It can be tough to figure out what the best laminating school supplies to choose for your school are. Which thickness is best? What kind should I use, film, pouches, or sheets? What is the difference between this and that?
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With over 90 years in the industry, we are here to help. This comprehensive guide will help you discover all the details you need to know about school laminating supplies.
In this article, we will cover:
When it comes to laminating supplies for schools, you should never compromise on quality. But why is that? And what dictates the quality of a laminate?
Schools are bustling environments where teaching materials, documents, and posters are frequently displayed, handled, and stored. There are really 4 key benefits to using a quality lamination.
Schools are bustling environments where teaching materials, documents, and posters are frequently displayed, handled, and stored. There are really 4 key benefits to using a quality lamination.
Lamination quality can be determined by a few important factors. For one, the thickness of the laminate itself. However, we’re not talking about a 3 mil vs a 10 mil, because both can be very good quality. What we’re actually talking about is how a seller labels their pouch versus what they actually are.
There are many online retailers who sell a 3 mil pouch that is actually 1.5 mil on both sides. Binding101, however, measures the thickness of the single laminate sheet and rates based on that. This is the way that most equipment manufacturer’s also measure thickness, so when you’re looking at compatibility with your pouch laminator, our pouches will be most accurate. To illustrate: when we’re looking at a 3 mil pouch from Binding101 and comparing it to a 3 mil pouch from another brand, ours will actually be twice as thick and, more often than not, the same price or even less per pouch.
Why not measure based on the entire pouch thickness? Best industry practice insists that the laminate itself is what is being measured and, because a pouch is actually two pieces of laminate pre-sealed on one end, doing it any other way could be considered unethical (or at a minimum, a bit deceptive).
Every lamination will have adhesive as a key component. The quality of that adhesive will play into the finished quality of your print. Not only can the adhesive layer affect the way your print sticks and how protected it is around the edges, but it can affect the look of your print as well. A poor quality adhesive could lead to peeling corners and a dull or milky finish.
High-quality pouch laminates use a plastic film that's clear and durable. It's typically made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), or a combination of these materials. Both are quality materials that serve different uses. PET is stronger and more stuff, providing excellent resistance to moisture. It also has great clarity for crystal-clear visibility and sharp colors through laminate. When thinner, it can be more brittle. EVA, however, is known for its softness, flexibility and resilience. The best laminating pouches will combine these two plastics in different levels, depending on the mil thickness, until perfect balance is achieved.
Selecting the right laminating supplies for schools is not just about the type of documents you need to laminate. You also need to match the right supplies with your laminator specifications and the project requirements.
Laminators come in various shapes and sizes, each with its own specifications that determine the kind of laminating supplies the machine can handle. For instance, some small laminators may only allow for 9” pouches with a 5 mil maximum whereas a more versatile office laminator may laminate up to 12” and accept the full range of pouches up to 10 mil. Using a pouch or sheet that is too thick for your machine can result in poor lamination quality or even damage your machine, so be sure you know the kind of laminate you plan to use before you invest in your equipment.
Similarly, the project requirements also play a significant role in choosing the right laminating supplies. Are you laminating colorful projects or reusable teaching aids? Will the projects be handled frequently, or will they hang untouched on the wall? Are you working on small projects, or do you need to laminate large batches? Consider these questions when deciding the right laminating school supplies to choose.
Now, let’s delve into some popular options for laminating supplies.
First, consider laminating pouches. These are two pieces of laminate that are pre-sealed together on one end. They come in a huge variety of sizes, from just a couple inches on each side to 12” x 18”, plus some wide-format pouch options. Letter size pouches are a popular choice for awards and student artwork while 12” x 18” are popular for write-on/wipe-off learning aids, and bookmark size is popular for… well, bookmarks!
Thicknesses available include a range from 3 mil to 10 mil. The thickness often depends on the level of rigidity you’re looking for, your budget, and the durability or how much the pouch will be handled/how long you need it to last. For instance, thicker pouches provide more rigidity and are perfect for creating durable ID cards for students or staff while thinner ones are great for send-home projects.
There are many types of pouches to choose from. If you're laminating artwork or color-rich documents, a laminating supply that enhances color — like thermal gloss laminating pouches — would be ideal. On the other hand, a dry-erase writable supply like thermal matte laminating pouches would be best for creating reusable teaching aids.
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Adhesive back laminating pouches are a versatile choice with a peel-and-stick backing to laminate and place wherever you wish. You can use them to create signage for classrooms, hallways, or bulletin boards.
