Stick Together: Understanding Laminating Film Adhesive Applications to Prints

Let’s quickly review the components of a print before we discuss applying laminating film.

Anatomy of a Print:

Stock/Material – In addition to different thicknesses, paper stocks have different textures and levels of acid content.

Ink vs. Toner – Printing machines utilize either fluid (wet) ink or powdered (dry) toner to add an image. It is important to note whether or not you are using an oil-based media.

Light vs. Heavy Toner Coverage:

Prints with light toner coverage, such as an itemized list with small/no accompanying graphics with a lot of the white paper underneath showing through, require minimum adhesive strength.

Prints with high toner coverage, such as a full-color poster with edge-to-edge printing, require maximum adhesive strength.

We recommend that prints are completely dry before applying laminating film to prevent unsightly bubbles, condensation, etc.

Laminating Film Adhesive Types:

Standard: Designed for light toner coverage.

PRO: Designed for medium toner coverage with water-based inks.

Digital: Designed for heavy toner coverage with oil-based inks.

Pressure-Sensitive: Designed for stocks made of non-porous material (like a sheet of vinyl or other plastic).