How Do I Choose the Right Laminating Film?
Choosing a laminating film is choosing the protection, style, and feel of your project and with so many options it can be hard to know where to start. But once you know the basics, you will be able to easily choose a film and get creative with your laminating projects. In this article, we explore key features to look for when shopping for laminate.
- Film Type
- Thickness
- Finish
- Glossy
- Matte
- Satin, Soft Touch, & Silk
- Luster
- Dry Erase & Anti-Graffiti
- Embossed, Textured & Anti-Slip
- Adhesive
Film Type
Laminating film comes in two different types. Thermal aka “hot” laminate contains a heat-activated adhesive that won’t become sticky until it makes contact with the hot rollers of your laminator. Pressure-sensitive or “cold” film is already sticky at room temperature and only requires pressure to be applied to your project. Let’s dig a bit deeper into their key differences.
Thermal
Thermal laminating film requires a machine to apply. Each film has a slightly different melting point and can require temperatures of 300°F or higher to adhere to your documents. This film is the cheapest of the two and is available in many different finishes and thicknesses making it the most popular laminate option. The main downside of thermal laminate is that it can damage heat-sensitive materials, especially ones with a higher melting point. So, it isn’t the best option for photo prints with water-based inks or archival pieces.
School Laminating Film
This thermal film tends to be the cheapest option out there. School laminates are thinner, 1.5 or 3 mil, and melt at high temperatures. They are a very “standard” lamination film and work great for basic projects (documents, activity sheets, posters, ect). The low price yet still professional and protected finish make these films the perfect choice for anyone looking to laminate on a limited budget.
Low-Melt Laminating Film
Thermal laminating’s response to not playing nicely with heat-sensitive materials, low-melt film can adhere to documents at a much lower temperature, usually around 200°F. This opens the possibility of using your thermal laminator for more delicate projects. While low-melt lamination doesn’t fully remove the risk, it certainly reduces it.
Pressure-Sensitive
When laminating delicate documents or images printed with water-based ink, pressure-sensitive film is the way to go. The adhesive in this film doesn’t require heat to activate so can provide a much gentler lamination for sheets that could be damaged by excessive heat exposure. Unlike thermal laminate, pressure-sensitive film doesn’t necessarily require a machine, but cold laminators can ease and expedite the task. Unlike their thermal counterparts, these machines require no warmup time and some don’t even need electricity. This makes pressure-sensitive laminators an inexpensive option to achieve smooth, bubbleless lamination instantly. You can also laminate without a laminator using pressure-sensitive pouch laminate. Simply place your page into the pouch and then press, smooth, and seal with the back of a spoon.
That being said, while using cold laminate has little to no start-up cost, long term, it can prove to be a more expensive type of lamination. Pressure-sensitive film is far less popular than thermal and comes at a higher price with fewer options.
Thickness
Laminating film thickness is measured in mil, or thousands of an inch. The thickness of your laminate determines how sturdy or flexible your final product is. On standard, laminating film ranges from 1.5 to 10 mil thicknesses. 1.5 mil is the thinnest and most bendable, but not available in pouch laminate where 3 mil is the thinnest option. 10 mil on the other hand is the thickest and most rigid. We put together the table below to help you choose which size is best for you.
| Mil | Description |
|---|---|
| 1.5mil |
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| 3mil |
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| 5mil |
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| 7mil |
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| 10mil |
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Finish
Laminating films come in a wide array of finishes. The finish will greatly impact your project visually and texturally, as well as its resistance to wear and tear. Discover some of the most popular laminating finishes below, so you know what you are looking for.
Glossy
Gloss is the most typical finish you will see on laminated projects. This film is clear, smooth, and shiny. This film looks similar to if you had put your document in a glass picture frame. Gloss laminating film is a great way to protect any project. It can also be written on and reused with wipe-away markers like dry-erase. However, like a picture frame, gloss’s added shine can lead to glare, especially outside or in brightly lit areas. So, while gloss laminate is a great choice for your documents, it may not be the best choice for signs or displays.
Matte
Matte is often seen as the other end of the spectrum to gloss. These films remove all shine and glare. Documents with a matte finish will have a very similar look and feel to standard printing paper. Matte laminating can be a great choice to elevate your documents providing the same protection as gloss film but with a more unique look.
Satin, Soft Touch, & Silk
These, and other similarly named laminates, elevate matte laminate to a more luxurious feel. The level of shine can vary, soft-touch being the most matte and silk the glossiest. But, the thing that makes these films stand out is how they feel. Lamination that feels like rose petals or soft fabric can be a great way to uplevel frequently handled items. They are a great choice for makeup and other upscale packaging.
Luster
Sitting right between glossy and matte, luster film helps to eliminate glare without eliminating shine. You can almost think about luster as a fine glitter powder. This film has a lightly textured finish that refracts light across its surface reducing glare from harsh lights while still making the image pop. Luster laminate isn’t glossy but still has a light shine to it. This film is great for laminating photos, posters, and other display pieces.
Dry-Erase & Anti-Graffiti
Dry-erase lamination enhances the already writable surface of gloss film. This film is designed for dry-erase markers and can easily be cleaned even after the ink has long since dried. This is a great option for teachers or parents to make reusable documents like activity sheets or chore charts. Anti-graffiti takes this concept to a whole new level. It allows you to create surfaces that can easily wipe away spray paint and other graffiti. Clean graffiti off posters, flyers, and other laminated projects easily with the help of a basic cleaning spray.
Embossed, Textured, and Anti-Slip
If you want to create graphics that can withstand heavy use, handling, scuffs, and scratches these films will provide you with the ultimate protection. Textured films are ideal for heavy-duty lamination including indoor and outdoor signage, reusable displays, and even wall and floor decals. The heavily textured surface is super scratch and scuff-resistant, keeping your lamination looking better for longer. This laminate is ideal for heavy foot traffic, repeated setup and breakdown, and other heavy usage.
Adhesive
As you look through laminating film you will likely come across options listed as adhesive or mounting adhesive. This is not referring to a laminating film’s adhesive, but rather the ability to add adhesive to your project essentially creating a sticker.
Permanent v. Repositionable
People add adhesive to their projects for many reasons. You can create stickers, prepare a sign for mounting, or a graphic to be stuck to a wall or window. Whatever the reason, it is important to think about how long you want your sticker to be stuck. Adhesive lamination is available in both permanent and repositionable options. If you are prepping a sign to be mounted on a board, you probably want it to stay there indefinitely so permanent is the way to go. On the other hand, if that sign is going to be stuck to your store’s window you probably want to be able to remove and reposition it.
Opaque v. Clear
Adhesives can come in two different finishes opaque, often white, and clear. Opaque will coat the back of your project with a colored adhesive and prevent light from leaking through to the other side. So, if applied to a window graphic no light will glow through. Clear adhesive achieves the opposite. Any graphic with clear adhesive will have the same light leak as the project before the adhesive was applied. Clear adhesives are also necessary if you are looking to maintain any transparency in your graphics.
And so...
Congratulations! You are officially a laminating film expert. No matter what type of laminate your machine takes, roll, pouch, or cartridge, you are now equipped to choose the film that best suits your project. We wish you the best of luck on your laminating journey. If you want to put your new knowledge to the test, take a look at what laminating film we currently have in stock and get inspired for your next project.
