Laminating

What it is

Plastic film adhered to a substrate using heat and pressure.

Uses

• To enhance the appearance of a printed page
• To provide a more durable finished product

Types of film available

OLP uses various types of plastic films, depending on the desired end result.

Polyester (PET) - An extremely durable film

• Provides improved readability and longevity
• Provides excellent scuff and scratch-resistance
• Available in thickness 1.2 mil, 3 mil, 5 mil, 10 mil
• Heavier gauges increase rigidity of the finished piece
• Available in gloss, matte and satin finishes
• Gloss – High impact finish to make colors pop
• Matte – Provides ideal glare resistance (ex: trade show display)
• Satin – Lightly textured finish with slight sheen; ideal balance between gloss and matte
• Can be die cut

Nylon - Highly durable film

• Strong curl-resistance ideal for one-sided applications (ex: paperback book covers)
• Water, oil, acid and alkali-resistant
• Provides excellent scuff and scratch-resistance
• Can be die cut
• Available in gloss and matte finishes

Polypropylene (OPP) - A very glossy, cost-effective film laminate

• Good alternative to PET
• Semi-scuff resistant and offers good folding characteristics
• Available in gloss, matte and soft touch finishes
• Gloss – High impact finish to make colors pop
• Matte – Provides ideal glare-resistance (ex: trade show display)
• Soft Touch – Matte finish with soft-to-the-touch feel
• A laminate used for offset printing
• Also available in a black finish
• Clearest of all films
• Greater clarity = less color shift on printed piece. Can be die cut
• Typical applications - direct mail, dust jackets, report covers; anything that will be discarded

Specifications

One Side Lamination – 1.2 mil up to 3 mil

• Min. sheet size – 8 1/2 x 11" Max. sheet size – 32 x 45"
• Flush trim only
• Sheet thickness .004 to .024
• Must be at least 1/2" of space outside of image area on all four sides to allow for overlap as sheets go through machine – 1" is preferred
• For best results, it is recommended that aqueous coatings are not used to ensure film adhesion is as good as possible

Two Side Lamination – 1.2 mil up to 10 mil

• Min. sheet size – 2 x 3" Max. sheet size – 38 x 60"
• Sheet thickness .003 to .028
• Flush-edge or edge-seal trim
• Digital printing requires a more aggressive adhesive when laminating due to fuser oils and/or toners used – Be sure to mention if a job is offset or digital when quoting