How to Choose Laminators and Pouches

Resource Description

Lamination is a quick and easy way to protect your prints. Lamination protects prints by permanently bonding clear plastic film to one or both sides of the prints, making them tear and waterproof. It preserves your prints from moisture and environmental damage. In addition, color enhancement and contrast are added to your print images. Glossy-looking prints have a higher quality look to them. Lamination prevents prints from becoming creased, sun-damaged, wrinkled, stained, smudged, abraded, and/or marked by grease, fingerprints, and environmental concerns.

So, you need to display notices or sale info? Protect files and reference documents? Enhance a presentation? Laminators do all that and more. This guide will help you sort through the options to find the best laminator for your home or office. We define some terms and show you which features will work best in your office, school, or house.

There are three factors to consider choosing a laminator:

1. Style: laminators come in two basic styles that suit different needs
2. Capacity: your laminator must be able to accommodate laminator rolls and pouches, thick enough for your project.
3. Width: your laminator must also be wide enough for your projects

Laminators are available in two basic styles, each best suited for different applications:

1. Hot laminators

Hot, or thermal, laminators work by melting the adhesive backing, not the plastic coating. However, laminators can melt too-thin laminating rolls and pouches. This causes less-than crystal clear laminations and, in severe cases, can ruin your machine. Invest in a laminator with adjustable temperature settings. Most laminators shut off automatically to prevent overheating. Still, don't leave your laminator unattended - treat it just like a curling iron or other electrical appliance. You should also keep your laminator clean. Laminator jams are caused by old glue gumming up the rollers, thus run a cleaning sheet through your machine at the end of days use.

2. Cold Laminators

Cold lamination is best for heat-sensitive materials. It requires self-adhesive laminator rolls and pouches that can be applied with or without a machine. Using a laminator removes air bubbles and gives your projects a smooth finish. It's also more convenient to laminate large projects, such as banners and maps, with a machine.

Cold lamination also allows for temporary laminations. Just use repositionable sheets that can be removed without destroying the underlying material.

Laminator Capacity.

Different laminators accommodate laminating rolls and pouches of different gauges or thicknesses. Roll and pouch gauge is measured in mils, and the higher the mil, the thicker and more rigid the laminations.

3 mil		5 mil
For occasional filing, handling, or posting of menus, photos, or other items where pouch flexibility is acceptable.		For moderate handling, filing, or posting of items such as photos, legal files, or recipe cards.
7 mil		10 mil
For daily handling, filing, or posting of items such as sales materials, calendars, luggage, and ID cards.		For intensive daily handling or usage of items such as reference documents, displays, easels, posters, signs, and more.

Laminators are also available in a range of widths. The wider the laminator, the more versatile the machine. Lamination width ranges from 4" up to 27" (extra-wide format laminators). We advise you to think over the types and sizes of documents you are going to laminate before ordering a PROPER laminator.

Safety Features:

• Auto shut off - Prevents overheating when the laminator is not in use.
• HeatGuard Technology - Double-walled insulation keeps heat inside the laminating machine, so it remains cool to the touch. Perfect for classrooms or crafting with kids.

Laminator Pouches

Laminating pouches are presented to you on our site in a variety of colors and sizes of laminating sheets – from business card size and all the way up to large menu sizes - to cover all your laminating needs. At Mega Depot, you can find an extensive variety of laminators and pouches from the most trusted brands. Here is a short table-guide for Brady™ pouch models (colors and sizes) to your advantage.