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What are Overlaminates?

Article courtsey of wiseGEEK and authored by Mary Elizabeth.

"Overlaminates protect material from UV rays, weather, fingerprints, grease, dirt, and graffiti. They can also ensure that items stay smooth and flat, reduce glare from a light source, and change textural appearance. There are specialized types of overlaminates for various functions.

"Uses of overlaminates include protecting flexible media, presentations and displays for businesses and in court, architectural renderings, mouse pads, banners, place mats, blueprints, photographs, posters, prints, certificates, and maps. They are also good for preserving small items such as labels, recipe cards, bookmarks, and wallet cards such as social security cards or library cards. Outdoor uses of overlaminates include protecting vehicle graphics, safety markings, and decals, as well as traffic and safety signage and other exterior signage.

"Overlaminates fall into three main categories: cold or pressure-sensitive films, thermal or heat-activated films, and liquid. Pressure-sensitive films can be applied at room temperature. Low temperature heat-activated films are best applied at 185-210°F (85–99°C). The high temperature range runs from about 210-275°F (99–135°C).

"The machines used for lamination may only apply the film to the item and press it into place, ensuring 100 percent contact between the item and the overlaminate, or provide heat to activate the process as well. The main types are the pouch laminator, so-called because the item is slid into a pre-made film pouch, and the roll laminator. There are heated and cold, pressure-sensitive versions of both types.

"Overlaminates have finishes similar to those of latex paint, with choices like textured, luster, matte, satin, and glossy. There are canvas textured overlaminates that – when adhered to a print – make the image appear to have been rendered on canvas. Other special texture overlaminates offer a range of options for altering the appearance of portraits and prints in artistic ways.

"Manufacturer’s descriptions enumerate the thickness, temperature, and UV ratings of overlaminates, and whether they are appropriate for indoor or outdoor use, or both. Some stand up well under direct lighting and are made to reduce surface glare, and this is also noted on the label, as is the method required for applying them. These guidelines are helpful in making a good choice for a particular project."

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Check out Pressure Sensitive Film, Cold Laminating FIlm & Adhesive, and Roll Laminating Film for details on specific laminates, films and overlaminates.

Which laminator is best for my school?

We really need to replace the old laminator at our elementary school. Do you have any recommendations?

Schools often produce a large volume and a large variety of documents. One teacher may want to protect a student’s artwork, while another teacher may need to protect a school banner from the outside elements. A laminator with the capability to effectively cover and protect such a variety of documents is an important investment for your school.

The GBC HeatSeal Ultima 65 Laminating Machine is the most popular, effective, and easy to use roll laminator on the market. Here's 5 reasons why:

1. Equipped with the capability to laminate up to 10’ per minute and a 27” wide capacity, it can effectively laminate one large project or multiple small documents at a time.

2. It only takes 20 minutes to warm up and includes automatic shut off, standby mode, and reverse function. The reverse function allows you to clear possible film wraps or jams.

3. The Ultima 65 is capable of running laminating films that are from 1.2 mil to 3 mil in thickness. Most of your projects will use 1.5 mil, but if you have a project that needs a higher quality look and feel, you can step up to 3 mil without any problems at all.

4. This laminator also contains infrared heated rollers which eliminate cold spots and deliver flawless laminating. The pre-set temperature and speed controls also offer improved laminating precision.

5. A built in trimmer with an added protective shield that allows you to neatly finish your project.

LetsBlogOffice highly recommends the GBC HeatSeal Ultima 65 Laminating Machine because it is the ideal solution for preserving teaching aids, classroom projects, and a variety of other important school documents.

Why you Should Consider using a Cold Laminator Instead

There are many people who come to us with inquiries about laminators and their capabilities.  How fast do they laminate? How hot do they get? Where can I have them serviced?  These are all common questions, especially for higher end, larger laminators.  I've become curious about why more people are not interested in cold laminating solutions.

Cold laminators require less maintenance, have less risk for injury, and provide high quality results. Daige, in particular, makes many outstanding cold laminating products that are perfect for a variety of industries.  Take a look at the Daige MX24 MAXIT Adhesive System, this unit is capable of providing results that are just as impressive as heated options.  

I hope every person looking for a new laminator makes the choice that works best for them, I just wanted to remind everyone of another option!