But if you’re looking to laminate projects that students will frequently handle, antibacterial laminating pouches would be the better choice. They are ideal for shared resources like communal classroom learning aids. They undergo antibacterial treatment to help keep them hygienic and reduce the spread of germs.
To laminate without a machine, self-laminating pouches are the perfect choice. They do not require heat and you can seal them by-hand, making them convenient for quick, small-scale projects. You can use them for on-the-spot laminating needs, such as protecting student artwork or a teacher’s lesson plan.
Laminating sheets are essentially pouches but are one-sided. These are great for teachers who want to cut costs and only laminate one side of an item that might be placed on the wall or window.
Many times, single-sided laminating sheets are also self-stick, meaning you may not even need to have a hot laminator to use them; you could just peel off the liner and stick them onto your print. A great tip to help is to just peel the corner of the liner off to expose just a peek of adhesive; press your page onto that exposed edge then slowly peel off the rest of the liner as you press down your page to laminate at the same time. You can also use a brayer or a spoon to help rub out any bubbles, from center to the edges in small circles.
Laminate sheets are incredibly popular for certificates, fliers, schedules, and more. While the sizes available are more limited than standard pouches, they are typically stocked for the most common application sizes. They help to add rigidity and stability to your print. But one important thing to note is that, because they only cover one side of your print, they will not offer protection against moisture like fully encapsulated pouches.
If you are using pouches smaller than your laminator's maximum width, laminating pouch carriers are a good idea. They protect your laminator from adhesive that may seep out of the pouches during the laminating process, keeping your heat rollers from becoming sticky.
Pouch carriers are especially useful so you can laminate different size pouches at the same time. But be sure to check your machine, as some cannot handle the added thickness of a carrier.
Laminating film is used with roll laminators. It is primarily used for large prints, posters, and signs. Depending on how flexible or rigid you want your pieces, you can choose from a full range of thicknesses from 1.2 mil to 10 mil.
The size of film you can use will depend on the machine you have, as they are differentiated by width (for example, 27” is a popular school laminator size) as well as core size (such as 1”, 1.25”, or 3” core). Once you know those two specs from your machine, you should be able to easily shop for the best laminating film for your needs.
You might use laminating film to protect classroom posters, maps, or educational charts. You could also use it to laminate a large batch of student projects, materials for a school event, or student artwork.
Additionally, laminating film is often used in the print shop of a school, where high-volume, systematic lamination is essential. You load the film onto the roll laminator and feed documents through the machine for quick and efficient lamination.
Foiling is a fun laminating supply that adds a beautiful metallic finish to printed materials. It is available in various colors to create a unique, eye-catching effect that can make a document stand out.
Foil is an amazing supply for a variety of creative projects. For example, you can use it to add a touch of elegance to graduation certificates or awards. It is also great for fun art projects, allowing your students to add shiny, metallic elements to their work.
Finally, you can use it to highlight important information on a document to make it stand out, which could be useful for creating beautiful, striking posters or signage for school events.
Foiling requires a foil laminator (or foil fuser) that can apply the foil to the printed areas of the document. So, you must ensure you have the right equipment and know-how before using foiling supplies.
Navigating the world of laminating supplies can often lead to many questions. Here are some common laminating questions and answers.
If you’re looking for a reliable supplier, choose Binding101. As one of the largest dealers and manufacturers of finishing and office equipment in North America, we offer a wide range of premium products to meet all your laminating needs.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Laminating Adhesive Film. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
The problem we are running into with our journals is that the covers tear apart from the wire binding. We already print them on 120 lb matte cover. We are just wanting an extra layer of protection as people open and close them so that the covers won't come off. The paper you suggested is really nice and we thought about that, but they just aren't durable enough for the wear and tear. I appreciate all of the feedback, please keep it coming.
The problem we are running into with our journals is that the covers tear apart from the wire binding. We already print them on 120 lb matte cover. We are just wanting an extra layer of protection as people open and close them so that the covers won't come off. The paper you suggested is really nice and we thought about that, but they just aren't durable enough for the wear and tear. I appreciate all of the feedback, please keep it coming.
Yes, they will. However, the synthetic polyester paper is rather expensive and we are trying to keep the cost down. This is something we would use for all of our covers. We have 120 different designs for the covers.
Thank you for the input. What mil on the paper do you use? Our machine will only go up to 10 mil.
We are new to the laminate world, but not the printing world. Been doing tons of research online. We are wanting to use a soft touch laminate finish on our products. They are journals that are 8.5 x 5.5. What kind of laminate machine do you all recommend and why? Are pouches better for us or should we use a roll? Thanks for your help in narrowing our search.Hello,