Lamination is used frequently when people want to protect a sheet of paper. However, the first thing we need to understand what is laminating. Lamination is the process of coating a sheet of paper in plastic. It happens if two or more layers of material are put together by the means of adhesion or cohesion. Plastic laminates are various layers of material which are held using a sort of polymer or plastic material.
To answer the question “what is lamination?” we can simply state that it is bonding the film to both sides of the printed piece (usually a sheet of paper) so it is enclosed in plastic and it is protected from moisture or other environmental factors (since plastic is more durable than paper). It also adds rigidity and strength – you still can bend it, but it will remove to its original form without any wrinkles.
Lamination – there is no way back
It is important to mention that this the process which cannot be either canceled or undone. Once you have laminated a sheet of paper – you cannot remove the plastic sheets without damaging the sheet of paper. Therefore, you are supposed to determine if you need to protect something or not.
Lamination types
That comes to the lamination meaning, which can be put as enclosing something within two sheets of different materials. Therefore, some experience claims that various lamination processes exist.
Various materials can be used, so it is possible to put together sheets of bullet resistant polycarbonate. This polycarbonate has, in turn, acrylic, polycarbonate or urethane interlayer. There are two major types of laminates – low and high-pressure ones.
Heat activation lamination
To define laminate we need to state that it is the material we use during the lamination process. The heat activation method is better since it produces a very strong bond between the laminate and a sheet of paper. The material can be either glossy or matte, but you will see glossy often since this material is more common and it is also cheaper to produce.
The laminate is easy to cut – you can do it with a pair of scissors. At the same time, it protects the inner piece from humidity or dirt. That makes lamination a perfect option when you need to protect a sheet of paper. You can always see laminated menus to make them more “durable”, people can take menus without worrying about anything, while owners can clean laminated easily.
Protect what you need
The thickness of the material is measured in mil (it is not the same as a millimeter). One mil is equal to 1/1000 of an inch. Thicker the material the more rigid the final product will be. However, some experts have a good solution: you may print something using thicker paper and use thin film. Therefore, the final product will still remain quite rigid and even a thin film is enough to protect it from dirt.
Now, when you know what it is, you may want to start laminating everything you need. There are various reasonably-priced solutions available (certain models will cost you around $25), however, you should consider the size of a sheet that the model can work with.
The laminating material is durable and it can withstand heat, moisture, dirt. It keeps the form quite well, so it is a great option to keep a document clean.
