Laminating Information

A guide to document lamination
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HOT vs. COLD Laminating
Hot laminate is a tough, scratch-resistent, inexpensive, all purpose laminate. It is typically used where long-term durability is important. Hot laminating can not be used to laminate materials created by thermal printing, such as faxes.

Cold laminating machines are easier to use and cold lamination provides superior UV protection and plastic quality. Cold lamination can be used on output from thermal printers.

POUCH vs. FILM Laminating
Laminating pouches are precut pockets of laminating material, open on one side. The item to be laminated is inserted into the pocket which is then run through the laminator. Pouches are excellent for laminating large numbers of items that are the same size.

Laminating film comes on a roll or in a cartridge. The film is fed into the laminating machine as needed for the item to be laminated. The laminated item then needs to have the excess film trimmed away. Film lamination is used when you need flexibility to laminate items of various sizes.

WHAT CAN BE LAMINATED?
Almost any flat material can be laminated. Most laminators can handle one or two sheets of heavy paper. If you need to laminate thicker items, such as mounted photographs, be sure the laminator you purchase can handle the additional thickness.

Laminators may have difficulty with items that have varying thickness. They will also have difficulty laminating items with a wax or oily finish.

Because the laminate is bonded to the material being laminated, we do not recommend lamination as a way to protect historical or valuable documents.

Laminating Glossary