Everything You Need To Know About Roll Laminating Film
Using roll laminating film is one of the most cost effective ways of laminating your documents, posters, flyers, notices or any other material you want to protect.
What is roll laminating film?
Roll laminating film is laminating film on rolls rather than in the pouch form that many people may be more familiar with.
Related: Why buy an automatic laminator?
It’s fed through laminating machines designed specifically to take rolls, and requires (in most cases) two lots of film – one for the top of the document and one for the bottom, this means that the film is encapsulating the document by sealing it an all sides. It’s a thermal form of laminating, meaning it requires heat to form a seal.
Features of roll laminating film
There are various key features of laminating film rolls that you need to be aware of before you buy. If you buy the wrong kind of laminating film then not only will you probably not get the result you want from your laminating, but you could also end up damaging your machine.
These key features are: core size; film grade; roll width; and film thickness.
- Core size – This is the size of the roll that goes through the middle of the film, known as a mandrel that holds it onto the laminating machine. The three standard core sizes are 1” (25mm), 2 ¼” (57mm) and 3” (75mm). The core size will often be in relation to the length of the roll, as a longer roll will usually require a thicker mandrel for support.
- Film grade – The film grade refers to the quality of the adhesive used to stick the film together. Standard film, or school film, will probably suffice for your normal, day-to-day laminating. However, if you want something a little more substantial and higher quality, than pro-grade laminating film has a lower melting temperature and stronger adhesive. There are various other grades of film available, including non-thermal, super strength adhesive options, and nylon laminating film, which is used for single-sided documents, but you must make sure they’re compatible with your machine.
- Roll width – This is dictated by the width of the laminating machine as well as the sheet sizes that are working with. There are a range of widths available based on all the standard paper sizes. Your machine can’t cope with a roll that exceeds its own width, but it can use all roll sizes that are narrower. This might help you cut down on wastage if you’re only laminating something s
mall. - Film thickness – As with regular pouches, lamination film comes in a range of thicknesses. The thicker the film, the more sturdy and rigid your laminating will be. For example, if you want something to stand up on its own, such as a menu, then a thicker film would be better.
Which laminating film roll should I buy?
It’s very important that you choose the right laminating film rolls or you could end up damaging your machine, which may end up proving costly. So the first thing you need to do is familiarise yourself with the size of your machine and its settings so you don’t use the wrong film.
As leading roll laminating film suppliers, here at Total Print Finishing Services, we have a great range available for you to choose from including various thicknesses and widths, so you’re sure to find something that is not only going to give you a superb finish and protection of your document but also guaranteed to be suitable for your machine. We have years of experience too, any questions or if you need any suggestions about your laminating, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Take a look at our full range of roll laminating films or get in touch if you have any questions or queries.
