Matte Mil

What to Look For When Buying Roll Laminator Film

Whether you’ve just purchased a roll laminator or you’ve been using one for years, choosing the right film for it can sometimes be confusing. Here are five things to think about and look for when buying laminate.

1.) Width. The width of the film you buy will be dictated by the size of your laminator. You’ll want to get supplies that are appropriate for your machine. Thus, if your device is 25″ wide, you’ll want to get laminate that corresponds with that size or is smaller if you’re going to be working with smaller documents (i.e. ones that are letter-sized). If you’re not sure how wide your machine is, make sure you take a look at the machine’s instruction book. The width will definitely be mentioned in there.

2.) Core size. Another important consideration is the size of the core. The core is simply the cardboard tube that the film’s spun around. Cores come in a few different sizes. The two most common for roll laminators are the 1″ and 2.25″ cores, although there are machines that can handle 3″ cores. As with the width, check with your instruction manual if you’re not sure what size core the machine can handle.

3.) Length. Length is another thing to think about, although it’s not as important as the width and core size. This is because most laminating film is only available in one length. However, if you do find that there is more than one length available, you’ll want to choose a roll that’s not too big for your laminator. If you do so and you try using it, you’re going to find that it’s next to impossible. So save yourself the time and frustration and go with a shorter length.

4.) Thickness. Thickness is a pretty important thing to think about when purchasing laminating film and it comes in a variety of thicknesses. The thinnest available is usually either 1.5 or 1.7 mil, while the thickest is 10 mil. The thicker the film, the stiffer your finished product will be. However, keep in mind that some devices – especially school laminators – can only handle the thinner films. Again, if you have any questions about which supplies to get, your instruction manual should fill you in on which thickness to use.

5.) Finish. Laminating film is typically available in two different finishes: glossy and matte. The glossy stuff will make your documents shine (literally) and it usually tends to be less expensive than its matte counterpart. Although the latter does cost a bit more, it can be a good choice because your work will look very professional. You can even write on matte laminate, if you choose. There are other finishes available, but glossy and matte are definitely the most common and will likely be the ones you have to choose from.

Choosing the right film for your roll laminator is easy when you know what you need to look for. Now that you’ve read this article, choosing the right laminate should be a breeze. Just remember to look for these five things and you’ll make the right decision.

About the Author

If you’d like to purchase some Laminating Film, you should really visit MyBinding.com. They have these supplies available at a great price and they also offer a fantastic selection of Roll Laminators. Plus, you’ll get free shipping on every order over $75.00. Check it out for yourself today!

Clear Covers, Frosted & Matte Covers for Booklet Binding

Peugeot Tahiti Pepper Mill Tahiti MillThese Peugeot Tahiti Salt and Pepper mills are beautiful and have a soft touch finish. Adjustable grinding consistency. Peugeot offers a limited lifetime warranty on their grinding mechanisms and limited two-year warranty on other mill parts. Since the 1800′s, Peugeot has long been recognized for their grinding mechanism. While still developing new products and refining its existing lin…

Kodak Premium Photographic Paper, Gloss, 180g, 42 x 100′ $8.20 Resin-coated, photographically stable base ideal for high-quality photographic output Industry-leading light stability for indoor display 8 mil; gloss, satin or matte finish 100-ft. roll.Kodak 1393768….

Pro Tapes Pro-Gaff Gaffers Tape: 1 in. x 60 yds. (Purple) $12.30 Pro Tapes Pro-Gaff Gaffers Tape is a high strength vinyl coated cloth tape with a matte finish. It has a high performance adhesive system and is highly conformable to irregular surfaces. Pro-Gaff is also waterproof, abrasion resistant, has a smooth, controlled unwind, and is hand-tearable. Engineered for demanding applications such as wire and carpet hold down, gaffing lights, spiking, color codin…

Pro Tapes Pro-Gaff Gaffers Tape: 1 in. x 55 yds. (Burgundy) $12.30 Pro Tapes Pro-Gaff Gaffers Tape is a high strength vinyl coated cloth tape with a matte finish. It has a high performance adhesive system and is highly conformable to irregular surfaces. Pro-Gaff is also waterproof, abrasion resistant, has a smooth, controlled unwind, and is hand-tearable. Engineered for demanding applications such as wire and carpet hold down, vinyl seat repair, gaffing lights, s…

Oracal 751 Unp 48in X 10yd 070 Matte Black $130.36 Oracal 751 is a 2 mil. soft flexible vinyl coated with permanent acrylic adhesive. This durable easy weed product is a low cost alternative that will allow you to compete in any market and increase your profits. Will conform to rivets and adhere to a wide variety of surfaces….

Purell TFX Surgical Scrub Dispenser – 1200 ML 1 EA 2785-12 $19.99 Touch-free, trouble-free performance Three C-size alkaline batteries included Dove Gray with matte finish Fully ADA compliant, UL/CE registered Three-year guaranteeXL sight window1200 mil capacity *Item is special order and cannot be returned*…

Inkpress AV851120 Specialty Media Adhesive Vinyl 13 Mil 8.5in. X 11in. 20S $17.23 Inkpress Adhesive Vinyl body : Inkpress Adhesive Vinyl is an economical, universal and permanent self adhesive material with a high bleached, wateresistant inkjet coating. The application is for indoor / outdoor application. Compatible and suitable with all waterbased dye- and pigmented inks….

Projet Extra Heavyweight Card Stock, Double Sided Matte Inkjet Paper, 11.7 mil., 4×6, 50 Sheet Pack. $6.95 Projet Extra Heavyweight Card Stock is a premium dual sided matte inkjet paper with a bright white coating on both sides which is ideal for high resolution printing. Projet Extra Heavyweight Card Stock unique clay coating dries instantly and is water resistant and light fast. These features make it ideally suited for all your brochures, notecards or photo portfolios Projet Extra Heavyweight Card S…

Hahnemuhle Matte Photo Rag, 100 % Rag, Smooth, Bright White Inkjet Paper, 19 mil., 308 g/mA, 8.5×11, 25 Sheets $39.31 This mould-made Inkjet natural line 100% Rag Photo Rag is a single side coated, traditional fine art media. Made in the Hahnemuhle Paper Mill, the surface Inkjet coating is a special matte coating, designed for high quality digital fine art re-production and print applications on Inkjet plotters and printers.The printed side of this paper has been specially coated to offer excellent image sharpnes…

Scotch(TM) Thermal Laminating Pouches, 8.9 Inches x 11.4 Inches, 50 Pouches (TP3854-50) $6.98 These are 3 mil thick thermal laminating pouches for use in a thermal laminator. They come in a pack of 50 for sale to retail. They are letter size pouches….