators to use. A pouch laminator can laminate a wide range of document sizes, including tiny ones (such as business cards) and larger 12 x 18 sheets. A laminating pouch is only a piece of laminate folded in half. You slide your document in, put it into your laminator (folded side first), and you’re finished. Pouches are available in many different sizes, some are clear, and have fancy finishes (like
soft touch and dry erase), so depending on your desired result, get creative while laminating!
Roll laminators are often found in high-volume professional operations, such as copy centers and places that laminate many large items. (Your elementary school may have had one.) This laminator utilizes two rolls to quickly laminate large items like posters, blueprints, and maps. Using roll laminators is a good choice when you need to laminate many big items quickly.
What kind of things can I laminate?
The central idea of lamination is for your documents to be protected and sturdier. That said, nearly any flat paper item can be laminated. Some obvious options are important personal documents (such as birth certificates), ID cards, signs, menus, and photographs.
I have some fragile things I need to laminate. What kind of laminator should I use?
If you need to protect fragile documents, especially ones that could be damaged by the heat produced by a pouch laminator,
cold or pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) lamination is the best option.
I keep seeing the term “mil.” What’s that?
When purchasing laminating, you will need to consider how rigid you want your items to be once laminated—this is where the term “mil” comes in. “Mil” refers to the thickness of a pouch in thousandths of an inch. Pouches are available in the following thicknesses: 1.5mil, 1.7mil, 3 mil, 5 mil, 7 mil, and 10 mil. Typically, the higher the number, the thicker the pouch, and the stiffer the result. It is also important to note that the thickness which purchasing pouches refers to each side. So a 3mil pouch will actually give you a document that is 6mil more thick.
What are some features I should look for in a laminator?
A vital feature to seek out when purchasing a laminator is a reverse button. Jams will happen when laminating, and a reverse button can help you remove the document before it's wrapped up in the machine's rollers and potentially causing damage. Another feature that is ideal to have on your same machine is a variable temperature setting to perform both hot and cold lamination. You might also want to look for a laminator that fits in with your home, office decor or one that's easily portable. Whatever your necessities, there's a laminator out there for you!
We hope these Laminator FAQs have helped clear up some questions you might have around lamination. If you have any additional questions or need help finding the right laminator for you, please
contact us.
